19th April, 2021 #day78

 

News about abduction of 18 young people on April 18 in Shwe Kyin, Bago has been going viral. According to Khit Thit Media, the junta has accused them of attending military training on the border and returning to commit acts of violence. But the parents of a detained youth told to the media that police said he would be released soon due to lack of evidence, but he has been transferred to interrogation centre from the prison today. Netizens are criticising Nyinyi Lwin who is assumed to have posted the several photos of young people in army uniforms and training in the jungle on his twitter account. The account holder wrote “first team of People Defence Army (PDA-Burman Army) with hundreds of people are completed military training and ready to combat in Myanmar.” Netizens are urging supporters of the anti-coup movement not to share any information related to underground movement and participants involved in the activities on social media as these actions could backfire and jeopardize their plans. Since the beginning of the deadly crackdown, many Myanmar youths have been fleeing to controlled areas of ethnic armed groups in the border and are learning military skills, several media reported.

According to a New York Times article, the Myanmar’s military has already acquired latest surveillance technologies from Israeli, US, and European. These technologies were originally purchased to investigate money laundering and cybercrime but are now being used to crackdown on protesters. It stated that over the past two financial years, a lot of money has been spent on these dual-use surveillance technologies. There is also widespread evidence on social media that the junta is using Chinese-made CH-3A drones to monitor the protests.

Tayza San, who led the first street protests of the Spring Revolution in Mandalay, is being pursued by plainclothes troops. During a third search of his apartment, soldiers took away all his belongings, he wrote on his Facebook. Among the three prominent protest leaders of the #SpringRevolution, he is the only one leading the street protests. Wai Moe Naing was arbitrarily arrested in Monwya a few days ago and Ei Thinzar Maung have reportedly fled to border area and become a deputy minister of the NUG's ministry of women, youth, and children affairs.

According to DVB, 11 people were arrested in Nyaung Oo, Mandalay Region. About 15 people were arrested during the strike in Mandalay after the junta’s troop drove their cars into them. Mizzima reports that more than 20 youths were arrested in East Gyogone, Yangon. At 8 p.m. tonight, the junta-run television reported that as of April 15, only 240 people have been killed and 7 soldiers and 17 police were also killed because of the rioters. In addition, the news claimed that the data from the AAPP is flawed and the Myanma Police Force has been recording all the details systematically.

The office of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) in Kachin State has condemned the fighting between the KIA and the junta in Momauk Township, Kachin State, that result in civilian deaths and damaging their homes. Some netizens commented on the statement saying that a party which has been mostly silent about the movement should not condemn the KIA which is fighting the junta. Yesterday, the junta’s troops fired three artillery shells at the vicinity of Loikaw Wan village where RCSS troops are based, according to Mizzima. Two more artillery shells were fired into the area today, according to Shan News. The Loikaw Wan refugee camp is located on the other side of the Chiang Rai province, Thailand, is one of six Shan refugee camps along the border. According to Thai media reports, the junta threatened to attack all RCSS/SSA bases along the Thai-Myanmar border on March 30. The RCSS, like the KNU, has a ceasefire agreement with the government. As a result of these tensions, about 7,000 Shan people have already fled their houses.

On April 17, the junta’s troops shot fired at three Thai-owned cargo boats traveling in the Salween River in Mae Sarin Township of northern Thailand, according to Asean News. No injuries were reported from these incidents. According to the BBC, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will not be attending the ASEAN Special Meeting on Myanmar and will be replaced by the Thai Foreign Minister. It is unknown at this time about the reason, but it is speculated that he does not want to comment on Myanmar’s issues as he himself is a dictator and has close ties with the Myanmar military. The European Union (EU) has imposed additional sanctions on two military-owned businesses, the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and the Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and 10 people linked to the junta.