20th-21st May, 2021 #day109 #day110

 

The flames of war have spread to Kayah (Karenni) State. Armed clashes broke out between the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the junta troops for more than three hours in Hpasawng and Bawlake Townships on May 20, according to Myanmar Now. A KNPP official said the military had used heavy artillery and is reinforcing its forces. There are speculations that the junta offensive may be due to the KNPP’s military training provided for the urban youths in its controlled area. Clashes also broke out between the Kayah State-based People's Defence Force (PDF) and the junta troops in Dimoso Township on May 21. The PDF retaliated as the junta troops arrested many civilians yesterday, Mizzima reported. Footages of the PDF troops burning down a joint checkpoint in Dimoso have gone viral on social media. A civilian on bike was shot dead by the military, but number of injured and deaths from both sides are still unknown.

A CDF-Falam ambushed military trucks on Falam-Kalay Road, killing six troops including a captian and wounded two others, according to the CDF's social media site. A member of CDF, Salai Cung Nawl Piang, was also killed. Pado Saw Hla Tun, second general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), denied the fact that the NUG’s PDF troops were being given military training as alleged by the Karen State Military Council. The Council sent a letter dated on 18 May, stating that members of the PDF are being trained in KNU Bridges 1, 2 and 7.

Due to the widespread protests and the growing number of fleeing soldiers, the military council is paying the family members of the soldiers about 7,000 kyat (USD 4.5) a day to wear military uniforms and patrol in the cities, DVB reported. Military officials who joined the CDM said that the junta is also planning to recall retired soldiers. Khin Maung Kyi, chairman of the Election Commission in a village track of Taungdwingyi Township was arrested along with other five civilians on May 19 and tortured to death the next day, according to Myanmar Now.

At a meeting with 62 political parties today in Naypyitday, the junta-appointed election commission announced that the NLD would be dissolved due to vote rigging and state treason. According to Khit Thit Media, the junta’s propaganda newspaper has been portraying donations made for the COVID disease prevention fund under the NLD administration as those were being received under the military council. Many actual donors condemned this misleading news on their social media accounts. 

For drafting a federal constitution, the NUG formed the Federal Constitutional Commission with its cabinet members on 20 May. Some netizens have criticized the NUG for not adopting the Federal Constitution Drafting and Coordinating Committee (FPNCC) 2nd draft constitution, which was drafted by many ethnic armed groups and parties under the previous military regime, and for not including Shan and Rakhine representatives. They also pointed out that the NUCC, an advisory council of the NUG, which is believed to be more inclusive than the NUG, should be taking in charge of this drafting process.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told the Nikkei that the government would suspend its official development assistance (ODA) to Myanmar if the military violence did not stop. Japan is the largest donor to Myanmar, with about $ 1.74 billion in 2019 fiscal year alone. The Bangkok Post reports that the Thai military will send a warning letter to the Myanmar military for firing three artillery shells on its side. Tensions are still high between the KNU Brigade 5 and the military. The junta has ordered the return of more than 100 CDM diplomats from more than 20 countries, according to DVB.