Timor-Leste wants to help achieve ceasefire in Myanmar
The Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta said on Monday that he would be willing to intercede personally to try and break the impasse in Burma’s crisis since the 2021 military coup – one day after his country was granted membership as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
On the sidelines of the ASEAN 47th Summit, President José Ramos-Horta told the Associated Press (AP) that while his country may be the region’s youngest and one of its poorest nations, its people and leaders were long on diplomatic experience due to the decades-long fight to win its independence from Indonesia.
“In the midst of so many problems in the region, in the world, ASEAN doesn’t need another headache,” Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, told AP. “But at the same time, we do have some experience in reconciliation, ending conflicts, and healing wounds of communities, of society.” Read more
Nine killed and 16,000 displaced in Sagaing Region
Residents of Salingyi Township in Sagaing Region told DVB that at least nine civilians in Sete village have been killed by regime forces since Oct. 19. Salingyi is located 27 miles (43 km) south of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa. It is home to the China-backed Wanbao copper mining project.
An aid worker told DVB that over 16,000 residents across 30 villages near the mining project have been displaced from their homes as 700 regime troops from the Northwestern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters in Monywa have conducted “clearance operations” in Salingyi since Oct. 17. They have engaged with the People’s Defence Force (PDF) at least two times, according to the resident.
A resident displaced from their home in Salingyi told DVB on the condition of anonymity that they are trapped as regime forces have surrounded the town. She added that regime troops have launched paramotor attacks from the RMC on Salingyi almost every day since Oct. 17.
Filipino workers escape Myanmar cyber scam centers into Thailand
A Filipino migrant workers group is calling on Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take immediate action to assist over 250 victims of human trafficking from the Philippines, who were working at cyber scam centers in Burma but escaped into Thailand. The group believes that many more Filipinos remain trapped inside Burma, forming part of the over 1,000 human trafficking victims of various nationalities.
“We are deeply concerned for our fellow Filipinos who have fallen victim to these trafficking schemes,” said Terry Carlos, the spokesperson of Migrante Thailand. “This crisis will continue as long as the Marcos administration remains indifferent to the root causes of poverty that push Filipinos to seek risky jobs abroad.” The Philippines has repatriated an unspecified number of scam victims in the region.
According to recent media reports, over 200 Filipinos have crossed the border from Burma into Thailand so far, while nine human trafficking victims are currently under the protection of the Philippine Embassy in Yangon. According to media reports on Oct. 26, a total of 1,049 victims of various nationalities—including 66 Filipinos—have fled cyber scam centers and reached the Thai border. Read more
News by Region
MANDALAY—Residents in Madaya Township told DVB that one PDF member and four civilians were killed and eight others were injured by airstrikes on two places in the township on Sunday. Madaya is located 25 miles (40 km) north of the region’s capital Mandalay.
“The military uses overwhelming air and firepower in its counteroffensive,” a PDF spokesperson in Madaya told DVB, adding that displaced residents need urgent humanitarian aid. The PDF told DVB that it had lost an unspecified number of outposts to regime forces in October.
MAGWAY—Residents of Saw Township told DVB that there was a protest to demand the death penalty for a PDF member accused of raping and killing a 13-year-old girl in the town on Sunday. Saw is located 130 miles (210 km) north of the region’s capital Magway.
A PDF spokesperson told DVB that the alleged incident occurred on Oct. 21, and the girl’s body was discovered on Oct. 25. He added that the accused confessed to the crime during investigation and had committed a similar offence in the past, but further details were not provided.
NAYPYIDAW—The regime Supervisory Committee on Fuel Import, Storage, and Distribution announced on Monday that the reference price of a liter of 92 Ron gasoline is 2,670 MMK, 95 Ron gasoline 2,760 MMK, diesel 2,380 MMK, and premium diesel 2,900 MMK ($0.60-0.70 USD).
It marks a four-week decline since the first week of September, when a liter of fuel was around 3,000 MMK ($0.75 USD). The regime Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) announced on Oct. 21 that it would sell $30 million USD and has sold a total of $112 million USD so far this month.
The Union Election Commission (UEC) increased campaign expenses on Sunday, allowing a candidate contesting for a seat in lower house, upper house, or state and regional parliament to spend up to 30 million MMK ($7,500 USD). Candidates in states such as Karen, Kachin, and Arakan, may spend up to 50 million MMK ($12,500 USD).
Campaign expenses were previously capped at 15 million MMK ($3,750 USD) and 30 million MMK for ethnic nationality candidates. The UEC ordered all political party candidates on Oct. 18 to submit campaign expenses within 30 days after being elected, or risk disqualification.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,080 MMK)
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