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News Cartoon: January 30, 2023

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Burma’s coup leader Min Aung Hlaing amended the Political Parties Registration Law on Jan. 26.

A Bittersweet Anniversary

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Both the coup in Myanmar and Thin Ink turns 2

Thin Lei Win for Thin Ink

For the past two years, the period between late January and the beginning of February has tended to arouse opposing emotions – satisfaction tinged with sadness, pride mixed with anger, hope interspersed with helplessness.

You see, I published my first issue of Thin Ink on Jan 21, less than a week after leaving my previous job where I’d worked as a correspondent for over a dozen years.

I loved – and still love – my climate editors, who taught me much of what I know, so even though I knew it was the right decision to strike out on my own, it wasn’t an easy one. Journalism is not a profession for those who seek riches, but I was leaving at a time when the industry was in a particularly bad state.

But I also believe wholeheartedly in this topic and wanted to see if I could focus solely on it. So I didn’t think twice when Kelly, good friend and partner-in-crime for the Kite Tales, suggested starting my own newsletter.

Well, it’s been two years, this is Thin Ink’s 99th issue, I’m getting to do such varied and interesting work, and even appeared on Al-Jazeera English this week to talk about why we shouldn’t look at hunger and malnutrition in isolation and the need to overcome our fixation with yield and agricultural productivity.

So it feels like some sort of celebrations are in order… but… the other reality was that a mere 10 days after Thin Ink was born, Myanmar’s military staged a pre-dawn coup, a selfish and cowardly act that precipitated a humanitarian disaster – more than 1.2 million people displaced, tens of thousands in prisons, and thousands dead.

Friends, relatives, former colleagues, and acquaintances disappeared. Some were arrested. A few fared worse. I wrote this two years ago and the title is still resonant today.

What are people fleeing from? Ongoing clashes between the junta and pro-democracy forces, for one. But also aerial bombardment, wholesale burning of villages, and other indiscriminate attacks, all coming from the army.

The map below, released just a few days ago from the UN refugee agency UNHCR, not only showed the jump in the number of people fleeing their homes but also how widespread it is.

Myanmar was already struggling with a COVID-induced economic slowdown and a threadbare healthcare system. Weather extremes were already making it difficult for farmers to grow food. Rapacious destruction of nature and biodiversity were already poisoning the water and the air of many communities, particularly those belonging to minority groups.

The coup made it all worse. The only economic activities that seems to be going up are opium production and arms deals.

Over the past year, we – The Kite Tales – have been supporting 10 journalists and illustrators from Myanmar. They’ve been writing anonymous diaries about life under a military dictatorship, which make for illuminating – and heartbreaking – reading.

What lies ahead?

The UN released two reports looking at humanitarian needs and a response plan for 2023 very recently. They estimated that 17.6 million out of 56 million – nearly 1 in 3 people – are in need of assistance. A third are children.

Guess how many needed assistance at the beginning to 2021? 1 million. Yes, you read that right – a 17-fold increase. The needs report also estimates that if nothing changes, 2.7 million people will have been displaced by the end of this year.

Even worse, an analysis that measures the severity of needs found the “entire population of 56 million people is now facing some level of need.”

The largest need in 2023 is expected to be in food security. 15.2 million, more than 1 in 4 people, are struggling to eat. This is an increase of 2 million from August 2021. Not surprising, perhaps, considering the cost of the average food basket rose by a whopping 64% between September 2021 and September 2022.

“The rapid depreciation of the Myanmar Kyat, inflation, movement restrictions and active fighting are causing a reduction in food production and are pushing the price of food beyond the reach of many families,” the report said.

For all its problems, Myanmar is (or was) a food surplus country – meaning we produced more than we consumed – at least when it comes to rice and pulses. Sure, hunger was prevalent, particularly in minority areas, but that was a result of discriminatory policies, not because we didn’t grow enough. The problem, as it often is, was access and affordability, not availability.

But now, we are facing the possibility that there might actually not be enough food, because agriculture has been disrupted by conflict, displacement, land contaminated with explosive ordnance like landmines, and high prices of inputs such as seeds, fertiliser and diesel.

A rice field in the Ayeyarwady Delta, the country’s ‘rice bowl’. Photo by me.

“Farmers are producing less food,” the report warned, but the finding below is even more heartbreaking.

“Agricultural households, smallholder farmers and those living off livestock are more likely to be food insecure. This is because they are simultaneously facing their own challenges in accessing agriculture inputs, as well as enduring a drop in farm gate prices for their produce and other market difficulties.”

The situation will worsen when unsustainable exploitation of natural resources meet a changing climate, creating conditions that will make it very difficult for food production. Myanmar’s landscape, particularly along its long coastline, is already changing, according to the UN.

“Satellite imagery indicates Myanmar to be one of the top ten countries globally for deforestation, with mangroves, an important protective ecosystem in coastal areas that is now disappearing even more rapidly than other types of forests.”

Extreme flooding from sea level rise, more intense cyclones and storms, and droughts in major cropping areas are all projected in Myanmar’s future. The knock-on effect on food production will be significant.

Here are a few more worrying statistics.

  • In 2022, the second highest number of aid workers killed globally and the fourth highest number of aid workers injured was in Myanmar, according to the Aid Worker Security Database as of 27 December 2022.
  • Myanmar is one of two countries in the world – along with Russia – where the de facto authorities made new use of landmines between mid-2021 and October 2022.
  • Air pollution is higher in Myanmar than in other countries in the region and is almost twice the average for Southeast Asia.
  • It is highly likely that malnutrition has worsened but it’s been difficult to measure the exact change because the junta has severely restricted humanitarian access. However, a nationwide assessment in August-September 2022 showed 26% of rural households and 19% of urban ones were consuming insufficient diets.

Meanwhile, what’s the junta doing, you ask?

Gearing up for possible electionstorching villages, giving the green light to unsustainable levels of miningrewarding a sexist, racist and bigoted monkgoing to Russia and spending millions of dollars rewarding themselves and their allies.

It is extremely frustrating that we’re rarely seen or heard these days despite such staggering needs and injustice. So this is me doing my part.


As always, please feel free to share this post and send tips and thoughts on mastodon @[email protected], my LinkedIn page, twitter @thinink, or via e-mail [email protected].

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A Weekly Publication on Food, Climate and Where They Meet

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) receives 2023 Geuzen Medal

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The Dutch Geuzen Medal for 2023 is being awarded to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). Since the 2021 coup, more than 17,000 have been arrested and 2,894 people have been killed, according to its latest statistics. “The circumstances in Myanmar are now very poor,” said Min Min from the AAPP. “This award shows us that the world is not abandoning us,” he added. Min Min spent over five years in solitary confinement before he was released unexpectedly. Geuzenpenning Foundation will give the award to AAPP Burma at a ceremony on March 13 in Vlaardingen, Netherlands.

Opium Production Surging in Burma, states UNODC

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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated that opium cultivation in Burma has surged since the 2021 military coup, reversing a downward trend from 2014 to 2020. According to the UNODC’s report, the cultivation area of opium in the country increased by 33 percent to 40,100 hectares and an 88 percent increase of potential yield to 790 metric tonnes. Shan State saw the largest increase of cultivation by 39 percent, followed by Chin and Karenni states that had increases of 14 and 11 percent respectively. Opium cultivation in Kachin State grew by three percent. Opium yields were the highest in 2022 since the UNODC started documenting the numbers in 2002. The value of opium in Burma ranges up to $2 billion USD while the regional heroin trade is believed to be worth up to $10 billion. Average prices paid to opium farmers increased by 69 percent in 2022, with farmers earning more than twice from opium than in 2021. 

“The growth we are witnessing in the drug business is directly connected to the crisis the country is facing. The impact on the region is profound, and the country’s neighbors need to assess and candidly address the situation, and they will need to consider some difficult options,” said UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas. Burma’s economy has deteriorated since the military coup in 2021, with many losing their jobs and inflation causing the prices of basic commodities to surge. Many farmers have been drawn to the lucrative drug trade as economic opportunities dwindle.

The UNODC said that the opium trade will persist as long as farmers do not have economic alternatives to farming opium. Drug usage has also surged across the country as the price of drugs have declined due to increased supply and narcotics have become increasingly common in KTVs and clubs in major cities. Armed groups such as the United Wa State Army (UWSA), National Democratic Alliances Army (NDAA) as well as the Burma Army and its proxies are widely believed to be involved in the country’s drug trade. Authorities in Laos and Thailand have made record drug seizures since the Burma Army launched a military coup in 2021.

DVB Reports: Stuck at the Border Two Years After Coup

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Since the 2021 military coup in Burma, lives have been upended. Many people have decided to give up their educations and careers to join anti-coup protests and go on strike or boycott. Some even took up arms to fight hoping to return the country to its democratic path. All continue to resist a return to dictatorship – two years since the military coup – despite setbacks like being displaced from home or having to seek asylum and refuge temporarily in a neighbouring country.

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About DVB
The DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma) is a non-profit Burmese media organization committed to independent and responsible journalism. The DVB Foundation is registered in Oslo, Norway since 1992.
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Justice for Myanmar: 60 governments and international organizations supporting the junta

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FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM

David Carden, the Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Burma, met with junta officials on Jan. 24. 

JFM: 60 governments and international organizations provided support to the junta 

Over 60 governments and international organizations, including the UN, have provided direct or indirect support to the junta, according to whistleblower group Justice for Myanmar (JFM). Types of support included maintaining diplomatic relations, providing technical cooperation, financial support, and renting properties from the junta.  “It’s clear that some foreign governments and international organizations are not only neglecting to help the people of Myanmar, but they are also actively supporting the military junta that is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against the people,” said Yadanar Maung, JFM spokesperson. 

NUG offers partnership with investors at Mogok mining sites

The National Unity Government (NUG) invited investments in mining projects in Mogok’s Baw Lone Gyi and Dat Taw to raise funds for the Spring Revolution. The investors will get a 10-year operating license and a 51 percent share of the projects. The future democratic government will get 49 percent, according to the NUG. The Baw Lone Gyi mining site will be located on 55.7 acres of land and has a potential worth of $10 million USD. The Dat Taw site is located on 27 acres of land that is potentially worth up to $120 million USD. Further details of the investment project will be announced on Jan. 29.

News by Region

KAREN—More government offices, including the Forest Department and the police special force offices, in Payathonzu town were burned down on Jan. 25. “Nobody was injured during the fire. It went quickly, not like the last time,” a local said. On Jan. 23, five government offices were burned down. Clashes between resistance groups and the Burma Army have escalated in Kyainseikgyi Township.

The Burma Army conducted an airstrike on a mining site 18 miles from Payathonzu town in Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 6 territory on Jan. 25. A KNU Brigade 6 spokesperson said that many buildings were damaged, and it is not yet known whether there were casualties. The Burma Army has bombed mining sites in the Brigade 6 territory at least three times, claiming that they are run by the ethnic armed group. Over a dozen miners have been killed, including three Chinese nationals, and several others have been injured in previous airstrikes. 

MANDALAY—At least 13 homes were destroyed in an arson attack perpetrated by the Burma Army on the residences of People’s Defense Forces (PDF) and Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) members in Kyingyikone village of Thabeikkyin Township on Jan. 24. “The fire started in the homes of PDF members and CDM workers and spread to other houses,” a local told DVB. Residents of the village are reported to have been detained at the village’s monastery.

MON—A civilian was killed and seven others were injured after police and soldiers exchanged gunfire at Moak Pa Lin junction checkpoint gate in Kyaikhto Township on Jan. 25. “It happened around noon. There was a huge traffic jam and we heard them arguing. I think a soldier opened fire and hit a vehicle carrying Buddhist pilgrims. I don’t know if it was an accident,” a witness said. Three of the injured are in critical condition and were sent to Mawlamyine Hospital. Regime media reported that a local PDF fired a rocket at the checkpoint gate. Thaton PDF told DVB that the Burma Army was behind the shooting as the checkpoint gate is heavily guarded by regime forces. 

A Buddhist monk was attacked by gunmen in Kyuchaung village of Kyaikto Township on Jan. 26, according to local sources. The monk is being treated at a hospital. “He was a member of a militia before he became a monk. I haven’t been in touch with him for a long time. We are investigating which group conducted the attack,” the monk’s nephew told DVB.

RAKHINE—The Burma Army has banned local and international aid organizations from providing food supplies to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Buthidaung Township, according to camp officials. “We have not received any assistance since October 2022. Donors who wish to assist us must first obtain permission from the Minister of Security and Border Affairs. Even if the minister approves it, it still has to be submitted to district and township administration officials. There are no donors to help us anymore because of these difficulties,” said Kyaw Win, IDP camp manager. Humanitarian assistance was previously supplied by the Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement, international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), but the Burma Army has restricted food supplies from reaching the camps since October 2022. “Even during this ceasefire, the military regime has deliberately created a plan to put our Rakhine people in danger of starvation,” said Aung Thaung Shwe, former member of parliament from Buthidaung Township .

SHAN—Nandaw gate at the Burma-China border in Muse town reopened on Jan. 25, according to traders. “There are no precise announcements about it in regards to locals and how they will issue border pass books. They just opened the gate,” a source said. Nandaw border gate will be open until 9pm every day. Man Wein border gate is operating until 11pm every day. Locals are still unable to cross through the border gates, according to a Burma national who lives in China. Nandaw and Sin Phyu border gates have been shut down since the COVID-19 border closure. Man Wein gate reopened temporarily in March 2021 and fully reopened on Jan. 14. People entering Burma from China via the border must follow health regulations released by the junta’s Ministry of Health on Jan. 14. According to border officials, people are allowed to enter Burma through Nandaw gate. Cargo trucks are allowed to enter Burma through Man Wein and Kyin San Kyawk border gates.

YANGON—A former officer, at the Department of Prison, and his wife were shot and injured during a robbery at their home in Larkapone village, Twante Township, on Jan. 25. Ten ticals of gold and over K5 million ($2,379 USD) were reportedly stolen, according to a source in the local administration. “The gunmen shot the husband and wife. They are in critical condition,” a local said. The victims were taken to Yangon General Hospital. The Burma Army set up a checkpoint nearby and inspected vehicles. At least two armed robberies have occurred in Twante Township since 2022.

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