USDP projected to form next ‘government’ in Naypyidaw
The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) stated on Saturday that the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won 52 out of 78 seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw, or upper house of parliament, and 175 seats out of 202 seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament, after two rounds of voting were held in 202 of Burma’s 330 townships on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. A final round will be held on Jan. 25.
Htin Kyaw Aye, an independent election analyst, told DVB that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing “campaigned” for the USDP by visiting polling stations in Yangon on Jan. 11, adding that the regime leader will appoint himself or a loyalist as the president of Burma once the USDP forms the next government. Regime spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said that parliament will be convened in March with a new government formed by April.
Under the 2008 Constitution, if a party wins 295 of 588 seats from 265 townships in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, or union parliament, it can appoint the president. The military is allotted 25 per cent of all seats, or 166, in parliament. Min Aung Hlaing led the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021 that ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) from government and jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.
US approves $121 million in aid for Myanmar
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a 2026 appropriations bill on Jan. 14, passing by a vote of 341 for and 79 against. This bill would provide at least $121 million USD in assistance to Burma, which was included in a broader bill covering financial services, national security, and foreign affairs-related programs. The legislation must still be approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Donald Trump.
“We can say there was strong [U.S.] support for Burma’s pro-democracy movement,” James Shwe, the leader of the U.S.-based advocacy group Free Myanmar and the Los Angeles Myanmar Movement, told DVB. He added that sustained lobbying efforts were needed to secure the funding and that the U.S. Congress remains engaged on the return of democracy to Burma.
The bill allocates at least $75 million USD for cross-border assistance and $25 million USD for non-lethal support, along with funding for governance and federalism programs, atrocities prevention, and accountability efforts. It also includes assistance for political prisoners, military deserters, and justice initiatives related to atrocity crimes committed against the Rohingya.
Civil society groups condemn new ASEAN Special Envoy
A coalition of 99 civil society organizations (CSOs) from Burma and the Philippines issued a joint statement on Wednesday condemning a recent visit to Naypyidaw by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2026 chair’s Special Envoy to Burma Theresa Lazaro, who met with regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other senior regime officials on Jan. 6.
The CSO statement said that engagement with the regime and its planned elections risks legitimizing what they described as a “fabricated political order,” which violates the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, a peace plan for Burma that was agreed to by Min Aung Hlaing in April 2021 but not implemented upon his return to Burma. It calls for an immediate cessation of violence and constructive dialogue among stakeholders.
The CSOs criticized Manila for failing to hold Naypyidaw accountable for transnational crimes, including cyber scam operations linked to the trafficking of Filipino nationals to Burma. They urged Lazaro to prioritize human rights and to engage with Burma’s democratic forces, including the National Unity Government (NUG) and resistance groups during its chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
News by Region
ARAKAN—Residents of Kyaukphyu Township told DVB that a married couple were killed by artillery fired by regime forces at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Thapan Chaung village on Jan. 14. Kyaukphyu is located about 317 miles (510 km) south of the state capital Sittwe.
Aid workers told DVB that more than 60,000 residents have been displaced from their homes in Kyaukphyu as fighting between regime forces and the Arakan Army (AA) continues. The AA controls 14 of Arakan’s 17 townships with the regime controlling Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung.
KARENNI—Residents in Demoso Township told DVB that water shortages have led to outbreaks of diarrhea and skin disease, including scabies among children at IDP camps. The water shortage began this month, which is earlier than the annual dry-season water shortage that starts in February.
Aid workers told DVB that high fuel costs and difficult terrain have limited water deliveries, while insufficient medical supplies have left many at IDP camps unable to recover. There are 250,000 people living in 450 IDP camps, according to the Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC), a provisional government established in 2023.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 3,970 MMK)
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