The Burmese military overthrew the democratically elected civilian government three years ago on the grounds of false voter registration. After that, General Min Aung Hlaing faced various difficulties and the whole country was in flames of war.
During these three years, during the military's efforts to maintain power, more than four thousand civilians were killed and two million six hundred thousand people were forced to flee their homes. Nearly twenty thousand people have been arrested and imprisoned.
The victims were attacked from the air; Being shot with a large weapon, They were arrested and tortured and killed in various ways in the villages.
The highest number of deaths in three years was in Sagaing Division. Kantbalu Township, The bombing of Pazigyi village. On April 11, 2023, nearly 170 people, including children and women, were killed when the military bombed the area with destructive bombs from the air.
A Pazi Gyi village resident said that those who experienced this tragedy are suffering from trauma to this day.
"People live in fear every day after the incident in that village. Sometimes people's minds are restless and children cry and get scared because of the woo-woo and loud noise of flying jets. We won't forget our lifetime."
The coup army and affiliated organizations arrested more than 25,000 people in three years. In addition to being arrested for protesting on the street, just wishing him a happy birthday. He was also arrested and imprisoned.
In areas where the war is intense, people are arrested en masse and used as human shields in the military. There are actions such as arresting the daughter because she cannot find the father.
During the arrests and interrogations, I have heard of terrible conditions, such as deaths due to beatings and torture, and in 2023, political prisoners were taken outside and killed.
In June 2023, there were political prisoners who were shot and killed because they tried to escape when a car crashed on the road after they were transferred from Dai U Prison and taken out.
There are 37 of those people, The Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP) announced on July 19, 2023 that eight people have been confirmed dead. They couldn't find out where the rest were.
Those who died were Ko Zin Win Thut (b) China Gyi, Ko Nae Aye (b) Aka than a kind of property, Kora Lay (b) Zin Myint Tun, Ko Peu Phyo Hein (b) Ko Peu Ko Wai Yan Lwin (b) Jagyi, (b) Ko Bo Bo Win (b) Than Tow Gyi and Ko Aung Myo Thu are in the statement.
An official of the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP) said that this act is the worst situation for political prisoners in 2023.
"In 2023, a completely unique case is that people were taken out of a prison and then killed outside. These are cases that have never been heard of. In 2023, we heard a lot about the arbitrary torture and killing of civilians by the military group. "Comparing between the days of the former military dictators and the current military regime, we see a vast difference in torture, arbitrary arrests, and arbitrary killings."
Myanmar's successive military dictators have committed human rights violations, but the perpetrators have gone unpunished. This time, the AAPP official said that it is necessary to punish the perpetrators accordingly.
Arson after the coup
From February 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023, nearly 80,000 houses (78,737) were burned down across the country, according to the Data for Myanmar group. Of these, nearly 30,000 houses (29,689) were destroyed by fire in 2023.
In these three years, 2022 was the year with the most fire damage, and more than half of the damage occurred in 2022 alone.
In three years, most of the houses that were burned were from Sagaing, and there were nearly sixty thousand houses. Victims of house arson say that most of the forms of arson were seen in the holocaust after the military council columns raided the communities.
Khin Oo Township, A local woman from Okosu village told her story.
"Not afraid of cobras, not afraid of cobras, made by Su Yu. I've never had a baby that I've made all my life. I have never won the lottery. Since I got married to a poor man, all the things I have worked for are gone. Nothing is bad enough anymore. We don't even have palm fronds to build a tent."
Displaced people
In addition to arson and destruction throughout the country, armed conflicts and insecurity have caused more than two million and six hundred thousand people to flee their homes. Of these, more than 600,000 people fled the country after Operation 1027, which began on October 27, 2023.
In addition to fleeing from their homes, refugees do not live under adequate shelter; In addition to children losing their right to education, they are also facing problems with their daily living and medication.
Northern Shan State, where the military is fierce, Rakhine state Chin State In Kayah state, goods transport by road, He said that because the waterways were blocked, the refugees were facing severe shortages of food and water.
Sagaing Division Rakhine state Chin State Kayah State In some areas of Karen State and Kachin State, internet lines have been cut to this day, so they are facing difficulties in communication.
military situation
The year 2023, the third anniversary of the coup, was the most intense military campaign in the country, and the Burmese army occupied areas, cities and villages Many camps had to be abandoned.
The Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), also known as the Northern Three Sisters; The 1027 operation, which began on October 27, 2023, between the Rakhine Army (AA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in northern Shan State, was the most intense military operation. Seven Brigadier Generals surrendered, one was captured by the Rakhine Army (AA), regimental surrenders, and hundreds of soldiers fled.
According to the lists, at least more than 3,000 to 4,000 military council soldiers have surrendered. In addition, armored tanks, From anti-aircraft guns and long-range howitzer weapons, the revolutionary forces also seized a large number of weapons, and they were able to seize more than 250 military bases. The warplanes of the Military Council were also deployed in Karenni State. one in Kachin State; In Karen State, a ship was shot down by revolutionary forces and damaged.
Along with this operation, 32 towns and villages, including district-level cities, have been occupied by the three Northern Brotherhood groups and revolutionary organizations during the country-wide battles.
This is because the Burmese army is facing unprecedented defeats in the past 5 years, said Pado Sawke Kelsay, a spokesman for the Karen National Union, KNU.
"Regarding the military situation, we are witnessing a situation that we have never experienced in 75 years, where the entire country, including the Burmans, is surrounded by people of all classes and revolutionizing. At the same time, their downfalls, Camps that have to pay It can be said that the loss of all weapons and food is a big situation for them. Therefore, in order to recover, I think they will not have to return to the situation before the coup in any way."
Changes at the top of the military council
In September 2023, the military council was made up of 20 members, and in September 2023, an advisory committee was formed with 10 members, including former members of the former military council.
Then, in 2023, General Min Aung Hlaing arrested and imprisoned some top military leaders he trusted for taking bribes. This is the first serious punishment and action against top military generals in the three years since the coup.
Members of the Military Council, Lt. Gen. Mo Myint Tun and Brigadier General Ran Naung Soe were sentenced to life imprisonment by a military court for corruption, while Lt. Gen. Soe Thut, Minister of the Interior of the Military Council, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun was ranked seventh when the Military Council was formed in February 2021, and was a confidant of military leader General Min Aung Hlaing, sources close to the military said. He was assigned to the position of Chief of Staff (Army) in the army.
Lt. Gen. Soe Thut, who was ranked number (8) in the Military Council, held the position of Minister of the Interior as well as the ministerial duties of the Union Cabinet Office, as well as being the Chief Military Security Officer in the army.
Police Chief Kyaw Thiha, who is close to Lt. Gen. Soe Thut, was also jailed for three years in December 2023 for corruption.
Including the corruption cases of top military council officials. US dollar case The country's economy was affected by export and import issues, and it became public to the point that action was taken against the generals responsible.
The state of political parties
The Military Council's Union Election Commission announced on March 28, 2023 that 40 parties, including the National League for Democracy, which won the election, were canceled as political parties.
Among those disbanded was the Shan Ethnic League for Democracy (SNLD), a powerful ethnic party, as well as the New Human Society Democratic Party, which had a strong anti-military movement.
Among the parties designated as existing political parties by the Military Council, there are 45 parties, including the Union Strength and Development Party.
General Min Aung Hlaing will conduct the national census in October 2024. We have stated many times in January that we will try to hold elections all over the country if we get more solid and accurate ballots based on the list that will be obtained from there.
When the military took power, it was said that they would try to hold the election in August 2023, but that did not happen, and the military council repeatedly extended the emergency period for reasons of national security.
The public is not interested in the election of the military council and political parties, political analyst U Chetmyaet said.
"The election is not a movement that can draw the strength of the public. I will do the election. Next time, let alone the political parties, the public has no interest in these political parties."
Prospects
The military council has now made changes to the top of the military and some ministers from January 2024. On January 8th, Chief of the Navy General Mo Aung was reassigned to the position of Union Minister and National Security Adviser of Ministry (4) of the Office of the Chairman of the Military Council.
The Military Council said that he was appointed in this way so that General Min Aung Hlaing and the Military Council could analyze and recommend national security issues from all sides.
The Office of the Chairman of the Military Council, which is called the Office of the Chairman of the State Planning and Administration Council, has up to four ministries, and these ministers were newly appointed in January.
U Ko Ko Hlaing as Minister of Military Council Chairman's Office No. (1) Minister No. (2) is U Aung Naing Oo and Minister No. (3) has been appointed Brigadier General Aung Kyaw Ho, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. General Moe Aung is the No. 4 minister.
According to political analysts, the expansion of the offices of the president of the military council is similar to the expansion of the presidential office ministers during U Thein Sein's administration, and it is a preparation for the change of administration after February 1, the three-year anniversary of the military coup that will come soon.
A political analyst who asked not to be named said that the military council will not be extended this time, and that changes in governance may be made through a meeting of the National Defense and Security Council, known as Kalon, which is to be convened at the end of January.
"The best thing is to return power to Kalon, form an interim government, and plan to hold elections. This is the best way. According to the current situation, there is a crisis. To solve this crisis, if a democratic government in line with the world tradition comes up, this is the way out. So I think it will go to this exit.”
The military council, which has been extended many times on the grounds that the country's security is still not good, will have to wait and see what will be done this time.
According to UNOCHA, US$994 million is needed for 2024 to provide humanitarian aid to the people in distress in Burma.
The Minister of Defense and Minister of Agriculture were welcomed by 60 thousand farmers and livestock breeders throughout West Java
Jakarta - Minister of Defense (Mentan) Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman received a warm welcome from 60,000 farmers and livestock breeders in various regions of West Java (Jabar).
The farmers and breeders are participants in the Movement to Increase National Agricultural Production through Increasing the Role of Farmer Groups and LMDH throughout West Java Province, in Sumedang, Tuesday.
Throughout their speeches, both Minister of Defense Prabowo and Minister of Agriculture Amran received loud cheers from the participants.
“I have great respect for farmers and ranchers. "You are heroes who provide food for us," said Minister of Defense Prabowo as quoted in an official statement received in Jakarta, Tuesday.
Prabowo in his speech said that without food there is no country, and without food there is no human civilization. He even said that since he became a soldier, he had always paid special attention to the agricultural sector.
“I have always reminded soldiers to take part in farming. There should be no unplanted idle land. "Everything must be utilized," he also said.
Prabowo emphasized that agriculture is a very strategic sector. For this reason, he always pays great attention to efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency.
"That's why if there is someone who hinders food self-sufficiency, I will consider that person a traitor to the nation," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Amran expressed his presence in front of farmers and livestock breeders throughout West Java to reinforce the government's commitment to increase the allocation of subsidized fertilizer.
“I am here to convey directly a message from President Joko Widodo. "He has approved an additional budget for fertilizer subsidies worth IDR 14 trillion or the equivalent of 2.5 million tons of fertilizer," said Amran.
When discussing with farmers who still expressed their difficulties in getting subsidized fertilizer, Amran also asked retailers not to play with farmers.
“We ensure that there is sufficient fertilizer stock for this planting period. "So if there are retailers who are still playing naughty, we will not hesitate to revoke their permits," he said again.
Apart from that, Amran also promised to move quickly to fix the fertilizer problem after getting input from farmers.
"We have traveled to 13 agricultural production center provinces to find out the needs of farmers. "From the results of our discussions with farmers, we found that the main problem with current production is limited fertilizer," he said again.
Very informative
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