15th March, 2021 #day43

 

In addition to Hlaing Tharyar and Shwepyithar, other four Yangon townships - South Dagon, North Dagon, Dagon Seikkan, and North Okkalapa - are now under Martial Law. These townships are home to many industrial zones with foreign investments, including those of China, and are home to millions of working class. As all six townships are on the outskirts of Yangon, it will be more easier for the military to block the whole city and crackdown the protests. According to 2/89 proclamation issued by the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1989, all three branches of the state's power will be vested in the regional commander or Commander-in-Chief under Martial Law and cases could be heard in military tribunals. Regardless of the existing law, a military tribunal may impose various penalties, including the death penalty, if convicted. The amendment can only be submitted to the Commander-in-Chief, the statement said.

Chinese state media today claims that 32 Chinese-owned factories worth a total of $ 37 million have been destroyed and two of their nationals have been attacked. The Chinese government has also called for security forces to protect its investments and citizens. Except for the three factories that caught fire yesterday, there is no confirmation from other local and foreign media about number of factories that had been destroyed. Myanmar social media users have heavily criticised the Chinese government for not speaking out about the dead protesters, fearing only for its factories. People are also writing on the embassy's social media page that the Chinese government should leave Myanmar immediately, even though it always claims to be a close friend (Paukpaw) of Myanmar but in reality is not a good neighbour and continues to support the junta. At the same time, the Taiwanese government has warned Taiwanese factories to raise Taiwanese flags in their factories, according to Reuters.

About 40 people were killed in yesterday's violent crackdown in Hlaing Tharyar alone, and at least 59 people were killed in Yangon, according to Myanmar Now. Some say the actual number could be higher as the military often carries the bodies of the dead on the streets back to their trucks. However, the bloodshed has not stopped and at least 10 people have been shot dead today, according to the BBC. AAPP says that as of March 14, more than 126 people had been killed and 1,837 had been arrested. Many of the detainees are students from Yangon University and other universities.

Since the violence in Hlaing Tharyar yesterday, mobile internet has been cut off across the country and only wifi is available. People worry that this could be a new normal. On social media, many wrote that they are preparing to defend the military at any cost in their streets and neighbourhoods. According to reports in Kachin State in northern Myanmar, fighting between the Kachin Independent Army and the military has intensified and the number of refugees has gradually increased. However, according to news photos, many Rakhine people are fleeing from Yangon and other areas to Rakhine (Arakan) State in western Myanmar as no fighting nor crackdown take place in the region due to the ceasefire between the Arakan Army and the junta.