Burma coup resistance notes September 27, 2022
Aid industry screws up in Burma; battles in Karenni, Chin & Arakan States and Sagaing Region today.
Criticism of UN and international aid organizations is intensifying as they continue to deal directly with the illegitimate military regime as if it were the government of the country. The junta only allows them to provide assistance in territory it controls, which is less than half of Burma, while the vast majority of people needing assistance are outside the regime’s control. The regime misuses the aid provided, to enforce its control, and even profiteers, selling donated food that was meant for free distribution.
Meanwhile local organizations are the ones providing assistance to those in need, raising funds locally and from supporters abroad. They operate in liberated areas where the international organizations refuse to go. Their fundraising ability is small, however, compared to the international aid industry. While international organizations pretend to avoid politics, but lend de facto support to the illegal regime, local organizations recognize that the real solution to the humanitarian crisis is to defeat the regime, thus they engage in both assisting refugees and winning the war. (An exception is Free Burma Rangers, a USA-based non-profit that provides humanitarian assistance in liberated areas according to its limited resources.)
International humanitarians mistakenly believe it isn’t possible for them to operate in liberated areas. It would mean temporarily leaving junta-occupied Burma until the regime is removed, and instead using less traditional cross-border channels and coordinating with the National Unity Government and regional ethnic governments. If international organizations refuse to consider that, they lose relevance in the Burma conflict, and the people of the country will learn to move on without them.
(See “ပြည်သူကို ဘယ်သူကူညီနေသလဲ?” by Myanmar Now, 9/27/2022)
Ethnic regions-------------------
In Karenni State, an ethnic Kayan militia, the KRU, used its self-manufactured mortars yesterday in collaboration with a local PDF to attack a junta position at Konetha village in Demawso township. The KRU says the attack killed 15 junta troops; a Kayan fighter was wounded by junta return fire. Meanwhile, Karenni defense forces opened fire on a hilltop junta camp yesterday, killing 2 troops and wounding at least 5, and destroying a machine gun position. (Khit Thit Media)
In Karenni Hpruso township, half of farms aren’t being cultivated this rainy season because the farmers are living in refugee camps elsewhere due to junta violence. (Kantarawaddy Times) This is typical of areas ravaged by the rogue military, and it is having a noticeable impact on the national food supply, turning Burma from a rice exporter into an international charity case for food aid.
In Chin State, there was renewed fighting in Matupi today as junta troops and police confronted Chin defense forces. Four troops were killed and others wounded, and 2 Chin defenders died also. (Khit Thit Media)
In Kawthoolei Beit-Tavoy District (Tanintharyi Region on Burmese maps), the junta convoy heading from Myeik to Dawei was bombed 3 more times in addition to what was reported yesterday, killing a total of 14 troops along the way. The attacks were carried out by PDFs in Myeik, Palaw, Dawei, and Thayetchaung townships. (Mizzima)
In Arakan State, junta boats are continuing to fire artillery into civilian villages of Minbya township today, destroying some homes and causing the population to seek shelter. There are new injuries, but details
aren’t available yet; yesterday 3 civilians were wounded. This retaliation against civilians follows an Arakan Army attack on junta boats in the river yesterday. (Khit Thit Media) Meanwhile, the junta is planting defensive mines around all of its Arakan State positions, an indication of its losing streak against the Arakan Army over the past month. (Myaelatt Athan)
Junta army desertions------------------
A junta soldier and a policeman joined the Chin defense forces yesterday in Kanpetlet township, bringing their weapons, a large quantity of ammunition, and protective gear. They were given the financial reward reserved for defectors there. (Khit Thit Media)
Junta scorched earth village terrorism campaign---------------
Tharetkan village in Pauk township, Magway Region is currently being assaulted and burned by a junta terror squad; all the residents have fled. The same thing is happening across the Chindwin River to Tanaungdawmyauk village in Monywa township, Sagaing Region. (Khit Thit Media)
People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)-----------------
In Sagaing Region, junta troops who were returning from burning people’s houses in Tamu township yesterday were blown up with 4 roadside bombs by a local PDF; about 20 were killed, and others suffered injuries including amputations. The PDF described soldiers being thrown into the air. The battle has been going on for 3 days. (Khit Thit Media)
A PDF in Tantse township ambushed junta troops who were attacking villages yesterday, wounding 10 of them with roadside bombs. In Indaw township in northern Sagaing, the Kachin army and allied PDF bombed a convoy, killing 2 troops and wounding several others. In Kantbalu township, two PDFs fired on junta troops yesterday and killed 3 soldiers, and then fired on those who came to transport the bodies. (Khit Thit Media)
Junta troops that had just burned Jetsu Ine village yesterday and were returning, were blown up by a PDF along the road, killing 2 troops including a sergeant.
In Myaung township, 60 junta troops raided a PDF camp yesterday in the pouring rain. The PDFs defended the camp as long as they could, killing 2 troops and wounding 5 badly enough to be evacuated on stretchers. The PDF deputy commander was killed. The troops also burned motorcycles and broke into a local house to steal money and valuables. (Than Lwin Khet News)
Coordinating PDFs attacked a junta/Pyu Saw Htee camp of about 80 operatives at Bantbwe village of Yinmapin village yesterday, approaching and firing from 3 directions. PDF snipers picked off 2 troops, and eventually retired unharmed. (Mizzima)
In Magway Region, a PDF coalition in Yesagyo township opened fire with locally-made mortars and gunfire on a junta/Pyu Saw Htee camp at Gwejo for an hour this morning. Casualties inside the camp aren’t known; the PDFs left when junta return mortar fire became intense, and suffered no injuries. (Than Lwin Khet News) In Pauk township, a PDF drone bomb wounded an officer and 2 soldiers who were extorting money at a road checkpoint today; they had to be evacuated by ambulance, and their survival status isn’t known. (Myaelatt Athan)
Urban warfare------------------
In Yangon, someone fired on a junta police station in Hlaing township last night; a bomb exploded in a junta admin office in Shwepyitha township, and another bomb blew up in Hlaingthaya township. In Thanlyin township yesterday, someone bombed a technology university campus that is occupied by junta troops; at least 2 were killed and several others wounded.
Politics-------------------
Acting president of the National Unity Government, Duwa Lashila, said today that federal democracy can be facilitated if the majority NLD political party works harder to cooperate with other parties. (Mizzima) Reading between the lines, he may be indicating that post-war power-sharing will be necessary with the ethnic minorities, whose real power has increased during the civil war. Duwa Lashila himself is from the large Kachin ethnic minority in the north.
Junta dictator Min Aung Hlaing has just appointed the judge responsible for the hanging of prominent democracy activists as the illegal regime’s so-called “economy minister.”
The regime also ordered its military hierarchy yesterday to stop including the death and injury figures for troops in internal reports because they consistently get leaked to the media and public. This order was leaked to the media and public the same day. (Khit Thit Media)
- စီၤ ထံဆၢ