18th March, 2021 #day46

 News about armed forces dominate today's news. Fighting has intensified in the resource-rich Kachin State between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the junta's troops. Today, the KIA attacked three army and police posts killing soldiers and police and seizing weapons, according to local media and citizen journalists. In the past, ethnic armed groups have constantly claimed the Tatmadaw’s offensive for the outbreak of war, but since the coup, some groups have taken the initiatives in their areas. As the junta does not have enough police forces to disperse the nationwide protesters, it has deployed combat battalions in various areas which significantly have impact on the military capability in remote areas. Due to a lack of troops, many local sources have reported that not only reserve military forces but also female soldiers, firefighters and military police are being used to crackdown the protests. As a result, the slogan "disbanded" became louder among the protesters.

A member of the CRPH said today that the CRPH is working to form a multi-ethnic federal army. The CRPH Special Envoy, Dr. Sasa, has also said that they have been holding closed-door meetings with some ethnic armed groups and would coordinate their strategies. However, it is not clear which ethnic groups are involved in the discussions or agreed to this claim. Military alliances were formed between ethnic armed groups in the past, and the National Democratic Front (NDF) was prominent. During the 1988 revolution, many students and young people fled to controlled areas of ethnic armed groups and fought back against the military regime. In addition, CRPH has announced that it will cooperate with the Kachin Political Interim Coordination Team (KPICT), which will be responsible for political affairs on behalf of the Kachin people, formed by several Kachin groups around the world. The CRPH has held talks with Karen and Shan armed groups and will now hold official talks with the KPICT, which is believed to be representing the mandate of the Kachin Independence Army/Kachin Independence Organisation.

In the past few days, two captain-level soldiers have been announced separately for their participation in the CDM. Captain Nyi Thuta said that he has been performing the CDM since February and would only be notified later because he wanted to be in the secure place first. A chin national, Capt. Tun Myat Aung (B) Shin Lin of the Infantry Battalion has involved in the CDM last week and his participation has been declared on his facebook account. Identifying himself as an atheist and gay in media interviews has also gained public attention. According to VOA, about 150 policemen and another two Chin soldiers fled to the Indian border. They told to AFP that they had to cross the forested hills secretly for about 10 days.

Public Wi-Fi is cut off but fiber-optic internet for home and office is still functional. CRPH Interim Minister Tin Tun Naing has announced that the people of Myanmar will no longer have to pay their electricity bills from February 1. In the past, CRPH has also announced that individuals and companies are not required to pay any taxes until the civilian government is restored. CPRH is trying to stop the flow of money to the military council, which is considered a terrorist group. According to Myanmar Now, five more people, including a female union leader, was killed in Hlaing Tharyar Township who called for the release of about 70 workers trapped in the Chinese owned factory. In Kalemyo, Sagaing Region, four protesters were killed in a violent crackdown. As of March 17, the AAPP announced that at least 217 people have been killed by the junta since the coup. Moreover, there are widespread reports of soldiers destroying property and looting in houses and shops.