30th April, 2021 #day89

 

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has warned that about half of Myanmar’s population could fall into poverty by 2022 due to the coup and the Coronavirus epidemic. People living under poverty line could double before the end of 2022, with 25 million people or 50 percent of the country's population, as in early 2005, the report said. According to the analysis, 83 percent of households, on average, had experienced a reduction in income by 50 percent in 2020 due to the pandemic. Poverty is likely to triple in urban areas, with women and children most affected, the report said.

In Hpakant, where fighting is raging, the military council has banned the import of rice and fuel, according to Shan News. Commodity prices are rising as people are buying and stocking rice and fuel. Some locals have claimed that the military council may have been using the old four-cuts strategy again by cutting off food supplies and trade routes to weaken its enemies. Hpakant also known as land of jade is home to about 500,000 people and many of them are migrant workers. A gallon of petrol used to cost 4,500 kyats (USD 2., but rose to 9,000 kyats (USD 5. yesterday, and today it has rocketed to 15,000 kyats (USD 9.6), according to the Kachin News Group.

According to Myanmar Now, NUG is trying to sue international oil companies investing in Myanmar. Currently, France-based Total, US-based Chevron, South Korean POSCO, and Malaysian Petronas are operating in the country. They responded that they are only paying taxes to Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), which is not sanctioned yet. Energy is a major source of revenue for the military, and Ministry of Planning, Finance and Investment estimated that oil and gas industry will generate $ 1.5 billion in revenue in the 2020/2021 fiscal year, Justice for Myanmar reported. According to a statement issued on March 16, the CRPH announced that it will cut the coup council's three main sources of revenue: public taxes, state-owned enterprises, and international loans.

The military council today announced a one-month extension of the unilateral ceasefire until the end of May. The statement added that they would not take any military action except to respond to attacks on government security and administrations. It also stated that the military would continue the peace process in addition to talks with non-ceasefire groups during that period. Netizens have pointed out the uselessness of the extension of the military unilateral ceasefires in the past as the fighting have never been stopped in frontier areas and claimed that it is for propaganda purposes only.

According to Khit Thit Media, there was a shootout between the KNU and the junta troops in Kyaukgyi Township, Bago Region at around 11 am today, killing two members of the junta troops. A 70-year-old villager also died from heart failure while fleeing. A KIA official told Myanmar Now that about 20 soldiers from the 77th Division were killed and the KIA seized 18 weapons in the battle of Momauk Township, where Alaw bum Hill is located. The military has been trying multiple times to retake the hill, which was seized by the KIA on March 25, but facing heavy casualties. Some KIA soldiers were also killed in airstrikes.