ND Burma

Four more killed in sweeping crackdown in Myanmar’s Sagaing

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Junta troops have burned at least 400 houses in one Sagaing region since late July, residents said.

Myanmar junta forces shelled a village in the Sagaing region killing four people, residents said, in the latest attack in an anti-insurgent campaign in which hundreds of homes have been torched and thousands of villagers have been displaced, residents said on Friday.

The central Sagaining region, largely populated by members of the majority Burman community, has seen some of the worst of the violence that has engulfed Myanmar since the military overthrew an elected government in early 2021.

Outraged by the coup and a subsequent crackdown that shattered hopes for reform, pro-democracy activists from towns and cities, and central rural areas that had been largely peaceful for decades, have taken up arms to fight to end military rule.

Sagaing has become a hotbed of dissent and junta forces have responded with full force, including airstrikes and shelling that have killed hundreds of civilians and raids in which villages have beenlargely destroyed and residents detained and tortured.

Residents of the arid heartland region told Radio Free Asia that junta forces shelled Yinmarbin township’s Htan Taw Gyi village, about 125 kilometers (77 miles) west of the city of Mandalay, on Wednesday night for no apparent reason, killing four civilians and wounding six.

The fire from the junta camp about eight kilometers (five miles) away hit the eastern part of the village, said one resident, who declined to be identified for security reasons. 

“Three people died on the spot. Seven people were wounded but one of them died in the morning, so four people have died in total. There was no battle at that time,” said the resident.

RFA telephoned the Sagaing region’s junta spokesperson, Nyunt Win Aung, for comme but he did not answer the phone.

Residents identified the four people killed as Myint Than Aung, Phyo Zaya, Pho Thet Wai and Hlwan Moe, all aged between 20 and 40.  

The injured were receiving medical care, residents said, without giving details.

Junta spokesmen have denied targeting civilians but insurgents say the military has for decades cared little about civilian casualties as it tries to cut rebel forces off from civilian populations that sympathize with the rebels’ cause.

Homes burned

Independent verification of accounts related by residents is almost impossible but the evidence suggests junta operations in Sagaing have resulted in widespread dislocation of civilian populations and destruction.

Residents of Kanbalu township, to the north of  Yinmarbin, estimated that a junta operation there had forced about 30,000 people from their homes since a July 24 attack by a pro-democracy militia on a junta force post in Kyi Kone village.

Fighters armed with homemade or looted weapons in what are known as People’s Defense Forces, or PDFs, regularly raid outposts and ambush forces throughout the country.

The July raid by the Kanbalu-based PDF sparked a junta sweep of some 20 villages in which an estimated 400 homes have been torched, residents said. 

About 70 soldiers stationed in Bo Te Kone and Min Kone villages had torched numerous homes, said one villager who fled the crackdown. The displaced were struggling to make do outdoors in the rainy season, too fearful to venture back to their villages to see what remained, he said.

“The weather is not good so our health is affected. We had no time to carry food or drinks with us when we ran, so we’re having a hard time,” said the villager, who also declined to be identified.

Junta forces have burned 95,450 civilian homes across Myanmar since the coup, according to the independent research group Data for Myanmar.

ND Burma

Human Rights Situation weekly update (July 22 to 31, 2024)

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Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from July 22 to 31, 2024

Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in Sagaing Region, Magway Region, Tanintharyi Region, Mandalay Region, Shan State, and Rakhine State from July 22nd to 31st. The Military Junta Ships attacked with heavy artillery to the villages along the Chindwin River in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region. Prisoners from Insein Prison, Yangon Region, and Kyaiksagaw Prison, Bago Region, got Seasonal Diarrhea Disease and needed medical care. The Military the Minister of Labor gave directions to give fines to the agencies that do not provide the personal details of the coworkers and to send the people to Thailand when they show the papers that give the 25% of their tax fees that must be given to Myanmar.

Around 50 civilians died, and nearly 70 were injured by the Military’s heavy and light artillery attacks within a week. A civilian also died by the landmine of the Military Junta Troop.

ND Burma

Junta orders monitoring of Rakhine State IDPs in Ayeyarwady Region

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The junta has issued a directive to police and local administrators in wards and villages to monitor internally displaced persons (IDPs) entering Ayeyarwady Region from Rakhine State.

Administrators and police officers have been instructed to check where IDPs are staying and to conduct interrogations of IDPs and the homeowners of the homes they are staying in.

The junta directive also states that the arrival in Ayeyarwady Region of any IDPs from Rakhine State must be immediately reported to the authorities.

A source close to the police said: “Midnight guest lists are conducted at KTVs [karaoke bars], restaurants, and guest houses. Administrative bodies have been ordered to conduct thorough searches of their areas.”

“I’m sure that officials will arrest any suspicious IDPs. Everyone should be careful”, said a source close to the junta in Pathein Township.

In recent months heavy fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the junta in Rakhine State has caused people to flee their homes.

Mizzima

ND Burma

1,500 Myanmar refugees cross into Mizoram State, India in one week

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Approximately 1,500 Myanmar refugees entered the India’s Mizoram State between 22 and 29 July bringing the total number of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram to 35,125, according to All India Radio.

It said that the 1,500 new refugees had dispersed across five districts in Mizoram State.

Champhai District saw the highest influx, with 1,293 refugees arriving in small groups, rather than in one large group.

In addition, 108 of the newly arrived refugees went to Lawngtlai District, 77 went to Saiha District, 14 went to Serchhip District and one went to Aizawl District, according to a Mizoram State official quoted by All India Radio.

Currently, there are  15,505 Myanmar refugees in Champhai District. They are staying in 23 refugee camps and with family and friends.

The recent refugee surge is believed to be due to intense fighting between Chin revolutionary forces and junta troops in the area between Hakha and Thantlang townships in Chin State. it is not uncommon for Myanmar people to flee from Chin State to Mizoram when there is fighting and then return when the fighting subsides.

A senior member of an Indian based refugee organisation said: “We are unaware of the recent influx of refugees. Typically, refugees flee during attacks and return when the situation calms down, making it difficult to maintain a constant refugee list.”

Mizoram based youths and NGOs have warned Myanmar refugees in Mizoram State that they must respect local customs and follow local laws and regulations. These include being prohibited from starting a business and not becoming involved in drug trafficking.

Mizzima News

ND Burma

Former reporter for independent news outlet dies at Myanmar’s Insein Prison

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Nay Linn Htike wrote articles for the Democratic Voice of Burma before the 2021 military coup.

A former reporter who was imprisoned under a law designed to punish comments that imply the military junta’s rule is illegitimate has died of cancer at an infamous prison near Yangon, a former coworker told Radio Free Asia. 

Nay Linn Htike, a former freelance reporter for the independent Democratic Voice of Burma in eastern Bago region, died on July 29, according to the former coworker who requested anonymity for security reasons.

Several friends told RFA that Nay Linn Htike was suffering from oral cancer and was transferred from Daik-U Prison in a remote area of Bago region to Insein Prison to receive specialized medical care.

“He liked beetroot and developed ulcers in his mouth and was unable to receive adequate medical treatment,” one of the friends said. 

Nay Linn Htike, who was in his 40s, published articles in the Democratic Voice of Burma before the February 2021 military coup.

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A model of the Insein Prison near Yangon, Myanmar is displayed in Yangon on April 2, 2018. (Victoria Milko/AP)

The former coworker said Nay Linn Htike was arrested while campaigning against the military after the coup and was prosecuted under Section 505(a) of the penal code, which was added by junta authorities to crack down on anti-military speech.

He was also charged under Section 52(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which was also amended by the junta after the coup to make it easier to prosecute critics. He received an eight-year sentence.

“He was detained while participating in anti-military activities, reportedly as an organizer,” the former coworker said.

The friend told RFA that he received messages from Nay Linn Htike just before he was transferred to Insein.

“He wanted to ensure that those connected to him were informed about his whereabouts and health conditions,” the friend said.

Another friend of Nay Linn Htike told RFA that his family were unable to visit him at either of the prisons because they have been avoiding junta authorities.

RFA was unable to contact anyone at the office of the deputy director general of the junta’s Prisons Department to inquire about Nay Linn Htike’s death.

RFA News

ND Burma

Myanmar schools caught in the crossfire: Myanmar Witness

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Myanmar Witness has just published an important report on the threat to schools in Myanmar, a report welcomed by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Documenting damage to Myanmar’s education system since the 2021 coup, Myanmar Witness has documented 174 distinct incidents of violence affecting educational institutions in Myanmar since February 2021. Schools have been damaged by airstrikes, weaponry, and fire, with some hit multiple times. These events have caused significant infrastructure damage, impacting children’s education in the short and long term.

Myanmar Witness’ analysis draws from two primary datasets: the primary dataset (113 incidents), and a drone-specific dataset (61 incidents). The data reveals a steady increase in reported incidents affecting schools since February 2021, peaking in March 2024. The trend is consistent with data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) on school infrastructure. Additional sources, including the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) and United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC) analysis, also indicate a rise since the coup.

The Myanmar military is implicated in 90 of the 113 cases documented in the primary dataset, with just under half resulting in major damage or total destruction to school infrastructure. In contrast, People’s Defence Force (PDF) linked incidents generally caused less harm to educational infrastructure.

Sagaing Region has the highest number of incidents impacting school infrastructure (36 incidents, 33% of dataset), followed by Shan, Kayin and Kayah (11 incidents each, 10.1% of dataset, respectively) reflecting their status as major conflict zones. The drone specific dataset also indicates 36.8% of drone incidents occurred in Sagaing.

Myanmar Witness has assessed the varying levels of damage inflicted upon schools in their primary dataset, as well as examining damage to the surrounding areas (villages and towns).

A total of 31.5% of schools sustained major damage, potentially rendering the schools inoperable, while 9% were completely destroyed (primary dataset). The high percentage of incidents affecting surrounding areas suggests schools may not have been the main target. Thus, damage to schools could be the result of collateral damage during conflict.

Myanmar Witness has collected 64 reports of fatalities and 106 reports of injuries, though very few deaths have been verified due to challenges in verifying and geolocating user-generated content of the victims.

A number of these incidents may be linked to military use of school buildings, though Myanmar Witness cannot fully verify these claims. Regardless, these actions impact educational facilities, reducing access to learning materials and resources for students. Myanmar Witness recommends that international lawyers investigate these events to determine the status of these school buildings as protected sites under international law.

This report presents the available data on incidents affecting schools in Myanmar, highlights the frequency of such events in the context of the ongoing conflict, and seeks to hold those responsible to account. Myanmar Witness also compiled case studies that provide an insight into the trends uncovered during this investigation. Myanmar Witness says it will continue to monitor and report on incidents that impact on educational infrastructure in the country.

The UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) echoes the main theme of the Myanmar Witness report.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “The data is clear: schools are being destroyed, civilians seriously hurt and educational opportunities further suppressed in Myanmar.

“Schools are meant to be a place of safety and opportunity, not collateral in a conflict. ASEAN is critical to finding a path to peace in Myanmar. We again reiterate our call to all parties, particularly the Myanmar military, to refrain from airstrikes, safeguard civilians, and protect civilian infrastructure.”

The UK says it is committed to holding those responsible in Myanmar to account and has provided £3.5m to Myanmar Witness since 2021.

The UK has also provided £800,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM) to ensure justice for victims of serious international crimes in Myanmar and hold the perpetrators to account.

The UK has helped support over 270,000 children access education, including 135,000 female students between June 2023 – November 2024.

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