FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM
Talking points galore at Shangri-La Dialogue. This weekend, US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet met the UN envoy for Burma and various other ASEAN leaders in Singapore at the annual IISS Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue), raising numerous discussion points on the crisis in Burma.
Thailand’s special envoy to Burma, Bornpimol Kanchanalak, said that the international community should not get “stuck in cancel [culture] rhetoric” regarding the Burmese junta, according to Bangkok Post. “Condemnations, sanctions, ostracization… have reached diminishing returns,” she told the summit, reaping harsh criticism from the Burmese general public. Many other foreign diplomats present expressed doubts that the military regime’s planned elections in 2023 could stabilize the country. Pornpimol acknowledged these concerns, yet still argued the world must take the junta’s commitment to restore democracy “at face value”. Pornpimol had been appointed as Thailand’s new special envoy to Burma last April.
US State Department counselor Derek Chollet said on June 11 that there was no chance the Burmese junta’s elections next year would be free and fair. “I think there’s no chance it could be free and fair, and it can be an attempt to just manipulate the region, the international community,” Chollet told those in attendance. The UN’s Special Envoy to Burma Noeleen Heyzar also said that she feared the military’s elections would only work to exacerbate violence.
Despite casting doubt on the junta’s mooted elections, UN Special Envoy Heyzer reiterated her controversial stance that “both sides” to the crisis must engage in talks to find a political solution, stating: “Both sides think that they can prevail through the use of violence… There is no desire to have talks… to find a political way out of this crisis and to deescalate the violence.” Heyzer came under harsh criticism earlier this year for saying that the military must be included in any peace talks to solve Burma’s crisis, but later backtracked on her statements in an exclusive remark provided to DVB; her latest statement casts doubt upon her retraction.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, advocated for ASEAN to “go back to the drawing board” and set deadlines for the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. He also argued that the original consensus did not specify exact “stakeholders” to include in talks, and that Aung San Suu Kyi, Win Myint, the NUG, and NUCC must be included in the dialogue. As an aside, Chollet mentioned that the US government had no current plans to send weapons to Burma’s resistance movement, despite pleas from the NUG and Burmese activists to do so.
Abdullah said after the summit that Malaysian ministers will conduct further discussions concerning the crisis in Burma at the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting slated for June 16 and 17 in the Indian capital New Delhi. “I would suggest that ASEAN foreign ministers think seriously and deeply about new and creative methods that can be done to solve the problem in Myanmar, including how to fully implement the Five-Point Consensus because it is general in nature, we must be detailed and have a clear roadmap…” the FM said at a press conference on Sunday.
During the summit, U.S State Department Counselor Derek Chollet told Reuters that Burma’s military regime would be unable to defeat the country’s new band of resistance fighters.”It’s hard to see today how they [the military] could realistically think they can win… They’re losing territory. Their military is taking serious losses,” he speculated. There have been increasing reports of defections from the Burma Army; more than 10,000 members of the security forces — including high-level-officers — are believed to have defected from the military since the coup, according to the “People Soldiers,” an NUG scheme which aids those looking to defect. According to the NUG, its own PDF groups now possess more than 100,000 troops, with 250 battalions nationwide. In a recent interview with Bo Nagar, one of the country’s best-known resistance leaders from Sagaing, the fighter claimed that the regime had suffered extremely heavy losses. “They have powerful weapons… But they cannot defeat us. Their tactics are the most wicked in the world. Outside of Sagaing, the regime cannot control anywhere in Myanmar. Even in Naypyidaw there are explosions and attacks.” | BURMESE
Cambodian representatives back in Naypyidaw, praise junta efforts. The junta’s foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, met with Cambodian Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, Kung Phoak, in Naypyidaw on June 9, telling those assembled that Burma’s political situation was an “internal affair” and should not be made considered an international concern. Wunna Maung Lwin played up recent peace talks with ethnic armed groups, arguing that efforts were being made by the junta to “implement democracy”. He also made the unbacked claim that the regime had made significant progress in implementing ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus. In response, Kung Phoak said that Cambodia was “satisfied” with the political progress in Burma, and would continue to “help solve the country’s crisis”. He also welcomed agreements made during an ASEAN meeting to send humanitarian aid to those in need via the junta, thereby nominally fulfilling the fourth criteria of the Consensus. The Cambodian minister met with other officials from the junta, including the Minister for International Cooperation, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and Deputy Minister for Health, to discuss the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Critics widely argue that ASEAN has roundly failed to hold the military to any of the points agreed to under its Consensus, and have shown concern that the military will misappropriate aid provided to it. | BURMESE
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, the ASEAN Special Envoy for Myanmar, earlier postponed a planned visit, rescheduling his appearance in Naypyidaw to June 29 and 30. Prak spoke to the UN Security Council (UNSC) last month on the progress of the Five-Point Consensus, requesting to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and other stakeholders, according to an unnamed source. According to Prak’s report to the UNSC, the junta agreed to work closely with ASEAN to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and to fully cooperate and assist the ASEAN Monitoring Group in Burma. The ASEAN Special Envoy first visited Burma between March 21 to 23 of this year.
Military’s PDF “amnesty” offer labelled “joke” by resistance groups. The military on Saturday made a bizarre, and likely disingenuous, appeal to PDF groups, saying that it would “welcome” any fighters who choose to lay down their arms. This is the first such announcement the regime has made since Min Aung Hlaing vowed to “annihilate” opponents of the junta. The regime had previously made similar promises to those performing CDM or forced into hiding following the coup. “People who have been persuaded by terrorist groups — including the CRPH and NUG — to carry out terrorist killings with the aim of destroying the entire country have taken up arms under various names, including that of the PDF. In doing so, they have undermined the stability and peace of the country,” the juna’s Ministry of Information announced. State media outlets followed the announcement by reporting that resistance groups would be granted amnesties if returning to “the legal fold” in “their normal civilian lives” by “surrendering weapons in cooperation with rules and regulations [set by the junta] to participate in future work plans of the country”. The SAC reiterated that it aims to establish “a genuine and disciplined multi-party democracy with the cooperation of the entire population of the country”, a line which continues to entice many of those leading the peace efforts of neighboring countries. A later press release, which also espoused a softer line towards resistance groups, purported that three male and two female PDF members — who had apparently surrendered to security forces in Kale, Sagaing Region — had been “found to have not committed any crimes” and safely returned to their parents on June 6. DVB was unable to verify this claim. | BURMESE
In response, PDFs today responded to the junta’s offer of an amnesty for surrendering fighters by issuing a counter-offer requesting the military itself surrenders, and that the SAC regime issues an apology to Burma’s citizens. An official from the Thaton People’s Guerrillas group told DVB the junta’s offer was unacceptable. “We will fight until the system is changed… Even if they invite us to lay down arms, we have no plans to return to the status quo,” he added. A spokesperson for an alliance of Mon State-based revolutionary forces told DVB that anti-junta groups did not form to surrender their weapons, and that they would continue to work to eliminate the regime. “We consider this a joke,” he said. “We do not trust them… We would advise those who would issue such offers to join CDM,” Mon’s Kyaikto Revolutionary Force commented. “We will fight until we achieve a federal democratic union… We have made an oath not to surrender to the junta. If anyone surrenders to the regime, we will take effective action against them after the revolution,” Kachin-based PDF Putao stated earlier today. Some critics have suggested that the regime’s gambit reflects a weakening of its strength.
Junta to blacklist NUG migrant worker ID holders. The junta’s Ministry of Labor warned that it will blacklist and prosecute under anti-terror laws those holding Overseas Employment Registration Cards (OERC) granted by the National Unity Government (NUG). The warning was issued in response to the NUG’s Ministry of Labor announcing that it was to issue ID cards for those working abroad in accordance with Burma’s labor laws. “I am ready to apply for a card issued by the NUG. I want a card issued by my official government despite the military’s attempts to stop it,” a Burmese worker in South Korea told DVB. The junta regime has implemented a law requiring prospective migrant workers to hold an Overseas Workers Identification Card (OWIC), and has prohibited those without the documentation from leaving the country. | BURMESE
NUG lists crimes and deaths of junta. The NUG’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration announced that it believes the Burmese military has committed more than 2,800 crimes — including violent arrests, arsons, and murders — over the past six months. The announcement said that soldiers have carried out numerous extrajudicial killings and burned down entire villages. The report was based on data obtained between Dec. 1, 2021, to May 31 in different townships, states, and regions. 12,719 houses are said to have been destroyed, causing more than K241 million (US$130,000) in damages. Sagaing Region, where intense fighting continues to occur, had the highest number of incidents at 1,178. Magway, Mandalay, and Yangon respectively reported the highest number of violent occurrences. The actual number of violent crimes committed by the military is likely higher, according to the parallel government. The NUG’s Ministry of Defense claimed that 14,890 military personnel have been killed and another 4,814 were injured since the coup. The data was collected between June 1, 2021, and May 17, 2022. The junta has yet to release detailed information concerning casualties sustained over the period. | BURMESE
Sweden latest nation to condemn junta’s death sentences. The Swedish Foreign Ministry on Saturday issued a statement condemning the death sentences of political prisoners, including prominent 88 Generation student leader Jimmy and ousted NLD MP Phyo Zeya Thaw. “Sweden strongly opposes the use of death penalty, in all circumstances without exception, and call for their and all other political prisoners’ immediate release,” the statement said. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde recently publicly met with her NUG counterpart Zin Mar Aung in Stockholm, Sweden on June 8 and said “Sweden continues to support the people of Myanmar in their aspiration for democracy and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.” A similar statement was also pronounced this weekend by the Government of Taiwan, the first Asian nation to explicitly call out the junta over the sentences. The NUG’s Human Rights Minister, Aung Myo Min, also met with Czechia’s Deputy FM, Jiri Kupiainen, and called for stronger action to be taken during the upcoming UN High Commissar for Refugees (UNHCR) meeting.
Dictator’s home sale draws heavy interest. Around US$7 million worth of shares (constituting 70% of total equity) in Min Aung Hlaing’s home on Inya Road have been sold, the NUG announced. The compound was built on 1.86 acres of state-owned land, and is reportedly valued at over US$30 million. The NUG says it has purposefully undervalued the property at US$10 million, with the promise of high returns once it is (theoretically) auctioned after the revolution. The parallel government is offering 100,000 shares each priced at US$100. NUG minister Tin Tun Naing announced and signed off on the program, the first stage of what the parallel government has termed its “End of Dictatorship” (EoD) program. “Soon, we will sell all shares of the mansion. We will stop sales as soon as there are no more shares to sell,” said an official involved with EoD. The NUG says it plans to sell other properties owned by military officials to raise funds for the revolutionary movement. | BURMESE
Star Sapphire cronies to develop gas plant for Thailand’s PTTEP. A new report by activists Justice for Myanmar (JFM) has shown that the owner of Star Sapphire Group, a crony business with ties to companies controlled by Min Aung Hlaing’s family, plans to construct a natural gas power plant in Kanbauk, Tanintharyi Region. A 20 MW power plant is slated for construction over three acres of land granted by the Tanintharyi Region Government during the project’s pilot phase. Under the plans, the construction of a 200 MW plant (which will supply gas to the Zawtika project, operated by Thai state-owned energy provider PTTEP) will follow. Thai Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun and the head of Star Sapphire Group, Tun Min Latt, are said to have partnered to develop the plant as directors of the Andaman Power and Utility Company Limited venture. Chakris Kajkumjorndej and All Asia Asset Capital also hold shares in the company. According to JFM’s investigation, United Power of Asia Company acquired Andaman Power and Utility Company Limited in 2015 and listed the company on Thailand’s stock exchange. United Power of Asia’s Burmese subsidiary, Myanmar UPA, was registered by Tun Min Latt and associates under a Star Sapphire address in Naypyidaw. Tun Min Latt is also the sole shareholder of Myanmar Allure Group (P&E), a company registered in the Thai border town of Mae Sai. JFM asked the international community to sanction Tun Min Latt and other shareholders of Star Sapphire. The head of Star Sapphire Group did not respond to DVB’s requests for comment. | BURMESE
Junta body threatens fuel industry over shortages. The Myanmar Petroleum Trade Association (MPTA) issued a letter warning gas trading companies and fuel stations that they will face punishments if a shortage of fuel continues across stations. A letter from the MPTA, dated June 12, advises importers, terminal companies, and both conglomerate and SME gas stations to take precautionary measures to ensure supplies are secured. The letter also said that companies running gas stations should contact authorities in advance if facing a shortage of fuel, and, If failing to cooperate, the Petroleum Products Regulatory Department will take action against them. One SME gas station operator told DVB that they believed the MPTA’s warning would only work to pile more pressure on those in the industry. Fuel shortages at stations in Yangon, Mandalay, and other cities have been reported over recent months due to a decline in both domestic production and fuel imports. | BURMESE
ALP vice-chairwoman meets SAC in Naypyidaw. A delegation led by Saw Mra Raza Lin, the vice-chairwoman of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP, a minority party from Rakhine State) today met with junta head Min Aung Hlaing as part of the military’s ongoing “peace talks”. The ALP delegation flew from Sittwe to Naypyidaw on a military plane on the morning of June 12 and was welcomed at Naypyidaw Airport by members of the military-backed National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee, according to a statement from the junta. The coup leader invited ethnic armed groups to “peace talks” on April 22, ten of whom — the largest of which being the RCSS and UWSA — agreed to participate in the talks. The talks are largely considered a charade to help the military grow support amongst sympathetic nations and a move towards the creation of what it terms a “Federal Union” inclusive of neutral EAOs and (minor) political parties in the build up to mooted 2023 elections. | BURMESE Similar to all previous talks, state media quoted Min Aung Hlaing in saying that today’s meeting with the ALP focused upon the creation of conditions for further peace and development in Rakhine State and the establishment of a “multi-party federal union”. Talks will continue tomorrow. | BURMESE
New free-to-all clinic opens in Mae Sot. The New Myanmar TeleHealth NMF clinic opened on June 1 in the Thai border town Mae Sot with a mission to provide free health care to Burmese people, including refugees who have fled to Thailand. Many Burmese nationals in Mae Sot face difficulties obtaining health care due to language barriers, financial issues, travel difficulties, lack of information, and their undocumented status. TeleHealth NMF was set up to address these problems, Ngwe Yee Lwin, a spokeswoman for New Myanmar TeleHealth-NMF told DVB. People can book medical consultations and treatments through the organization’s Telegram, Signal, and Facebook accounts from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. The clinic is staffed by 24 full time volunteer doctors and health workers but is currently unable to provide medicines to patients. TeleHealth is affiliated with Mae Taw Hospital in Mae Sot where patients can receive medical treatment if they require hospitalization. The group says that budgetary constraints are currently making it difficult for TeleHealth to provide comprehensive care. | BURMESE
News by Region
CHIN —At least seven civilians were recently arrested and accused of having ties with the Arakan Army (AA) in Paletwa, according to local sources. 60-year-old Maung Win, an administrator in Myoma ward in the town, was arrested by soldiers from the Light Infantry Battalion 289 on the night of June 8. “I do not know why he was arrested but I heard he was suspected of having connections to the AA,” a local source told DVB. Another two administrators were also arrested for two days but were later released. More civilians were later detained in Paletwa. On May 26, a clash broke out between AA and the military near Abaung Thar village in Paletwa township. | BURMESE
CHIN — At least six military personnel were killed during heavy fighting with CDF Kanpetlet and other resistance groups on June 11 in Kanpetlet township, according to the CDF-Kanpetlet. Allied guerrilla groups did not report any casualties. A member of CDF Kanpetlet told DVB that resistance forces attacked using IEDs carried by drones alongside other homemade artillery. “CDF Kanpetlet is the second armed group to have been founded during Burma’s revolution after Mindat CDF and we have fought in at least 70 battles,” he claimed. The Chin armed group asked for increased civilian assistance to help supply it with ammunition. “The NUG’s Ministry of Defense has not yet provided us with arms and equipment. The main problem we are facing is that we are running out of ammunition — because of this, we cannot occupy military outposts,” the resistance fighter added. | BURMESE On Friday, at least 15 military personnel were said to have been killed and 30 more injured as clashes between the military and resistance forces intensified in Kanpetlet township, according to the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) Kanpetlet. Fighting broke out when the military launched an offensive against CDF Kanpetlet Battalion 2’s Vakok camp on June 10. “Two clashes broke out on Friday and two of our members were injured,” CDF Kanpetlet’s information officer told DVB. An alliance of resistance groups led by CDF Kanpetlet said that they were unable to hold the Vakok camp due to a lack of manpower. During the clashes, soldiers from the 274th Light Infantry Battalion fired artillery at the CDF camp from Kyaukhtu and Mindat, forcing civilians in the areas to flee during bad weather. DVB was unable to confirm the number of military casualties during the fighting. | BURMESE
KAREN —The commander of Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) Battalion 2, Col. Saw Tin Win, on Saturday donated rice, oil, food, and money for refugees and teachers residing in villages near to the Lay Kay Kyaw peace village. The donations were handed to a monastery in Palugyi village. More than ten villages, including those in Lay Kay Kaw and Htee Mae Wah Khi, have faced food shortages since the military began large scale offensives against the area last December. The colonel said he will assist refugees in returning to their land after villagers expressed a need to return to farms. The colonel’s wife said that refugees would be provided money and food monthly. Fighting has been raging in Lay Kay Kaw since late December 2021, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their houses. The BGF had sided with the military during the conflict. | BURMESE
KAREN —An IED exploded at the entrance of offices belonging to the USDP, the military’s proxy party, on Bayintnaung Road, Myawaddy, near the Burma-Thailand border around 10 p.m. on Saturday night. No one was injured in the blast, but the office sustained minor damages, a resident said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. | BURMESE
KARENNI —A local man was killed and three of his relatives — including a five-year-old girl — were injured when artillery shells hit the family’s home in Songula village tract, Demoso township, on the night of June 10. According to Demoso PDF, a 54-year-old man, who had been asleep, died on the spot after shrapnel hit his head. His 18-year-old daughter, 5-year-old granddaughter, and another 15-year-old girl were also injured. The 18-year-old is said to be in a critical condition. The military is said to have heavily shelled villages in the township despite the lack of fighting. “There has been no fighting in Songdula village tract since the beginning of the revolution,” a member of a local PDF told DVB. “We do not always report the military’s shelling, which is usually daily, as significant injuries are not usually sustained. However, this time it was severe and deliberate. Locals did not have time to flee as they were asleep,” he added. A 60-year-old woman was recently killed in a similar shelling in another village in Demoso township. DVB statistics show that 108 civilians have been killed by the military in the township since the coup. | BURMESE
MANDALAY —Seven individuals including the Deputy Director of the Land Registry Department were injured and some are in critical condition after an IED exploded inside the land registry office on the Meiktila-Taungtha-Myingyan Road in Taungtha township at around 11 a.m. on June 9. Three were seriously wounded and sent to Meiktila Hospital, according to a source close to the police. | BURMESE
MAGWAY —The military and allied Pyusawhti militiamen burned down Taung Pa Lu village in Pakokku township and Thit Taw Gyi village in Yesagyo township on Friday evening, according to local sources. They stormed Taung Pa Lu village at 3 p.m. and shelled and set fire to houses. There are 480 homes in the village, and all civilians are said to have been forced to flee to the forest when the military entered. “We saw our homes burn from afar. I worked like a slave for more than 10 years overseas to have that house. Their brutality is far beyond comprehension. Nobody dares to go back to put out the fires as junta forces are still in the village,” a villager who fled the village told DVB. The number of houses burned down by the military and its allies remains unknown. Those displaced are currently living in the forest without shelter, food, medicine, and other supplies. The military raided Thit Taw Gyi village in Yesagyo township and opened fire, burned down, and destroyed homes, a local said. According to a recent report from UN OCHA Myanmar, at least 8,890 civilian properties, including religious buildings, have been destroyed in arson attacks in Chin State, and Magway and Sagaing regions from February 2021 to May 2022. | BURMESE
MAGWAY —Residents in Myaing township donated gold, jewelry, and money to the Myaing Villages Revolution Front (MVRF) resistance group on Friday evening, according to the MVRF. The MVRF has provided security for anti-junta protests in villages controlled by the group in Myaing township. People in the villages freely donated valuables after protest leaders called on those present at a rally to donate to the PDF. Around 100 protesters donated 21 pairs of earrings and K600,000 (US$320) to the anti-coup movement. “The villagers donated because of their dedication to the revolution. They donated their earrings as they know purchasing firearms is more important than earrings,” Aung Zeya, a chairman of the MVRF told DVB. Locals also donated money and valuables to Myaing PDF on June 10 to use to buy ammunition. Various unconfirmed reports emerged last week of Sagaing residents donating gold and jewelry to the aggregate value of hundreds of thousands of dollars to help support the region’s PDF groups. | BURMESE
MAGWAY —The military and Pyusawhti militiamen arrested three locals on June 10 on accusations of spreading false information and incitement in Pakokku and Saw townships. Htet Aung Lin was arrested at around 5.30 p.m. on June 10 for allegedly spreading false information on Facebook, according to a Pakokku resident. Another resident in Pakokku was arrested at around 8 p.m. on June 10 for writing Facebook posts in support of PDF. Moreover, Khaing Lin from Htan Taw Le village, Saw township was also arrested on June 10 at around 1.30 p.m. on accusations of being a PDF member at the Aung Taw Mu Ward checkpoint in Pauk township, Pauk residents said.
On June 8 to 9, seven residents of Pauk township had been arrested for allegedly providing support to PDFs. In Pakokku district, more than 200 locals alleged to be against the junta have been arrested since Feb. of this year, with over 80 were taken in by security forces in May alone. The military has recently upped its arrests of civilians based on online activity. The junta actively monitors social media accounts, especially Facebook, with an average of ten people arrested daily across the country after sharing posts concerning the NUG, PDFs, or other political content. UN human rights experts recently condemned what they term the regime’s “digital dictatorship” over the people of Burma. | BURMESE
MAGWAY —The military arrested four men and two women in Pauk township on accusations of them being PDF supporters, according to local sources. The group was arrested at Yar Gyi Pyin gate on June 8. “An informant tipped them off and then they arrested them. They are arresting and accusing civilians without any evidence. It is shameful that they arrested them for supporting PDFs. I would be arrested if they arrested everyone for supporting PDFs and the prisons would not be able to fit them all,” a local source told DVB. According to sources, the military and Pyusawhti members guard the entrance gates of the town and check anyone passing through. “The military arrests anyone that does not support them and trumps up charges against them because they have not done anything wrong. Once they are arrested, people will have no choice but to obey them,” another source said. More than 200 people have been arrested in Pakokku district following the coup, with over 80 arrested last month alone. | BURMESE
MON —A vehicle used by the Sittaung Social Rescue Team was shot at after sending a patient to a hospital in Kyaikhto on Thursday night, killing a member of the charity, according to sources close to the team. The Kyaikhto Revolution Force (KRF) resistance group told DVB that enraged military personnel stationed at a cemetery in Ingabo village opened fire at the vehicle. The rescue team had been carrying a man stabbed during a drunken altercation in Sittaung village at around 10 p.m. Two members of the group were injured, and another, Pyae Phyo Aung, died from his injuries on the way back to the hospital. The KRF said it would take revenge on soldiers that indiscriminately kill civilians. Pro-military groups alternately claimed that the rescue team’s vehicle was shot at by Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and PDF fighters operating in the region. Clashes between the military and forces led by the KNLA have occurred frequently in Ingabo since the coup. | BURMESE Following the killing, the KRF said it attacked a police station in Kin Mun Chaung village, Kyaikhto township, around 9 p.m. on Friday. An alliance consisting of the KNLA, KRF, and Kyaikhto PDF attacked the police station with small and heavy arms. Security forces deployed at Kyaiktiyo Mountain Vehicle Gate also participated in the 20-minute-long shootout. The number of casualties is yet to be confirmed. The military increased security around the police station, blocked off the area, and conducted an investigation following the attack. Kin Mun Chaung police station has been the scene of frequent shootings since the coup. | BURMESE
N. SHAN —The SAC has imposed a curfew in Hsipaw between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. and banned gatherings of five or more people in the township, invoking Sec. 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (martial law) due to perceived instability in the area. The Township Administration Office issued the order on June 8, ordering residents not to gather in any form that can harm public security and law enforcement. The order remains in place until further notice from military authorities. Locals in Hsipaw were surprised by the order as there are no ongoing protests or unrest in the town. “It was not long ago that restaurants and other businesses could open again when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. This order could harm the owners of restaurants and bars as they are usually open at nighttime,” a local source told DVB. A charity worker said a driver from their organization was assaulted by security forces as the driver did not stop at a checkpoint in Hsipaw. The worker also said that the curfew will make it more difficult for charity groups to provide help to residents. Hsipaw township was the only part of Kyaukme township a curfew was imposed in. Ethnic armed groups are active in the area and fighting frequently occurs in Hsipaw township. | BURMESE
RAKHINE —There are growing concerns over raids that have been led by Burma Army soldiers deployed at May Yu Hall, 4 Mile, Maungdaw, since the morning of June 9, according to local sources. Residents from three villages in the area said they were worried by the military’s presence. “Around 100 soldiers were transported in two military trucks from Buthidaung. They have been in the hall since 4 p.m. on June 9,” a source told DVB. The junta has been redeploying security forces to Maungdaw since May 6. “They deployed a battalion of the Border Guard Police 2nd Division in 4 Mile, Maungdaw. The military has transferred security forces from Naypyidaw, Ayeyarwady, Bago and other regions to serve as Border Guard Forces in Maungdaw district. Locals saw many soldiers from the Border Guard Police 2nd Division in May Yu Hall and locals have been worried about midnight checks,” another local told DVB. | BURMESE
SAGAING — Four civilians were killed and three others were injured when artillery shells fired by the Burma Army exploded inside the compound of the Laung Gadaw Oo Buddhist Monastery in a village on the outskirts of Katha at 7 a.m. on June 11. The identities of the victims remain unknown. “Two artillery shells fell on the monastery. Those that died or were wounded were working at the monastery. I believe the shell hit while they were watching the nearby fighting from the monastery,” a resident told DVB. The military is said to have been engaged in fighting with a PDF faction and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front near Hlae Bo village in Katha township at the time of the blast, a skirmish that resistance groups claim led to the death of ten soldiers. | BURMESE
SAGAING —PDFs confiscated 70 50 kg bags of rice intercepted enroute to troops in Mingin township on the evening of June 11. The Mingin PDF and Taungdwin Viper PDF resistance groups seized the rice at a home in Myo Ma village, Mingin township. The confiscated bags of rice will be delivered to IDPs in the area, according to the PDFs. | BURMESE
YANGON —An IED detonated at the Seikkyi Kanaungto township home of a journalist known to attend military press conferences on Saturday morning, according to local sources. Ye Lin Htut is a staff member of the pro-military media outlet Myanmar Nation Post which has called for the death penalty to be imposed on political prisoners. “The explosion happened around 3 a.m. on Saturday at the home of a man who called for the death penalty to be enacted against Ko Jimmy and Zeya Thaw,” a local told DVB. The journalist is said to not have been at home when the blast occurred. “He used to join rallies organized by Ma Ba Tha [aka The Patriotic Association of Myanmar, an ultranationalist Buddhist group]. He later became a journalist and attended the junta’s press conferences. His home did not sustain much damage and he has not stayed at his house for quite a while,” another resident said. Following the explosion, security forces conducted an investigation in the township. | BURMESE
