Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar: Post-Coup (October 18-24) 2021

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On October 18th and 19th, the Myanmar military junta announced they would release over 5000 political prisoners who had been detained since the attempted coup. The decision to do so was highly politicized as it came during the traditional Thadingyut festival in Myanmar, and by no coincidence, shortly after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) declined to extend an invitation to the military junta to upcoming summits later this month. The junta has completely and utterly failed in their responsibility to protect the civilian population. Despite the ‘Five-Point Consensus’ which the junta had agreed to fulfill, in fact, none of their commitments have been followed through. As stated by the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Tom Andrews, the junta is seeking funds, weapons and legitimacy from the international community. Their inability to overwhelmingly secure their demands speaks to their lack of credibility, which the Myanmar Generals so desperately crave.

In what proved to be further evidence of the junta turning its back on their promises, shortly after political prisoners were released, reports emerged that dozens were rearrested. According to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP), 110 political prisoners were re-arrested soon after release since the 18 October announcement. Just a few months ago in June, the regime claimed they released over 2000 prisoners, when in reality, less than 400 were verified by AAPP. The military has also not provided any lists of those who were freed. It is imperative that governments around the world do not take the junta’s amnesty as a sign that they have changed their tactics. Quite the contrary, these are the same patterns the regime has deployed for decades. It is crucial that the international community not be fooled and continue to put pressure on the regime to return power to the democratically elected government. 

The attempted coup has not brought the ease and comfort of transitioning into authoritarianism that the Generals anticipated. Instead, the people have largely refused to be silent and are continuing to protest as well as amplify calls to the international community for targeted sanctions, and a global arms embargo. Burma Campaign – UK called on the UN Security Council to urgently hold a meeting as the human rights situation looks to worsen due to the junta’s increasing military operations in Chin State, Sagaing Region and Magwe, North-Western Burma. The National Unity Government has said that foreign non-state armed groups have been ‘settling’ into the state and are being supported by the junta to try and dismantle, and weaken civilian-led defense forces.

CHIN STATE

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 20 000 civilians have been forcibly displaced in Chin State alone, due to ongoing clashes between the junta and armed civilian defense groups. Attempts to deliver aid have been challenging as local and international groups have experienced brutal push-backs from the regime, hampering their attempts. Travel and security concerns are discouraging locals from making the effort. Several displaced populations who attempted to return to retrieve food and materials from their villages in recent weeks have been targeted by the regime. Some have been killed, or just barely managed to escape.

Worries have grown that the civilian impact of the offensives will worsen as the Tatmadaw’s highly equipped artillery threatens the safety of residents.

KACHIN STATE

Several Myitkyina based journalists were released from prison where they were unjustly being detained by the junta. They were arrested for covering the peaceful protests by civilians earlier this year. According to Kachin News, Myitkyina News Journal reporters Aje and Christopher, were arrested on 13 April, and Myo Myat Pan, who was arrested on 14 April. Chan Bu of The 74 Media and La Raw of Kachin Waves, were both arrested on 29 March. The junta is still actively engaging in brutal warfare in Kachin State, including artillery shelling and indiscriminate firing.

KAYAH STATE 

COVID-19 is continuing to spread quickly and have devastating impacts on the population. In Hpruso Township, 100 people have tested positive for the disease. The pandemic has crippled the livelihoods of those already struggling to survive amid increased fighting between the junta and civilian defense forces. In Hpurso Township alone, over 4000 people have been displaced. Throughout the State, over 85 000 are internally displaced. Doctors from the Medics from Karenni Nationalities Defence Force are attempting to treat displaced, sick villagers in the region.

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AAPP statement on the ruthless arrest of 88 student leader, Ko Jimmy aka Kyaw Min Yu

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25 October 2021

Today, AAPP learnt Kyaw Min Yu (a.k.a Jimmy), a leading member of the ’88 Generation Students Group, was ruthlessly arrested by the junta on 23 October. Ko Jimmy was severely injured in his head during arrest and remains in critical condition at a military hospital.

          We have witnessed this illegitimate military junta arrest political activists and anyone against them in brutal crackdowns.  Many have been shot dead or brutally tortured to death. It is clear, the military is unlawfully committing crime against civilians as they wish.

The military junta is the one fully responsible and accountable for whatever happens to Ko Jimmy (a.k.a Kyaw Min Yu). We humbley request the international community apply pressure to protect political detainees from any torture committed by the unlawful military group. Fundamentally, we urge the immediate release of all political detainees.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma

Download link for Statement-for-Ko-Jimmy Eng Ko David Final

Woman killed and children injured during military shelling in southern Shan State

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Fighting between resistance groups and the junta’s forces is intensifying near the border with Kayah State 

A woman died and five others including children were injured as junta soldiers fired artillery shells at the town of Moebye in southern Shan State over the weekend, a local rescue group has said.

Sixty-year-old Mu Lawm was killed after sustaining a head injury from a shell while near her home in the town’s Si Kar 1 neighbourhood on Sunday, according to the Moebye Rescue Team.

And a 50-year-old woman named Daw Mei is in a critical condition after being injured by a shell explosion in the town, while two men aged 40 and 50 sustained minor injuries to their stomachs.

“I think they were just outside their houses when they got hit. The shells landed very close to their houses,” said a rescue worker.

A one-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy were also injured by a shell explosion in the town’s Si Kar 3 area at around 11am the same day.

The baby was injured in her right arm and the boy in his armpit but both were in a stable condition, the rescue worker said.

Junta soldiers from the 422nd Light Infantry Battalion began shelling the town from their base near the Moebye dam at around 8am, the rescue worker said.

“I think they were aiming at the PDFs and because the PDFs were hiding all over Moebye, they were just firing at random places in the township,” he said, referring to local People’s Defence Force fighters.

Resistance fighters seen in Moebye (Progressive Karenni People’s Force)Resistance fighters seen in Moebye (Progressive Karenni People’s Force)

A Moebye local told Myanmar Now that several houses were also destroyed during the shelling, though the exact number was unclear.

“They were firing shells at random places in the hope of hitting the PDFs. They usually fire shells when they’re about to go somewhere and only start the journey when the PDF is gone,” said the local.

On Saturday evening, junta soldiers shelled the neighbouring town of Pekhon until the early hours of the following morning. The attacks came after the town’s PDF chapter killed five soldiers from the 336th Light Infantry Battalion and confiscated guns on Friday.

Pekhon, which borders Kayah State, is also home to the junta’s No. 7 Military Operation Command, as well as Light Infantry Battalions 336, 421 and 422.

The Karenni People’s Defence Force in Moebye has urged civilians to flee the area, saying fighting could break out with the junta’s forces at any time.

Over 140,000 people from eight townships fled fighting in Kayah between May and mid-October, according to the Karenni Civil Society Network.

Myanmar Now News

Junta forces murder four civlians in raids on Sagaing Region villages

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One man was shot while watering crops and another appears to have been tortured and executed after he was detained 

Junta soldiers and their armed supporters murdered four civilians on Friday during raids on two villages in Sagaing Region’s Khin-U Township that were aimed at flushing out resistance fighters, witnesses told Myanmar Now.

About 10 troops and 20 members of the military-backed Pyu Saw Htee group arrived at Ba Oe village at around 5am and shot villagers on sight. Thein Tint, 40, was murdered while watering his crops, while 35-year-old Nan Lwin was shot while running away.

Villagers later found the body of Mya Win, 50, in his home.

“We decided to check his house at the edge of the village and we found him with the top of his head missing,” said one of the villagers, who requested anonymity. “There were no other injuries. I think they shot him in the head at close-range.”

“He was not in a condition to be able to defend himself as he was sick,” the villager added.

“His wife managed to escape but he had to stay behind because of his health.”

The fourth person, 27-year-old Chit San Maung, was killed when around 20 soldiers raided the nearby village of Inn Pat.

Another man in Ba Oe was badly injured by a bullet that struck his thigh, locals said.

The entire populations of both villages fled the attacks. Ba Oe has around 300 households while Inn Pat has around 500.

“There are still some people who have not eaten since we left,” said the Ba Oe villager. “There’s nothing we can do now no matter how angry we are. The whole village is in trouble.”

Military units and plainclothes military personnel were still stationed at the monastery in Ba Oe the day after the raids, and the bodies of the three people who were killed there had not been buried, the villager said.

After everyone fled Inn Pat village, Chit San Maung and another person returned on Friday afternoon thinking the military had left, but were met by soldiers.

“The person who accompanied Chit San Maung told us that he was taken by the military and that he let them arrest him peacefully,” a villager said on condition of anonymity. “But we found a pool of blood around 200 feet from where he was taken and his body was found outside the village.”

Chit San Maung was shot in the head, said the villager, adding that he also had his arm broken and numerous fractures all over his body.

Several calls to junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun requesting comment went unanswered.

A house in Inn Pat seen after it was ransacked by soldiers (Supplied)A house in Inn Pat seen after it was ransacked by soldiers (Supplied)

Several military units stationed themselves in the Khin-U villages of Pyin Htaung, Magyitone, Madaunghla and Ywar Thit this month and have since launched numerous raids on other villages in the area, according to the Khin-U People Defence Force (PDF).

Soldiers killed five people including a 5-year-old child on October 1 when they raided Pyin Htaung, while a sixth villager died of shock. Locals said the father of the deceased child was a junta soldier who was stationed in another area.

Three people from the village of Tesu were killed on October 3 and another person was killed there on October 16.

Resistance forces in the area are badly outgunned, often forced to use single-shot muskets while going up against soldiers with rifles and heavy weaponry.

Despite that, the junta has suffered heavy losses in the region as resistance forces use landmines and other explosives in guerilla-style attacks.

Myanmar Now News

Myanmar Must Turn Sorrow into Strength: Wife of Detained Activist

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Myanmar’s junta seized veteran political activist Ko Jimmy, also known as Kyaw Min Yu, a prominent 88 Generation Student leader, on Saturday night in Yangon for his anti-regime activism.

Ko Jimmy, 52, sustained a severe head injury during the arrest at Pin Lon Hnin Si villa in North Dagon Township.

His wife Daw Nilar Thein, another leading 88 Generation Students figure who also took part in the 1988 pro-democracy movement as a university student, has been in hiding elsewhere for her anti-junta activism. She is worried about her husband’s health and says, “the regime must take all responsibility for whatever happens to him”.

Ko Jimmy has been evading arrest since February. The junta issued arrest warrants for him along with Ko Min Ko Naing, another prominent 88 Generation figure, and a few others on Feb. 13 for alleged incitement.

The junta has killed nearly 1,200 people, detained more than 9,000 others and tortured those in captivity and committed gross human rights violations against civilians resisting military rule.

The Irrawaddy spoke to Ma Nilar Thein, who was also a political prisoner under a previous military regime, about Ko Jimmy, her concerns and her message to those opposing the regime.

Detained activist Ko Jimmy. / Daw Nilar Thein’s Facebook

How much do you know about Ko Jimmy since his arrest?

I have heard that he is in Mingaladon Military Hospital. He is being watched.

Do you know about his head injury?

I’m not sure how he got his head injury.

You said two people escaped. What did they say about his arrest?

Two young people escaped while junta forces were breaking down the door. They do not know what happened after that. They said there were a lot of troops.

There was a rumor Ko Jimmy was arrested with weapons. 

I do not know.

Why was he still in hiding in Yangon?

There are a lot of people in hiding in Yangon knowing they face arrest any day. People are in hiding, avoiding arrest and trying to keep anti-regime activities going.

It has been eight months. People in Yangon move around. We knew the risks when we joined the pro-democracy movement. We are doing our best. Not only people inside the country but those aboard are also fighting the dictatorship. People are doing different things in different ways.

It is important to try to stay safe while doing what you can. But we all know we are no longer safe anywhere. Some think it is safer in liberated areas [controlled by ethnic armed groups]. But people there are fleeing the war. They face different problems.

How worried are you about Ko Jimmy and yourself?

If we are arrested by the junta, we know we will be tortured and maybe killed as we have heard many stories over the past eight months. We are all worried about everyone in captivity.

Our concerns reduce slightly when we hear someone has arrived alive in prison. We are worried about him. We heard many things but we can’t confirm anything. I’m worried about him.

Does he have a lawyer?

No. We won’t hire any lawyer because we will not cooperate with those who arbitrarily arrest people, act with injustice and manipulate cases.

People are saddened by the arrest of Ko Jimmy. You have been involved in this revolution and been freed from detention. Would you like to share any message with the people?

Ko Jimmy has been arrested. Before that, our beloved and respected Generation Z, our other dear comrades and student unions members have been arrested in many places. There are deaths. We have to turn these sorrows into strength and we will continue to work to overthrow the dictator. The more we face such difficulties and pain, the more determined we are to work harder to overthrow this dictator.

Irrawaddy News

Air KBZ engineer dies in prison after being accused of tampering with passenger planes

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Min Min Soe’s father says his son was innocent and that Air KBZ had made ‘senseless accusations’ 

A man died in Yangon’s Insein Prison on Sunday after he was detained for allegedly tampering with three passenger planes owned by Air KBZ, where he worked as an avionic engineer.

Min Min Soe, 34, was arrested on September 11 and accused of being part of a group of people who put leaves into the planes’ pitot tubes, an act of sabotage that could have caused the planes to crash. The tubes are used to measure an aircraft’s speed at altitude.

The man’s family learned of his death on Monday when they travelled to the prison after hearing a rumour that he would be released as part of the junta’s amnesty.

Authorities told his father, Soe Paing, that he died while being treated at the prison hospital’s intensive care unit after fainting suddenly, and that he had high blood pressure at the time of death. Min Min Soe did not have any known health conditions.

“We were told that he died from heart and kidney conditions,” said Soe Paing, citing a statement given to him by the prison doctor and a prison officer.

The prison authorities also told him that Min Min Soe was treated on October 9 for “having spots on his lungs” but did not give any other details, Soe Paing added.

The family retrieved the body on Monday and cremated him at the Yay Way cemetery the following day. Soe Paing said there were no signs of abuse or torture on his body.

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Soe Paing said. “They broke him psychologically.”

Min Min Soe worked for Air KBZ for 11 years (Supplied)Min Min Soe worked for Air KBZ for 11 years (Supplied)

On the day of his arrest, Min Min Soe was invited to a meeting at an Air KBZ office and arrived to find soldiers waiting for him.

“He was lured there… we haven’t seen our son since he was taken to the interrogation center,” said Soe Paing.

Min Min Soe spent 24 days at the Aung Tha Pyay interrogation center in Yangon’s Mayangone Township before being transferred to Insein Prison on October 5. Air KBZ were uncommunicative and unhelpful throughout the family’s ordeal, Soe Paing said.

“The company does not even answer our calls sometimes. Everyone there keeps passing responsibility to each other,” he said.

On August 12 one of Air KBZ’s ATR 72-600 planes was grounded before its scheduled departure to Heho from Yangon after the leaves in the pitot tube were found during a pre-flight inspection, junta-controlled media reported.

A second ATR 72-600 was used for the flight instead, but had to turn back to Yangon after the autopilot system failed. Once it had landed it was found to also have leaves in its pitot tubes. The airline allocated a third plane for the journey but once again found leaves in the pitot tubes.

The September 24 report in junta-controlled media said that the leaves were put there by Thein Lin Htaik, a line maintenance manager for the airline, with the help of four other staff members under the directions of a janitor. The story did not mention Min Min Soe.

Up to 21 Air KBZ staff members, including Min Min Soe, were later detained at Insein Prison in connection to the case, Soe Paing said. Min Min Soe worked at the company for 11 years, he added.

Soe Paing blames Air KBZ for his son’s death, saying the airline displayed a “lack of responsibility.”

“Their senseless accusations cost him his life,” Soe Paing said.

Air KBZ could not be reached for comment on the case.

Myanmar Now News