Burma coup resistance notes November 5, 2022
National Unity Government gets some international recognition; overnight battle in Hpakant; Karen army attacks a junta camp.
The former Burma Army has degenerated to a terrorist syndicate. Never in its history has it faced a foreign enemy, it has always fought only its own people. Since the coup, however, every day brings news of more civilians murdered, abducted, tortured, dismembered, raped, extorted, and otherwise terrorized, while the international community looks on. This is a regime that fires rockets into refugee camps, machine-guns children at school, drops bombs on a concert crowd, burns people alive, and assembles villagers to cut their throats, among other horrors. It warrants the label “terrorist” because it is a campaign aimed at intimidating 55 million people into submission. The generals don’t seem to comprehend that, on the contrary, terrorism convinces people that life under the military regime is worse than dying to fight it. Today’s news, like yesterday’s and every day, is unfortunately full of terrorist acts.
Ethnic regions-------------------
In Doo Tha Htoo District of Kawthoolei (Thaton township on Burmese maps) the Karen army and allied PDF attacked a junta camp at Wiwaw yesterday, firing mortars and small arms. Casualties aren’t known. This was the Karen army’s 5th attack on Wiwaw since the coup, and comes a few days after it killed 3 junta troops at a checkpoint at Jahpan. (Than Lwin Times)
In Mutraw District of Kawthoolei (Hpapun township on Burmese maps), 2 helicopter gunships fired along the Kamamaung-Papun road yesterday, apparently trying to open it up for a convoy. (Salween Press) Meanwhile in Beit-Tavoy District of Kawthoolei (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps) troops shot at a car clearly labeled as belonging to a religious school today, and wounded the bishop of the monastery that hosts the school who was inside. (Tanintharyi Times)
In Kachin State, Hpakant town was a battleground last night, starting with a bomb blast at the junta-owned Myanma Economic Bank and continuing with junta mortar fire and gunfire from unknown sources. Witnesses think some junta checkpoints may have been attacked. The town has been under junta control until now. (Mizzima)
In Karenni State, Karenni defense snipers took out 2 junta troops in Hpruso town 2 days ago Nov. 3, and are attacking in Bawlakhe township also. The Karenni say the junta forces are moving north toward Demawso. The junta is still firing mortars into civilian communities in Loikaw township, causing deaths and injuries to children and adults. (People's Spring)
In Arakan State, a junta regional police chief attended a Buddhist ceremony in Ma Ei yesterday. As he was eating, the Arakan Army arrived and arrested him and took him away. In Kyauk Phyu township the junta has been trying to shut down the Arakan Army’s civilian administration by abducting its departmental heads. (Mizzima)
Junta army desertions------------------
Five junta soldiers left their base and arrived at a PDF headquarters in Saw township, Magway Region with 2 weapons. Due to the danger of junta spies posing as defectors, these arrivals are being investigated before being sent to a liberated safe area. (People's Spring)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
As people filter back into southern Kantbalu township, Sagaing Region, after junta assaults on a number of villages, discoveries are being made about the damage Burned bodies are being found, while 2 monks and 9 other civilians are known to be missing so far. One of the semi-burned bodies had its hands severed before death. In addition to homes burned down, livestock was also destroyed, and all valuable property is gone. There is a lack of food, shelter, and medications. (People's Spring)
About 80 troops burned part of Shwe Yinma village in Myinmu township, Sagaing Region yesterday. They also ransacked homes and stores, stole anything they wanted, and destroyed property randomly. (Mizzima)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Magway Region, a PDF in Saw township fought with junta troops yesterday, but the outcome isn’t known other than that the PDF didn’t suffer casualties.
In Yesagyo township local PDFs hung a booby-trapped poster of Aung San Suu Kyi on a road barrier on Nov. 2. When junta troops arrived later, they kicked the poster. The resulting explosion killed 1 terrorist soldier. Other troops then destroyed nearby shops and beat and tortured civilians. (Myaelatt Athan)
In Irrawaddy Region, the offices of the junta’s special investigative police in Pathein town were bombed today. (People's Spring)
Political-------------------
The National Unity Government is finally representing Burma at international events instead of the illegal military regime. NUG Foreign Minister Daw Zin Ma Aung will attend the Global Townhall 2022 conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, along with representatives of 120 other countries, and the NUG Human Rights Minister U Aung Myo Min will represent Burma at the ASEAN Civil Organizations Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Indonesia’s assumption of the ASEAN chairmanship after Cambodia’s term expired is already yielding positive results for the people of Burma. (People's Spring)
After the international Financial Action Task Force blacklisted Burma last month for money laundering, now a Russian financial watchdog agency, Rosfinmonitoring, as done the same thing. With no strategic friends in the world other than China and Russia, the Burma junta has been doing everything possible to befriend Russia and depend on it for arms supplies, fuel, currency conversion, even tourism. This new blacklist won’t affect Russia’s lucrative arms sales to the junta, but indicates just how isolated the regime is. (Mizzima) When you’re even too corrupt for the Russians, you have a problem.
- စီၤ ထံဆၢ