Burma coup resistance notes December 10, 2022
The village terrorism campaign is wholesale cleansing of the farming population from the prime rice production region, as a means of maintaining the junta in power. It is artificial famine creation.
The National Unity Government Ministry of Defense has improved Revolutionary military coordination by organizing all public defense militias under 3 regional commands in the north, center, and south of the country. Significantly, these regions are under the command of top ethnic army officers. The regional commanders aren’t named, but in the north that would logically be the Kachin army; in the south, the Karen; the center may be under the Karenni. PDFs are expected to follow the chain of command under these regional divisions, which can improve the overall effectiveness of Revolutionary forces. (Mizzima) The PDFs began locally, acting autonomously, but have since been organized into large, coordinated coalitions. This latest organizational step is meant to enhance that unified coordination, making the Revolutionary forces into a real army, the precursor to Burma’s permanent military after the junta is crushed. Also, putting ethnic commanders in charge increases the chances of ethnic minority participation in national military and political affairs in the long term, perhaps reducing the likelihood of secession.
Ethnic regions-------------------
As the battle of Namsan continues in northern Shan State between the Ta’ang ethnic army and some junta-troops who were dropped by helicopter, there is a report that some of the junta troops have been captured by the Ta’ang, but no details are available yet. (People's Spring)
In Kachin State, a 10-wheeler truck carrying junta troops was fired on by PDFs in Waingmaw township last night. The driver died and the truck ran into a ditch, injuring some of the passengers. (Kachin News Group)
In Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), 3 junta police absconded from the Maungmagan barracks 2 days ago Dec. 8, taking their weapons with them. This was 4 days after the devasting Dec. 4 PDF attack and ambush that killed 40 troops at the barracks and reinforcements coming to join them. Morale inside the camp since that attack is said to be abysmal, and troops hunker in fear of the PDFs. Remaining troops are being ordered to find the deserters, but they have probably made it to the PDF lines and safety by now.
After a Dec. 4 battle between PDFs and junta troops in Bokpyin township, the junta is threatening to depopulate the entire village of Yadanapon, causing villagers to flee into the jungle, to the Thai border, or to neighboring villages. (Khit Thit Media) Depopulation of troublesome areas is an old tactic of Burma military regimes; hundreds of thousands of villagers were forced out of their traditional lands in the 1990s and 2000s, and in the current civil war, the depopulation tactic is widely implemented by the junta in the central rice belt and also in urban neighborhoods of Yangon and Mandalay.
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
Troops are burning Myodaw village in Butalin township, Sagaing Region today after PDF mines struck a junta convoy in the area yesterday, killing 5 troops. Other troops are burning Paukpingway village in Htee Chaing township. (Khit Thit Media)
The reign of terror continued for another day in Dapayin township today, with the burning of Mukandwin, Letyet Kone, and Nyaungji Kone villages. Junta/Pyu Saw Htee terrorists have now destroyed 19 villages in the past 10 days in this one township, leaving 31,000 new refugees homeless. (People's Spring) It is wholesale cleansing of the population from the landscape as a means of maintaining the junta in power. Unfortunately for those who consume food, this is also part of the country’s prime rice production area, which will now have no farmers. It is artificial famine creation.
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, 20 PDFs coordinated in a mortar attack on a junta barracks of 200 troops at the Yinmapin township municipal office last night. They fired a total of 60 locally-manufactured mortars of 90mm and 120mm caliber into the barracks. They don’t know the extent of the damage they caused. The junta forces were pinned down and not able to respond; the PDFs withdrew safely when they were finished. (Myaelatt Athan)
Yesterday a convoy of 65 troops was trying to leave the junta’s northwest military command in Monywa town to go toward Butalin, when they were bombed by local PDFs. Five troops died on the spot and 15 were taken to hospital. (Mizzima)
In Magway Region, PDFs bombed junta convoys in Myaing township yesterday and today. Yesterday 3 trucks were attacked, killing an officer and 3 other troops. The casualty toll from today’s attack, which involved gunfire in addition to explosives, isn’t known yet. (Khit Thit Media)
In Bago Region, a PDF captured a junta lieutenant in plain clothes with full weapons and ammunition yesterday in Paungde township. He is being kept humanely as a prisoner of war, and if he decides to join the Revolution, he will even be offered the financial reward for defectors who bring weapons. Meanwhile the junta troops whom he was supposed to join are frantically searching for him. (Myaelatt Athan)
A PDF fired on 4 junta troops at an entrance gate to a junta infantry battalion camp in Phyu township on Dec. 8. Two died and 1 was wounded. (Khit Thit Media)
The question is frequently asked, Where do PDFs get their weapons? There are various answers, most involving black market trading. One Yinmapin (Sagaing) PDF with little money recently purchased Indian shotguns; others get military automatic rifles from Thailand, China, or ethnic armies like the Kachin and the Wa who manufacture them. The Chinese rifles are reputed to be of poor quality, and purchasers like to modify them with quality barrels. PDFs who are trained by ethnic armies are often also armed by them, in Kachin State, Karen State, etc. The Arakan Army, with its weapons sources in the northeast, has armed some Chin ethnic forces. Then there are some local, self-taught gun manufacturers in Sagaing and Magway regions, but the quality of these is variable. PDFs constantly appeal for donations to keep up their ammunition supply and acquire new weapons. A Karenni battalion in Demawso township raised funds and bought a couple of quality sniper rifles, which they have used with good effect against the junta invaders. Ammunition is a constant issue, and the lack of it often forces PDFs to end battles early or to refrain from defending villages. If you see PDF fundraisers for weapons and ammunition, please bear in mind that it affects their ability to protect the public against the junta’s terrorist assaults, and ultimately to win the war.
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, 2 PDFs bombed a junta checkpoint in North Okalappa township 2 nights ago Dec. 8, killing 2 troops in uniform and 3 in civilian clothes. (DVB)
In Mandalay, a local junta administrator and a dalan (regime spy) were assassinated yesterday afternoon in Thabanjin township. (Mizzima)
Political and economic-------------------
The junta recently sent two co-opted former members of the majority NLD political party, to a Naypyitaw prison try to convince Aung San Suu Kyi to support the junta’s planned sham elections in August 2023. Witnesses say the jailed head of state indignantly rejected the attempt. Her colleague Sean Turnell, recently released by the junta after 21 months and returned to Australia, said Aung San Suu Kyi encourages all those fighting for democracy against the illegal military regime. Most NLD party members have either been jailed, killed, or exiled, or are in hiding, so the possibility of a genuine election has been ruled out by most of the population as well as international observers, but there are a few opportunistic NLD members willing to deal with the junta to promote their careers. (The Irrawaddy)
The Indian government recently provided training for 40 junta legal affairs “ministry” staff in Bhopal. The training is believed to be in preparation for the 2023 sham elections. The irony is that democratic India is assisting the Burma dictatorship to cling to power through a phony vote. (The Irrawaddy)
On the other hand, the USA, Great Britain, and Canada are increasing sanctions and financial controls against the Burma dictatorship.
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