Published on December 08, 2021
- As of December 08, 2021, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Burmese human rights advocacy organization, reported that 1,318 individuals have been killed, 10,793 individuals arrested, and that over 7,800 individuals are still detained by the Burmese military since the coup.
- Developments in ASEAN
- Once again, the junta was excluded from participating at an ASEAN-led summit. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leader, was barred from attending the two-day virtual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) hosted by Cambodia on November 25 and 26. ASEAN told the junta that they could send a “nonpolitical representative” to attend the meeting. Junta declined to send a representative altogether.
- However, Cambodia, the new ASEAN chair, says on December 6 that Burma has the right to attend ASEAN meetings. Hun Sen, Cambodia’s Prime Minister, said that he is ready to visit Myanmar without any preconditions. Wunna Maung Lwin, junta-appointed foreign minister, in his visit to Cambodia on December 6 and 7, met with Hun Sen and Prak Sokhonn, Cambodia’s foreign minister, to discuss ASEAN issues and Cambodia-Burma relations. He also extended a formal invitation to Hun Sen to visit Burma on January 7 and 8 which Hun Sen accepted.
- On December 6, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution without a vote to defer the decision on who will represent Burma. The resolution was adopted after the UN Credential Committee submitted this resolution last week. Effectively, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun will remain in his post for the time being.
- Escalation of Violence on the Ground
- On December 7, 11 civilians from Salingyi Township in Sagaing Region were massacred during a raid by junta forces. Locals found burned bodies of the 11 victims. Some of the victims were found with their hands tied behind their backs. Local reports suggest that the victims were tortured and possibly burned alive. Some of the victims were as young as 14 with the majority of them under the age of 25.
- On the morning of December 5, junta forces rammed into a crowd of protestors with a car in Yangon killing five civilians and injuring many. Protestors were also shot at and beaten after the ramming. In an effort to conceal evidence, junta’s forces checked the phones of nearby residents and allegedly arrested four people in relation to the images and videos of the incident that surfaced online according to the local media.
- Throughout November, renewed fighting in Kayah State between the junta forces and local people’s defense forces (PDFs) have forced thousands of civilians to flee. Civilians were fleeing from the junta’s bombardments and raids on villages between Demoso Township and Loikaw City in search of PDF members.
- There has been an increased deployment of air power by the junta to terrorize the civilians and attack PDFs. In Depayin Township of Sagaing Region, artillery and air raids by junta forces have forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes last month. In Kachin State, the junta deployed the newly-acquired Russian Su-30 fighter planes against Kachin Independence Army (KIA) targets on November 25.
- Similar acts of brutality committed by the junta forces in the Sagaing Region were reported in Gangaw Township of Magway Region. On November 27, junta forces arrested 18 civilians from Mauk Lin village Gangaw Township and killed six of the 18 arrested. They burned four bodies and dumped two into a toilet pit.
- While clashes between the junta forces and PDFs continue to escalate in all regions of Burma, there is an increasing presence of Pyu Saw Htee, a pro-junta militia group. Accounts of Pyu Saw Htee’s increased harassment and violence against activists and pro-democracy forces have increased in recent months as the group wages a campaign of violence and disinformation. (To read more about Pyu Saw Htee’s recent violence against an anti-junta activist, read here.)
- Political Arrests and Persecution
- On December 6, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint were sentenced to four years in jail on charges of inciting public unrest and violating COVID-19 regulations. Later on the same day, the junta announced on state media that they are reducing these sentences to two years and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint will serve these sentences in their “current place of detention” instead of the prison. The sentencing on these two charges was originally scheduled for November 30. Additionally, both of them faced new charges as of last week. Corruption charges were among the growing list of charges for the State Counselor and the President. You can read a list of charges on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi here.
- In November, U Hla Thein, the former election commission chairman, was sent to Naypyidaw prison. He has been detained since the February 1 coup and has been charged with electoral fraud in the 2020 elections.
- Over 50 elected officials and leaders from the NLD administration face numerous charges and long-term prison sentences.
- On December 6, Rohingya refugees took Facebook to court in the UK and US over hate speech in 2017. They are suing Facebook for US$150 billion alleging that Facebook failed to take appropriate actions to prevent the 2017 tragedy in which an estimated 10,000 Rohingya people lost their lives in the junta’s crackdown.
- On December 1, Duwa Lashi La, NUG’s acting president, issued a presidential decree to deter MOGE from serving the junta. In the decree, the NUG affirmed the dismissal of the managing director from MOGE rendering his power of representation in executing commercial agreements in Burma’s oil and gas sector.
- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrinks traveled to Southeast Asia between November 27 to December 04. During his trip, he discussed with allies and partners in the region ways to pressure the junta to stop the violence, allow for humanitarian access, and restore democracy.
- Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) approved the request for a full investigation into Myanmar’s crimes against humanity during the Rohingya Crisis in 2017.
- On November 26, the junta threatened to arrest citizens who buy NUG’s government bonds which were launched on November 22. In what they are considering “terrorist financing”, the junta said that “lenghty” prison sentences await those who are involved in buying the NUG bonds.
For inquiry, email research@studentsforfreeburma.org.