27th March, 2021 #day55

 

Today marks as the deadliest day of Myanmar's struggle for democracy since February 1st. While the junta celebrated the Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, 114 people, including five-year-old and twelve-year-old children, have been murdered in forty cities, according to Myanmar Now. In Mandalay alone, 40 people were killed and in Yangon, 27 people were killed. According to Irrawaddy News, up to five children were among the dead today. Chit Bo Bo Nyein, a well-known football player and captain of the youth team of the Hanthawaddy football club, was also among the dead in Insein.
Many countries and organizations boycotted today’s event, forcing the junta to celebrate the Armed Forces Day in isolation. According to Nikkei Asia, eight countries: Russia, China, Vietnam, Laos, India, Thailand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, sent their representatives to the event condemned by many around the world. Russia, the largest arms supplier to the junta, has sent a deputy defence minister. Embassies and local organizations have responded strongly to the regime's actions in the wake of the today’s mass killings. The US ambassador said in a statement that “security forces are murdering unarmed civilians, including children, the very people they swore to protect.” The European Union (EU) describes the Armed Forces Day as “a day of terror and dishonour.” CRPH special envoy Dr.Sasa said today was a “day of shame” for the regime.
The KNU's 5th Brigade has occupied a junta’s military base near the Thai border in Muthraw (Papun) District, Karen State. According to the KNU information department Facebook page, they attacked the base of 349 infantry battalions and have recovered ten bodies, including the deputy battalion commander, and eight prisoners of war, during the 45-minute battle. They said many soldiers have fled the base and KNU lost one soldier. The KNU's 5th Brigade releases a statement saying that they stand with the protesters and the CRPH and warn that they would accelerate the offensive. Prior to the coup, the 5th Brigade had have frequent clashes with the junta’s troops as the junta attempted to build roads in the their controlled area in Papun. Located on the bank of the Salween River, Papun is a strategic area and the site of the former KNU headquarter. According to reports received in the past few hours, the junta’s fighters has been bombing Debono village, the headquarter of the KNU's 5th Brigade, at around 8 pm. About 50 households have fled to the Thailand side. Meanwhile, state-run media reported that the coup leaders were holding a dinner in commemoration of the Armed Forces Day.
In an interview with a freelance journalist, General Yawd Serk, chairman of the RCSS/SSA based in Shan State, said that they will not be watching the massacre happening. He described the military as a terrorist in the interview and said that the junta had openly violated the NCA and destroyed all trust. He added that the RCSS has already suspended all senior-level communication with the junta. However, he claimed that the RCSS has not officially recognized the CRPH, and that the CRPH needs to set clearer policies and consult with all parties, including armed resistant groups, in drafting a federal constitution. Yesterday, the KNU chairman, General Mutu Say Poe, denied the junta's invitation to meet with him and issued an open letter saying that the KNU would meet with the junta only if it withdrew from politics and committed to federal democracy. Both the KNU and RCSS are the most powerful ethnic armed organizations leading the peace process based on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
The American Centre, a cultural centre of the US Embassy in Rangoon, was shot four times at around 2:26 p.m. today. The U.S. embassy said no one was injured and the incident is being investigated. Mizzima media reported that gunmen are the junta’s troops. The shooting comes after US Ambassador Thomas L. Vajda laid a wreath yesterday in honor of all the victims at the site near Hledan Market where Ko Nyi Nyi Aung was killed by the soldiers. Some social media users claimed that the shooting was a threat to the United States and its staffs as the US government always show support to the protesters. They further claimed that the United States will retaliate militarily against the junta soon. This afternoon, rumour was circulating that fighter planes from a US aircraft carrier were flying over Myanmar airspace as they heard a long horn in Meiktila, home to the military's largest air base. Some social media users responded that the horn may have been done in honour of Armed Forces Day.