22nd March, 2021 #day50

 

The junta continues to make arrests of journalists and foreigners. Two Australians, Matthew O'Kane and Christa Avery, have been arrested at Yangon airport on Friday while trying to leave Myanmar on a relief flight, according to the SBS. They run a small business consultant in Yangon and believed to be under house arrest now. It is unknown at this time what prompted the arrests, but a friend of Ms Avery and Sean Turnell told ABC News that the couple may have been arrested because of their works with international aid groups and that the junta is investigating where the international funds are flowing. The military has previously accused Sean Turnell of trying to flee the country with secret state financial documents. The Australian government has not yet publicly commented on how it will respond to these arrests. However, in February it announced that it had suspended the defence cooperation with the Myanmar military and had made arrangements to prevent aids flowing to the military.

BBC correspondent Aung Thura, who was arrested in Naypyidaw on Friday, has been released today. He was interrogated day and night for three days during his arrest. His wife told Myanmar Now that there are no visible physical injuries, but he is severely traumatized. During his arrest, he was questioned about his involvement with the CRPH and CDM supporters and his social media, emails, and documents were confiscated. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung, who was arrested with him, has not been released. According to Detained Journalists Information Myanmar, 43 journalists have been arrested as of March 21, and 10 journalists, including those from DVB, Myanmar Now, and AP, have been charged under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code for destabilizing the state. At least seven people were killed in Mandalay last night and today. Citizen journalists reported that a 15-year-old boy was among the dead. His sister told Reuters that he was not involved in the protest but was sitting by the window of his home when he was hit by a live bullet. Media reports that at least 10 people may have been killed today across the country.

The junta today declared the CPRH an unlawful organization. Social media users are mocking about this announcement saying that terrorist group should not be declaring a democratically elected body an unlawful. This announcement can also be considered as a threat that the junta will take action against anyone who associates with the CPRH. A warning letter of the military to people in Kachin state has been circulating on social media. It says that the KIA will commit acts of violence, including the burning of villages, by the end of March and therefore people should not participate in protests. Locals have criticized the military is more likely to commit such acts of violence soon and blame the KIA. On March 16, the KIA's 9th Brigade warned religious organizations not to allow soldiers to station or rest on their premises and vehicles not to transport soldiers or their supplies.

Some Yangon residents are leaving for rural areas, and Voice of Myanmar reports that soldiers have set up checkpoints on the Yangon-Mandalay highway and checking the identity cards of travellers with the list of names they have. Residents of Yangon are also filing guest list at local administrative offices, according to The Irrawaddy. Since the coup, every household need to inform the authorities if they have overnight guest. Myanmar Now reports that a police barrack in Lashio, northern part of Shan state, was attacked with a time bomb. Locals said police have caught the suspects. In Sittwe, Rakhine state, some Rakhine youths staged an anti-coup protest. Yesterday, 76 Rakhine civil society groups issued a joint statement condemning the coup and mass killings and calling for the release of all detainees. The statement also urged the military to withdraw from power and establish federal democracy. The day after this announcement, the Arakan National Party (ANP), which accepted the positions in the military council, issued a three-point letter urging non-violence against pro-democracy protesters. Despite its statement advocacy for federalism, democracy, and equality, the ANP is still receiving heavy criticism for its collaboration with the junta.