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Moved from original site. Click here to return.
------------- Modern
political map of Burma As of 8 August 2021 At
least 900 civilians have been killed since the 1 February military coup. The actual
toll is certainly much higher. Many
have disappeared. At
least 5,000 persons are held captive by the junta. Of this total, 'more than' 2000 were released by the junta on 30 June.
230,000 have been displaced. - Burma was a province of the British Empire's
colony of India from 1842 to 1937. Maps: left, 1909, and right, 1914. A novel by Goerge Orwell, Burmese Days, First
edition, 1934. Orwell was an officer of
the Indian Imperial Police in Burma for five years, from 1922 to 1927. British separate the province of Burma from the British colony of
India Burma a British colony with a constitution and an elected assembly 1937 - Burma was a British colony, separate from India, from 1937
to 1948. Rangoon University Students' Union Committee. Photo taken probably in 1936. Aung San is in the front row, third from left. Aung San was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist and politician. Aung San's father was a Chin. Aung
San was a founder of the Communist Party of Burma in 1939. To escape arrest in Burma, Aung San fled to Japanese-occupied Amoy in China in 1939. In 1940, he went to Japan
for military training. 1941 Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) Colonel Keiji Suzuki, known
as Bo Mogyo (Commander Thunderbolt) to the Burmese The Thirty Comrades Aung San at centre front row. Photo probably taken in Japan, Hainan or Taiwan from
September 1940 or Thailand (Siam) in early 1941. Many Burmese were sent to Japan for military training. Aung San was in the first group, the Thirty
Comrades. There were more groups, also known as Comrades, sent to Japan for training later. Aung San, centre, front row, beside IJA Colonel Keiji
Susuki (in white). Aung San returned to Burma from Thailand in February
1941. The BIA accompanied the
IJA into Burma in 1942. The IJA
captured Rangoon in February 1942. With IJA Colonel Keiji Suzuki,
Aung San (in 1943 photo above), organised a Burmese army, the Burma Independence Army (BIA), to fight
with the IJA against the British in Burma. - Japanese
Occupation 1942 - 1945 After the invasion of Burma in 1942, the Japanese dissolved
the BIA to form a smaller Burma Defence Army. Aung
San (1915 - 1947), leader and commanding general of the Burma Defence Army,
and his wife Khin Kyi (1912 - 1988), a senior nurse at Rangoon General Hospital, in September 1942 photo. They met in the hospital. They married in September
1942. Aung San wore the uniform of a Japanese Imperial Army major
general. During the Second World
War, Burma was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) from 1942 to 1945. The Japanese occupied much of East Asia and all of Southeast Asia, as shown
in the above map of the Japanese Empire at its height in 1942. The Burmese formed a government in Rangoon. The Burma Defence Army grew into the Burma National Army in 1943. 1945
As the tide of war turned against the Japanese, Aung
San and the Burma National Army (BNA) went over to the Allies on 27 March 1945. Aung San with British Prime Minister Clement Atlee at 10 Downing Street in London on
27 January 1947. Aung San and Atlee agreed that Burma would
be independent in January 1948. Aung San was to be the government's prime minister. Aung San signs Panglong Agreement on 12 February
1947. The Burmese government of Aung San and representatives of the Shan, Kachin and Chin agreed to
recognise the 'full autonomy' of the 'Frontier Areas' (border regions inhabited by ethnic minorities)
and Shan States and agreed to the creation of Kachin and Chin states. Panglong is in the Shan States. In April 1947, Aung San's political party won the general elections. Aung San was assassinated by soldiers of a political rival during a session of his cabinet
in the Secretariat Building in Rangoon in July 1947. British colonial officers in Burma, who considered Aung San a traitor for his collaboration
with the Japanese during the war, were long suspected of supplying the arms.
On Mountbatten's advice,
Rance chose U Nu, also a Burman, to replace
Aung San. The first president of
Burma was a Shan, the hereditary Sabwa of Yaungwe, Sao Shwe Thaik, from 1948 to 1952. As president Sao Shwe Thaik succeeded the colonial British governor
of Burma, Sir Hubert Rance. Sao Shwe
Thaik was the speaker of the upper house of the Burmese parliament, the Chamber of Nationalities, from
1952 - 1962. The prime
minister was U Nu. In the coup d'état by Ne Win, Sao Shwe Thaik was imprisoned and died in prison later in the
year. U Nu eventually went into
exile and raised an army of resistance on the Thai border in the late 1960s. Ne Win ran Burma as a military dictatorship. He refused to allow
democratic practices. He suppressed student uprisings, the best known of which was in 1975.
In Mandalay, c. mid-
to late 1960s. Suu Kyi in 1970. Suu Kyi met Englishman Michael Aris
(1946 - 1999), a Tibetologist, at Oxford. They married in 1972. They had two sons, born in 1973 and 1977. Suu Kyi with her two sons
in England c. 1988. 1988 In
April 1988, Suu Kyi returned to Burma to care for her ailing mother. In June 1988, students protests spread throughout Burma. In July 1988, the dictator Ne Win resigned. On August 8, 1988, students launched a nation-wide uprising. Rangoon The Burmese saw Suu Kyi as her father's daughter and persuaded her to lead them to democracy. Suu
Kyi formed a political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in September 1988 to contest in the
1990 elections in Burma. Suu
Kyi was a co-founder of the NLD. ----------------- The army crushed
the protesters. A junta, led
by Saw Maung, the
head of the army, enforces martial law in September 1988. -------------- Bo Mya, Karen National Union (KNU), left, and Brang
Seng, Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) From left: Moe Tee
Zun, student leader; All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) flag; Free Aung San Suu Kyi poster
with National League for Democracy (NLD) flag The
fighting spirit of the revolutionary guerrilla ------------ -------------- The
military junta changed the name of Burma to Myanmar in 1989. The military junta
changed also Rangoon's name to Yangon in 1989. The NLD won by a landslide in the 1990 elections but were not
allowed by the junta to form a government.
From 1989 to 2010, Suu Kyi spent fifteen years under arrest: Six years, from 1989 to 1995; Two years, from 2000 to 2002; Seven years, from 2003 to 2010.
Suu Kyi was detained at home,
under house arrest, in Rangoon; in Insein Prison; and other places. Saw Muang was replaced by
his second-in-command, Than Shwe, in 1992. Aung San Suu Kyi meets crowd gathered at the gate to her home
in Rangoon in 1995. The NLD flag in 2001. In 2006, the military junta moved
the capital of Burma from Rangoon to Naypyitaw. Suu Kyi receiving the people
at the gate to her home in Rangoon in 2007. There were elections in 1990 and again in 2010. A constitution was drafted by the military in 2008. Because many members were imprisoned, the NLD boycotted the elections in 2010. A high
military figure, General Thein Sein, at left, retired in 2010 and was elected 'civilian' president in 2011. Than
Shwe stepped down in 2011. The military 'officially' stepped aside in 2011 The military handed the government over to 'civilians'
- or a civilian front. Thein Sein took over from Gen. Than
Shwe, second from right in the above photo, as a 'civilian' head of state in 2011. He served a five-year
term, to 2016. General elections were scheduled
for 2015. Suu Kyi in 2012 photo. The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won general elections
in 2015 and 2020. - Aung San Suu Kyi was the de facto leader of Burma from 2016. Aung San Suu Kyi and Htin Kyaw.
Htin Kyaw was president of Burma
from 2016 to 1018. He resigned due to ill-health.
Arakan in the Second World War Japanese soldiers, left; British soldiers, right. In 2016 and 2017, the Burmese army drove an estimated 700,000 Rohingya from their homes in Arakan into neighbouring
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Speech International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague, Netherlands 11 December 2019 Aung San Suu Kyi's address was 30 minutes
long. You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI4L0bt0Kno Video and text transcript American Rhetoric (includes other speakers) https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/aungsansuukyiinternationalcourtofjustice.htm Transcript (text only) Al Jazeera https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/12/transcript-aung-san-suu-kyis-speech-at-the-icj-in-full United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Map
of Karen refugee camps on Thai-Burma border in 2013 Thai-Burma border refugee
camps in December 2020 Karen refugee camp in Thailand 100,000 refuges from Burma live in Thai border camps. Most fled Burma in the 1960s. More fled in 1975. Many
more fled since 1988. There are many Karen living on both sides of the Thai-Burma border. Many live
in Kanchanaburi Province. Many are 'Thai-Karen' and have been there longer than most Thais. There
are also many Mon living on both sides of the border. There are many Mon in Kanchanaburi Province. The
Karen arrived in the region 250 to 300 years ago, from the north. The Mon have lived in the region for 2,000 to 2,500 years.
The Thais arrived some 800 to 900 years ago, from the north. The Thais did not have much of a presence, if any, in the present
border areas until the 20th century. The Thais are preparing border camps in Tak, Ranong and Chumphon Provinces
to receive more refugees. Tak
Province is ready to receive 50,000 more refugees. Map of Thailand displaying
Tak Province, left, Chumphon Province, centre, and Ranong Province, right. The big city of Mae Sod is the administrative headquarters of Tak Province. It
is not far from the Moei River to the west and the city of Myawaddy on the Burmese side of the river. (Mae Sod is not far
from the ancient city of Sukothai.) ----------- Burmese workers in Thailand The NLD won 255 of 440 seats in the lower house. Win Myint, President of Burma, and Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor (= prime minister,
de facto head of government) Aung San Suu Kyi with army chief General Min
Aung Hlaing. General
Min Aung Hlaing was due to retire in July 2021. In 2019, the US imposed sanctions on Min
Aung Hlaing for human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and other minorities. The US banned him from travelling to the US. In 2020, the US froze his American assets and outlawed his financial transactions
in the US. The generals who plotted
to lock up the elected government and take over: Gen. Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Myint Swe Lieutenant General Sein Win Lieutenant
General Soe Htut Lieutenant General
Ye Aung General
Mya Tun Oo, Defence Minister Admiral
Tin Aung San Lieutenant
General Ye Win Oo Lieutenant
General Aung Lin Dwe Wunna Maung Lwin Win Shein Rangoon and Nya Pyi Taw were placed under curfew. The junta appointed Lt-Gen Than
Hlaing national police chief on 2 February. ----------- Rohingyas in refugee camps in Bangladesh cheered the news of Aung San Suu Kyi's
detention by the Burmese military. They hated her government. Rohingyas
hate the Burmese military even more. They pointed out that an unchecked military in Burma made a return to
their homes in Arakan more dangerous. -------------- ----------- At
night, city residents bang pots and pans to show their displeasure with the coup d'état.
Every night since 2 Feb. -------- Burma
Coup Al-Jazeera, 2 Feb. 2021 (02:40) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_2ptWKvR1I U. S. president threatens sanctions
on Burma CNA,
2 Feb. 2021 (03:33) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMHNpUrJV5s ------------ Cardinal
Charles Maung Bo Archbishop of Rangoon Head of the Catholic Church of Burma 3 Feb. 2021 'Dear
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, You have lived for our people, sacrificed
your life for our people. You will be always the voice of our people. These
are painful days. You have known darkness, you have known light in this nation. You
are not only the favourite daughter of the father of the nation, General Aung San. You are Amay Suu (Mother
Suu) to the nation. Truth will prevail. God is the ultimate
arbiter of truth. But God waits. At this moment I offer my personal sympathies
with your plight and pray that you may once again walk amidst your people, raising their spirits.'
To the world: 'Sanctions risk collapsing
the economy, throwing millions into poverty. 'Engaging the actors
in reconciliation is the only path.' Doctors,
nurses strike 3
Feb. ------------ Protests in Mandalay 4 Feb. ------------ Rangoon, 5 February 2021 ---------- Rangoon, 6 February 2021 --------------- 7 Feb. 2021 Second day of big demonstrations. Protests
in Rangoon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Daw, Myawaddy. 100,000
demonstrate in Rangoon. Police shoot in Myawaddy. Rangoon, 7 February Some
foeign diplomats are already working with the junta. On 7 February, the NLD called on the United Nations and 'international community' not to recognise the military
junta. --------------- Pope Francis St Peter's Square 7 February 2021 'In
this very delicate moment, I want to again assure my spiritual closeness, my prayers and my solidarity
with the people of Myanmar. 'I pray that those in positions of responsibility in the country show sincere willingness to
serve the common good, promoting social justice and national stability for a harmonious and democratic co-existence.' ----------------- Nay Pyi Daw, 8 Feb. 2021 New Zealand suspends ties to Burma 9 February 2021 Projects
benefiting the Burmese military are withdrawn from New Zealand’s aid programme with Burma.
Burma's
military leaders are banned from travel to New Zealand. Rangoon, 9 February 2021 Reports
of police letting protesters through barricades. Reports of police joining protestors. Police used live ammunition. Reports
of many injured protesters. A 19-year-old woman was fatally
injured in Nay Pyi Daw. She died ten days later, on 19 February. Thousands attended her funeral on 21
February. Others sustained wounds from
rubber bullets and live ammunition. Reports of protests in
many cities throughout Burma. Police raid and destroy NLD party headquarters
( 9 Feb.) 100,000 gathered in Rangoon, 10 February 2021 Mandalay, 10 Feb. Many policemen and policewomen
('dozens') ('about forty') ('42') joined protesters in Loikaw in the Kayah State
(Karenni) on 10 February. The fans of rival football teams marched in Rangoon, 10 Feb. 2021 ------------ US ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS The
White House, Wash., D. C., 10 Feb. 2021 - Demanded the immediate release of
Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected leaders. - Demanded the coup leaders leave the government to its
elected leaders. - Ordered sanctions against the coup leaders, their families and businesses linked to them. - To block
access to $1 billion in funds in the US. - To impose export controls. -
To freeze US assets that benefit the Burmese government. On 11 February, sanctions were imposed on companies dealing in gems, especially jade. The sanctions
are barely enough to make the coup leaders sneeze. The Burmese
pointed out that tougher sanctions are required. Tougher action in needed. More sanctions could be
imposed on military holding companies with investments in banking, gems, copper, telecoms and clothing. Observers must check to ensure that the orders are carried out. Will continue to support health care and civil society groups in Burma.
-------------------- -----------------
Banging pots and pans to show disgust with the coup.
---------------- Min Ko Naing,
a leader of the 1988 revolution, was imprisoned by the Burmese junta from 1989 to 2004 and from 2007 to 2012.
The
junta ordered his arrest on 13 February 2021. The junta is searching for seven 'activists', including
Min Ko Naing. Tens of thousands march in protest against the junta's arrest orders on 13 February 2021. According
to a Burmese journalist on 14 February, 'security forces are raiding people's residences in many places across
the country and trying to arrest those who are against the military junta'. Tanks
appeared in the streets of several cities and towns in Burma on 14 February and night of 14 - 15 February.
Tanks on the night of 14 - 15 February 2021. Civil disobedience Protesters march in Rangoon on 17 February 2021. Protests
may be expressed through civil disobedience. In Burma, cars are experiencing 'breakdowns' at the most inconvenient
spots, preventing people from going to work and stopping the country. In the above photo,
cars block passage over a bridge in Rangoon on 17 February 2021. Protesting
railroad workers block tracks and prevent trains from leaving Rangoon on 17 February. Protesters are hacking the junta's websites. Reports of 500 to 600 people arrested since the coup on 1 February.
Reports of police
and soldiers firing on demonstrators in several cities. -------------------- British and Canadian
SANCTIONS 18 Feb. 2021 The U. K imposed sanctions on
Min Aung Hlaing before the coup for human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities. Since the coup, the
U. K has Imposed asset freezes and travel bans on three generals - Min
Aung Hlaing and two other generals. Canada will impose sanctions on nine
military men. ----------- Police kill at least two protesting
shipyard workers in Mandalay 20
February 2021 -------------- Aung
San Suu Kyi taken from home in Nay Pyi Taw
to undisclosed place 20 February
2021 -------------- Big crowds line highway in funeral of first shooting victim 21 Feb. 2021 A 19-year-old woman
was shot in the head by the police in Nya Pyi Taw on 9 February ----------------- Call for a nation-wide general strike Junta
responds with threats to shoot protesters Millions protest in towns and cities
throughout Burma Hundreds of thousands march in Rangoon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay Big
protests in Myitkyina Monday, 22 February 2021 Two Five! (Feb. 5) Spring Revolution! Release
all detained leaders!
Don’t go to the office! (Civil disobedience) Pro-coup demonstrators clash with
anti-coup protesters Rangoon, 25 February ------------------ 'The world must restore democracy
in Burma
by any means necessary.' - Kyaw
Moe Tun, Burma's ambassador to the U. N. United Nations General Assembly 26 February Burma's
ambassador to the U. N., Kyaw Moe Tun, representing the government of Aung
San Suu Kyi, called for universal action against the military junta to restore democracy
by any means necessary. The UN recognises only Kyaw Moe
Tun and will not allow any representative of the junta. ------------------ 74th annual Mon National Day 27 February 2021 Rangoon 2018 ------------------ Worst day of violence,
many deaths Demonstrators face police in Rangoon 28 February At
least 18 demonstrators killed by police throughout Burma Rangoon
(numerous places), Mandalay, Tavoy, Mergui, Pegu and Pokokku More
than 1,000 arrested since 1 February Rangoon on the night of 28 February 2021 ------------- Teodoro Locsin, Jr. Philippine
Foreign Secretary Speaking at an informal video ASEAN meeting on 2 March 2021 'And
the first step should be for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and subsequent dialogue among
the parties involved in their country’s destiny.' ------------------ Many more killings 3 March 2021 At least 38 protesters shot
and killed Rangoon (18), Monywa (8), Mandalay (2), Salin
(2), Mawlamyine (1), Myingyan (1) and Kalay (1) Many wounded At least 1,300
arrested since 1 February Mandalay,
3 March 2021 ------------ Police
kill 1 demonstrator in Rangoon Mob kills NLD member and nephew
in Magwe 5 March At
least 64 killed since the coup d'état on 1 February --------------- NLD official murdered by police Tortured to death Rangoon, 6 - 7 March Police
took the 56-year-old man from his home late on Saturday night, 6 March. His family found his bloodied
dead body in a military hospital on the following morning, Sunday, 7 March. ---------- General
strike in Burma Two demonstrators shot and killed in Myitkyina March
8 In
Myitkyina, demonstrators protesting against the coup and the junta escaped the police by
running into the compound of a nearby hospital managed by the Sisters of the Roman Catholic Congregation of Saint Francis Xavier.
The
police headed for the hospital. A nun who worked in
the hospital kneeled before the police and implored them not to shoot the demonstrators. She persuaded the
police to leave. In the street demonstrators
were fired upon from the surrounding buildings. Two were killed. ------------- ------------------ Karen soldiers (KNU) protect demonstrators in Tavoy Thousands reported
fleeing to the Karen.
---------------- The elected government
The legitimate government
The government obstructed
by the military coup Reunited
in response to the coup CRPH Some
escaped arrest. On 5 February, elected legislators in hiding
formed a temporary government, representing the obstructed elected government, called the Committee Representing
the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (bicameral legislature) (CRPH) - or the Committee
Representing the Burmese Parliament. On 9 March 2021, the CRPH
selected Mahn Win Khaing Than, one of its most senior NLD officials, acting vice-president. (The president
is under arrest with Aung San Suu Kyi.) Mahn
Win Khaing Than is a Karen. He is 68 years old. He represented Myawaddy in the bicameral legislature. He
was the speaker of the upper house. Mahn Win Khaing Than is
in hiding with other ministers and parliamentarians. Monks march in support of CRPH in Mandalay on 10 March. Long live the Revolution! 'Defend yourselves!' We are the elected representatives of the people. We
are the legal government of Burma. The military is not. We make the laws. Not the military. The military is a terrorist organisation. It is legal to defend yourselves against the junta. The law protects you. Abolish the 2008 constitution. It was drafted
by the army. Establish a federal
democracy. - Mahn Win Khaing Than, senior NLD official, speaker of the upper house of parliament,
acting caretaker vice-president of the CRPH (legitimate government), 13 March 2021. Salai Maung Taing San ('Dr Sasa'), a Chin,
doctor and leading member of the Chin State NLD election committee for the general election of 8 November
2020. On 1 February 2021, Dr Sasa escaped to India, evading
arrest by pretending to be a taxi driver. On 22 February 2021, the CRPH appointed Dr Sasa its Special Envoy to the United Nations. 'If a country cannot protect its people, the UNSC has the
responsibility to protect them. The UNSC must pass a resolution to send international peacekeeping forces
to Yangon and Mandalay to prevent the slaughter of civilians. The more we wait, the more people die.' - Dr Sasa, the elected Burmese government's Special Envoy to the
United Nations, 11 March 2021. Dr Sa Sa is a friend of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and future
King of England Dr Sa Sa travelled for three
days from Nay Pyi Daw to India in February to escape arrest by the junta. UN Peacekeepers ----------------- 'The Myanmar crisis demands a multi-party solution.
'This NLD-Tatmadaw binary
was neither a solution in the past, nor will it be in the future.' - Rahul Mishra, CNA article, 14 March 2021 ------------- 15-plus killed Rangoon
(6), Myaing (Pakokku) (6), Mandalay (1), Myingyan (Meiktila) (1), Pegu (1) 11 March --------------- Two killed in Rangoon Night of 12 - 13 The sister of a protester
who was killed on 11 March at his funeral in Rangoon. ----------- 12 protesters
killed in Burma by police and soldiers Rangoon
(3) Mandalay (3) and Pyay (1) . . . Sabotage
of a railroad bridge by protesters reported 13
March China-Burma
pipeline next? Kidnapping the Russian
ambassador? The U. S. offers 'temporary protected status', 'legal residency' and 'work
permits' to all Burmese presently in the U. S. (temporary = 18 months). Rangoon on the night of 13 March 2021 ---------- ------------- ------------------- BLOODY SUNDAY At least 74 killed in Burma (at least 37 in Rangoon) Sunday, 14 March 2021 Protesters arm themselves with
knives and sticks. China supports the coup and the junta.
Reports that protesters with iron bars, axes and petrol attacked
Chinese clothing factories and storage facilities in Rangoon's industrial section. A Chinese hotel was
attacked. Chinese residents asked the junta
for protection. The Chinese embassy in Rangoon demanded the military go
after the attackers. The
Washington Post, quoting a 27-year-old doctor who witnessed the events of 14 March
in Rangoon's industrial section: 'We
now consider it a battle. They have guns - and we have knives, slingshots and
homemade weapons. We might be able to kill them, too.' Vigil, Rangoon, night of 14 March ------------- Taiwanese companies to fly Taiwan's flag to avoid attack. People's Republic of China (Peking), left; Taiwan (Taipei),
right. ------------- 20 demonstrators killed Mandalay
(2), Myingyan (6), Monywa (1) and Aunglan 15 March ---------------- 1
killed in Rangoon Protesters toss Molotov cocktails in Rangoon 16 March According to US News & World Report: 'Workers said a dispute
over pay at a Chinese-owned factory in the industrial zone turned violent on Tuesday (16 March) after the owner called
the security forces. They shot dead a woman labour leader and at least four more people. Myanmar Now
said six people were killed.' --------- Nine
demonstrators killed Rangoon, Mandalay,
Kale (2) . . . Protesters use large sling shots 17 March 2021 --------- The Pope's General Audience, the Vatican, 17 March;
Myitkyina, 8 March 2021 Pope
Francis, Vatican, 17 March 2021: 'One more time and with much sadness
I feel the urgency to talk about the dramatic situation in Myanmar, where many people, most of them young,
are losing their lives in order to offer hope to their country. 'I too kneel
on the streets of Myanmar and say ‘stop the violence'. 'Blood
does not resolve anything. Dialogue must prevail.' --------- State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Condemns violence by the military 18
March 2021 -------------- 'International Criminal Court (ICC) must try coup leaders.' - Kyaw Moe Tun, Burma's ambassador
to the U. N. 18 March 2021 --------------------- Washington, D. C. 18 March
2021 U. S. House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) voted overwhelmingly
(398 - 14) to pass a resolution condemning the coup in Burma and the detention of Burma’s
civilian leaders. (The 14 votes against were by Republicans.) The resolution
calls for the release of all persons detained. The resolution calls for the resumption
of duties by elected parliamentarians. ------------- 8 people killed in Aungban, 1 in Loikaw 19
March 2021 -------------- Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 19 March Indonesian President Joko Widodo 'Indonesia urges that the use of violence in Myanmar be
stopped immediately so that there are no more victims.' 'Indonesia also urges dialogue, that reconciliation is carried out immediately to restore
democracy, to restore peace and to restore stability.' Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin Demands the 'prompt and unconditional release' of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders detained
since the military coup. 'We cannot
afford to see Myanmar'. . . 'become so destabilized at the hands of a selected few who seek to promote their
own vested interests.' 'I am appalled by the persistent use of lethal violence against unarmed civilians which
has resulted in a high number of deaths and injuries, as well as suffering across the nation. 'There is no question about it -
the use of live ammunition against peaceful protests is unacceptable. This deplorable situation must stop
immediately.' Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin Jr. ASEAN 'has to act. Because passivity is complicity; and
silence gives consent.' ------------- 20 candlelight vigils across Burma Night of 20 to 21 March ------------- 8 dead Monywa (1), Mandalay (3) . . . 21 March 2021 -------------- 3 killed in Mandalay 23
March 7-year-old girl murdered in her home by soldiers ------------- Persistent
reports of police and soldiers running amok in residential neighbourhoods and commercial districts
- forcing their way into private homes, beating, shooting and killing the inhabitants,
looting everything of value, and damaging the building. Burmese policemen loot a road-side food stall, swiping bunches of
bananas. --------------- Thai
army supporting Burmese army Reports that the Burmese army is marching through Kawthoolay, the Karen State, to the Thai-Burma
border at the Salween River. Reports that the Thai army drove supplies for the Burmese army in trucks to the Thai side of the Salween.
Reports
that the Karen crossed the river and helped themselves to the supplies during the night. Tweet, 23 March: Karen Army KNU Brigade 5 issued a warning in both the Burmese and Thai languages saying that it would
not tolerate anyone who carries food for the soldiers of Myanmar’s military regime. It has confiscated
rice deliveries made by the Thai army for Burmese regime soldiers. Photo of the Thai side of the Salween Brigade 5, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) (KNU), is stationed in Papun District of
the Karen State. Tweet, 23 March: The Thai army of course denies all, but Thai media reported that the army had supplied '700 sacks of
rice' to the murderous Myanmar army, quoting an unidentified security official as saying it was on the orders
of the Thai government. ---------------- General Strike Day
of Silence 24 March Everyone stays home ------------------- 25 March 9 killed in Burma --------------- At
least four killed 26 March ----------------- The Fallen Stars 'They are the fallen stars.' 'We salute our heroes who sacrificed lives during this revolution. 'We must win this revolution.'
Burma 27 March 1945 Aung San and his Burma National Army turned against their Japanese backers
and went over to the Allies. The
day is celebrated as Armed Forces Day in Burma. Burma 27 March 2021 76th annual
Armed Forces Day Only
Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand sent representatives. (Burma is bordered
by China, India, Bangladesh, Laos and Thailand.) Tens of thousands demonstrate against the junta At least 114 - 141 killed The Bloodiest Day 'A day of dishonour.' 'A day of
shame' Rangoon Many civilians murdered in their homes Children among the dead Deaths in 40 towns throughout Burma
Rangoon (27 +), Mandalay
(40 +), Magway, Mogok, Kyaukpadaung, Mayangone. .
. . 'They
are killing us like birds or chickens, even in our homes. We will keep protesting regardless . . . We must fight until the junta falls.' - Mingyan resident Myanmar 'security forces' shoot at
the American Cultural Center in Yangon. Ethnic groups declare their support
for the pro-democracy demonstrators. Karen over-run Burmese army border post, killing ten. Burmese jet kills three in Karen village. Attack
in five spots. Strafe a camp for displaced persons. Hundreds seek refuge in Karen villages and military camps. 3,000 Karen villagers flee across
Thai border. 10,000
hiding (displaced) in the forests, waiting to cross the border into Thailand. Reports that the Thais turned back Karen refugees
at the border. Kachin attack Burmese
police station. Burmese jet strafes Kachin village. Many Burmese fled Burma for India. Reports of 700 refugees from Burma in India as of 25 March 2021. Reports that some were turned back. --------------------- 28 March 13 - 16 killed Junta forces shoot at mourners during a funeral in Pegu (Bago) 3 killed in protests in Nay Pyi Daw . . . --------------------- 14 killed in Burma 8 killed in Rangoon 29 March 2021 Waste collectors go on strike --------------------- 30
March 2021 8 killed Rangoon, Shan State . . . Rangoon, 30 March 2021 Junta sir strikes kill 6 to 13 in Karen State First
air strikes in 20 years Junta
breaks truce agreed in 2015 ------------ 31 March 2021 Burma's elected government voids
constitution implemented by junta in 2008. Replaced by interim charter - the Federal Democracy Charter.
The
20-page charter is a blueprint for drafting a new constitution through a national referendum. A 'federal union
army' is to be formed. The
elected parliament (CRPH) is establishing a government of National Unity now. The Federal Army is to be formed by a coalition
of the CRPH and organisations representing the various ethnic minorities. -------------------- Also on 31 March: War has 'returned' to Burma's border regions, which are inhabited by the so-called ethnic
minorities. (In China they are called 'nationalities'. In Thailand, they are called 'hill tribes'.) The Junta requested a cease-fire (truce) with 'ethnic' groups with armies
- Karen, Kachin, Palaung,
Arakanese et al - in order to (1) hold peace talks and (2) celebrate the annual
Theravada New Year (mid-month). The
junta declared a 'unilateral cease-fire' for the entire month of April. The truce was not offered to civilians demonstrating for
democracy. Ethnic armies have
assured pro-democracy demonstrators in their areas protection. The junta
has sent Russian jets to strafe Karen villages. Strafing continued for weeks. Many killed. 30,000 villagers
displaced. Thousands flee to Thailand. -------------------- 1 April 2021 The Gandamar
Wholesale Shopping Center and Ruby Mart in Rangoon were burned down before dawn on 1 April. Gandamar Wholesale and Ruby Mart are owned by the military. Gandamar Wholesale is in an area controlled by 'security forces'. The fires may have been arson - sabotage - by
'security forces'. ---------- 3 April Protests throughout Burma Two killed in Monywa Demonstrators armed with home-made air guns
in Rangoon. Night vigils and tributes to the fallen
in several towns and cities
--------------------- Many Burmese want U.
N. peace-keepers The
U. N. Security Council Two members of the U. N. Security Council decide the fate
of Burma. Russia and China refuse
to condemn the coup, or call it a coup. China called it a 'cabinet reshuffle'. Russia and China view Burma as a business opportunity. As other countries sanction the junta, Russia
and China pick up the slack. Russia
and China are predominantly Third-World countries. Perhaps their membership in the U. N., particularly on the Security Council, should be reconsidered.
They can be suspended. Talk only abets the junta.
It adds insult to injury. It's showbiz. Until
2020, the U. S. government was a partner in a business venture with the daughter of the junta leader,
Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who had been sanctioned by the U. S. government. . Military action is needed.
Without it, there can be no discussion. An international peace-keeping force could reach Nay Pyi Taw without firing a shot. Everyone would join it along the way. - The elected government must be restored. - The
army must be confined to barracks. - The armed forces must be barred from parliament
and all government ministries (except defence) and agencies (except defence-related). - An international peace-keeping force must maintain the
peace in Arakan. -
Rohingya exiles and refugees in Bangladesh and other countries must be free to return to their homes in Arakan.
- The junta
leaders must be arrested and tried for human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in the International
Criminal Court (ICC). Many warn that
without international military intervention in Burma, the Burmese military will conduct mass killings of the Burmese
population and widespread destruction. Then it will turn against the Rohingya again. A UN peace-keeping
force in Burma would cost US$4 billion per year. The force would remain in the country for at least
five to six years. A smaller force would remain in Arakan for 15 to 20 years. ----------- First there were two. Then there were three. Three back the junta. Shameful betrayal by the British government Comrade Boris Johnson backs
the junta 7 April 2021 U Kyaw Zwar Minn has been the Burmese ambassador to the U. K. since
2013. On
8 March 2021, U Kyaw Zwar Minn demanded the junta release Aung San Suu Kyi. On 10 March, the junta recalled the ambassador. On
7 April, the junta ordered the embassy's military attaché to bar U Kyaw Zwar Minn from
the embassy. The junta appointed the deputy ambassador the chargé d'affaires. About 50 persons gathered in front of the Burmese Embassy
in Mayfair in London to protest against the junta. Police were dispatched to protect the embassy. U Kyaw Zwar Minn asked the British
government to expel supporters of the junta from the embassy. But the
British government backed the junta. U Kyaw Zwar Minn could not return to the embassy. In effect, the British government: (1) rejected the legitimate envoy of the elected government
of Burma and (2) accepted representatives of the junta in the envoy's place,
and thus (3) recognised
the junta as the official government
of Burma. Top,
left: The Burmese ambassador to Britain, U Kyaw Zwar Minn, is locked out of the Burmese embassy. Top,
right: U Kyaw Zwar Minn talks to a policeman. Bottom left and right: Photos
of pro-democracy anti-coup anti-junta demonstrators killed by army and police in Burma
cover the walls of the embassy. Protesters before the Burmese
Embassy in London call for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to speak out against the coup
in Burma. Protesters chanted: 'Mr Boris Johnson!
Speak up! Speak up!' Torn
poster of Burma's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing outside the Burmese Embassy in London
on 8 April Dr Sasa,
Burma's Special Envoy to the United Nations 11 April 2021 'Britain
has insulted us.' The junta ordered U
Kyaw Zwar Minn to vacate the ambassador's residence in north London. The British
government refused protection for U Kyaw Zwar Minn. The British government
have not explained their conduct in this matter. Supporters
of U Kyaw Zwar Minn armed with pepper spray defend his residence in London against an expected attack by
junta agents. 16 April 2021 For what
it's worth, the press reported on 16 April that International legal experts pointed out that the British
government are NOT legally obligated to recognise the Burmese junta or accept the
junta's representatives in London. The
British PM and FM are agents of Moscow. They
collected bribes to recognise the Burmese junta. They were blackmailed.
They have conflicts of interests. They - or their friends -
have much invested in the Burmese military. Britain needs a new government. Britain's foreign policy is a failure. British foreign
affairs are determined by British commercial
interests with the Burmese military. ----------- 7 April 2021 Some 30 deaths in Sagaing and Pegu (Bago) 11, including 3 not involved, killed in Kalay At
least 12 killed in Taze 2
killed in Pegu Army conscripting
villagers as porters ---------------------- Civil War (begins) Protesters fight back, defend themselves Anti-coup
protesters engage army troops in armed clashes 11 killed in Taze 8 - 9 April Protesters fighting with homemade
weapons: bows and arrows, rocks and sling shots, airguns -------------- Pegu (Bago) 9 April 2021 83
protesters killed (actual
total may be 'dozens' more) Army surrounded protesters' camp and attacked before dawn Army used rife grenades and machine guns Army dragged the bodies away 100,000 residents fled Bago ---------- 1
killed in Tamu, Sagaing (near India) 9 April ----------- 10 April The Arakan Army, Ta'ang
National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army attacked a police station in the Shan
State, killing ten to 14 policemen. The Arakan Army (AA) is a multi-ethnic army based
in the Kachin State and seeking 'confederate' status within Burma. The Ta'ang National
Liberation Army (TNLA) is the military arm of the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF) based in the Shan
State. The Palaung are a Mon-Khmer people. The Palaung are one of many ethnic minorities in Burma.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) is based in the Kokang region
of the northern Shan State. ----------- Residents ambush convoy with hunting rifles Three soldiers killed near Tamu (near India) ---------- United
Nations U. N. General Assembly Hall, left; U. N. Security Council Chamber, right Kyaw Moe Tun, Burma's ambassador to the U. N. 9 April 2011 Burma's
ambassador asks the UN Security Council to act. Requests: - a No-Fly Zone over Burma to prevent junta jets
from strafing Karen villages; - an international arms embargo of Burma; - freezing of all bank accounts associated with
the military and their families; - a suspension of all direct foreign investment with Burma. ----------------- As of 27
April 2021 At least 751 civilians killed since the 1
February coup. The actual toll is certainly much higher. Protesters, demonstrators, bystanders, residents of nearby homes
killed At least 50 children
killed Many deaths unreported As
of 17 April, 3,152 detained in prison. Many
students are unaccounted for and probably in the notorious Insein Prison. 628 persons - 360 men and 268 women
- were released from Insein Prison on 24 March. Many of them were young people. Journalists are being held. Persistent reports of police and soldiers
running amok in residential neighbourhoods, shooting at people, arresting and beating people, raiding homes
and murdering the residents, raping women, looting shops and destroying cars and other property. Civilians not involved in the protests have been killed
by the police and soldiers. Some, including children, were killed in their homes. The soldiers and policemen are gangs of roving hoodlums, thieves, vandals,
muggers and murderers. A small number of soldiers
and policemen have been killed - perhaps two or three dozen. The junta cut the Internet on
1 April. A bloodbath is feared. Thousands are fleeing across the border into Thailand, Bangladesh
and India. ------------ 12 April 4 killed --------- Burmese
conduct low-key celebrations of the annual four-day Theravada Buddhist New Year festival, Thingyan,
from 13 - 16 April, in 2021. The
festival is celebrated in mid-April also in Thailand (Songkran), Cambodia, Laos (Pee Mai), Sipsongpanna
in Yunan Province of China, India, Sri Lanka and other regions. The above photo was
taken in Rangoon on 13 April. The
three-finger salute is a symbol of defiance against the military junta that has obstructed
the elected government, imprisoned the country's civilian leaders and killed 710 civilians. It signals support for the elected
government officials who are in prison, in hiding and in border refugee camps. It symbolises the determination to restore
democracy to the country. Daily protests throughout Burma. At least 26 persons were killed by police and soldiers during the New Year holiday. ------------ One demonstrator shot and killed
in Mandalay by soldiers 13 April Five killed near Mandalay ---------------- Kachin and Burmese armies at war 13
April The Kachin Independence
Army (KIA) have retaken a hill station, Alaw Bum, near the Chinese border in Kachin State, on 25
March. The hill was seized by the
Burmese Army 34 years ago, in 1987. The
Burmese Army have failed in attempts to retake the hill with two jets, helicopters and hundreds
of troops since 26 March. They have lost many men. Russian MIG-29 fighters attack Karen and Kachin villages
in March and April 2021. The planes are flown by Russian-trained
Burmese. As far as is known, Russian pilots have not flown in the attacks.
The Burmese army has Russian helicopters. -------------- 250,000
Karen and Kachin displaced Thousands
flee to Thai border 2,000 Karen flee air attacks into Thailand Thai army pushes refugees back into Burma 25,000 Karen hide in forests ----------- Soldiers entering mosques and shooting people present Skirmishes between the resistance and soldiers Three
killed in Mogoke Bombs tossed
at military points -------------- Burma's National Unity Government 16 April 2021 25 officials introduced by Min Ko Naing Win Myint, President and head of state (Burman) Duwa Lashi La, Vice-President (Kachin) Aung San Suu Kyi,
State Counsellor and head of government (Burman) Mahn Win Khaing Than,
Prime Minister (Karen) Sa Sa, Minister of
International Cooperation (Chin)
plus 20 more See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Unity_Government_of_Myanmar Dr Sa Sa has become the voice of the Burmese government. -------------- RADIO FREE BURMA A service of news and messages broadcast several times a
day is needed. Coverage of events in
Burma by the big international news agencies since the coup has
been disappointing. Numerous journalists and editors are in the pay of the junta - or terribly
ignorant of the facts. They are easy to spot. They work with the BBC, Reuters, AFP,
CNN, Nikkei, Aljazeera, La Prensa Latina et al. Even The Irrawaddy,
a magazine by Burmese exiles that is financed by the US State Department, doesn't seem to know which side is which or
which side it's on. They play to the junta. Some journalists, editors and publishers
were born yesterday. They have little or no knowledge of the world, the Orient, history, government or war. They play right
into the hands of the junta. The Burmese armed forces had their own political front. It failed miserably in nation-wide
democratic elections in 2015 and again a second time in recent national elections
in November 2020. In both elections, the military front was trounced by Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for
Democracy (NLD). The military's political front party did worse in the 2020 election than in the 2015 election. A gang of generals, concerned solely for their own selfish interests, reacted against
the overwhelming public will by obstructing the popularly elected government and kidnapping its leaders hours before
parliament was to convene on 1 February 2021. The gangsters in uniforms have waged (practiced) war on Burmese civilians and ethnic minorities. Needless to say, the generals
of the junta have no real or legitimate excuse for their conduct. Elected legislative representatives, who are
in hiding, formed an interim committee representing both houses of the elected legislature. The committee was called
the CRPH. The CRPH abolished the charter that was drafted by the army in 2008
and, in the spirit of the 1947 Panglong Agreement, formed
a government called the National Unity Government. The National Unity Government
of Burma will draft
a new constitution for a federal government and a Federal Union Army - and do so WITH the ethnic Burman
majority and ethnic minorities: Wa, Shan, Kachin, Chin, Karen, Palaung, Mon, Pa-o et al and their representative
organisations and alliances and the student organisations, like ABSDF. The ethnic minorities
will continue to make arrangements with the Burmese military in the field and with one another. They will work with the National Unity Government and other
organisations, including student organisations like ABSDF. The National Unity Government
is not a 'shadow government' or a 'parallel government' or 'the opposition'. It is the only government. Burma
is not a 'failed state'. Rather, the UN, ASEAN and other organisations and foreign governments have failed Burma. At this time, it is not correct (it is misleading)
to refer to the Burmese police and soldiers as 'security forces' or 'the authorities', or refer to the junta as
'the government' or 'the authorities' or as those 'in power'. All the money the gangsters of the junta have reaped from
their coup should be confiscated and distributed to the injured, displaced, and
the families of the fallen. Large monuments in memory of the fallen should be erected in Rangoon, Mandalay, Pegu, Nay Pyi
Daw, Tavoy, Myawaddy and other cities. -------- Unfortunately, many people of the press
are not journalists. They do not know the 'five w's' - 'who, what, where, when, why and
sometimes how' - which must appear in the first paragraph of a news article, like so: 'John Smith kicked the ball into an open net to score the winning goal in extra time in
Toronto's last home game of the season this afternoon. The goalie was outmaneuvered by a feint.' Often today, the essentials are spread over five or six paragraphs. Many journos no longer speak plain and proper English. They write a sort of Creole that
is full of slang words and expressions that are unintelligible to most people who are accustomed to 'Standard
English'. This Creole has long been popular among the working class in the U. S., particularly along the Atlantic coast. The lingo
spread about the world in the past fifty years. Half
the comments over the Internet, which are interesting and worth reading, cannot be readily understood by most readers. There
are hundreds of such examples of this Creole on the Internet and TV every day. One
needs a Puerto Rican interpreter to understand it. The
word 'there' has become 'on the ground'. 'I'm fine' has become 'I'm good'. Many
South Americans with post-graduate college degrees speak and write this Creole instead of plain English. Many work for the
U. N. A boy is a 'man-child, A girl is a 'woman-child'. The collaborators of the Junta(s) The French oil and gas company TOTAL
is under pressure to stop production in Burma's off-shore Yadana field. (3
April 2021.) The notorious
Yadana pipeline, built at the cost of many lives by slave labour forced at gunpoint by the Burmese army in the late 1990s, supplies Thailand. TOTAL was
one of the companies involved. The American oil company Chevron (formerly
Standard Oil) was another. Chevron is still involved in Burma. 2007 demonstration
against Unocal and Chevron. Protests before
Chevron offices across the U. S. on 17 April 2021. TOTAL
offered to pay compensation to persons who were forced by the army to work on the pipeline. About
five hundred victims were located several years ago in the area of Three Pagodas Pass on the Thai-Burma border. There are
villages on both sides. Three
Pagodas Pass The site is just inside the Thai side of the border in Sangkhlaburi
District of Kanchanaburi Province. The tracks of the notorious 'Death Railway' (with rails and sleepers) pass
within 100 metres of the site. The railway was built
by the occupying Japanese Imperial Army with unpaid labour from the region (native slaves) and Allied prisoners of war in
1942 and 1943. The Yadana Pipeline was built in the
same way - not by the Japanese but by the French and the Americans. ------------------ 23 April 2021 The
National Unity Government of Burma asks INTERPOL to arrest Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, leader
of the Burmese junta. ------------ Dr Sasa, Minister for
International Cooperation, National Unity Government, 23 April 2012: 'On
principle, meetings that contribute to a solution to the deepening crisis in Myanmar are welcome. Meetings that exclude the people of Myanmar but include murderer-in-chief
Min Aung Hlaing . . . are unlikely to be helpful. 'The
legitimate representatives of the people and country of Myanmar, the National Unity Government, stands ready to engage and
attend any ASEAN meeting on Myanmar.' 24
April 2021 The Burmese junta leader, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who has imprisoned the
elected government since 1 February, travelled to Jakarta to meet a UN envoy and representatives
of the ten-member ASEAN. It was the junta leader's
first trip abroad since the coup d'état in Burma of 1 February. It was also the first summit meeting of ASEAN heads since the coup. It was the first ASEAN summit meeting since 2019. The heads of three
ASEAN members - Laos, Thailand and the Philippines - sent their foreign minsters
instead. The purpose of the meeting was to tell the junta to
stop the violence - 'an immediate cessation of violence'. That's
all. Nothing about releasing the elected officials kidnapped by the junta. And a big present for the junta - humanitarian
aid. It sets up the junta. It is to be sent to Burma for the suffering populace. But who is to
receive it and who is to distribute it? More than anything else, this ASEAN summit
meeting actually emboldened the junta. 1 May UN Security Council seconds the motion
. . . . . . and calls for the release of elected officials
held by the junta. ------------- 24 April At
lest three civilians killed by police and army in Burma. 25
April 34 arrested 27 April The army of the Karen National Union (KNU), the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), attacked
and destroyed Burmese Army outposts along the Salween River on the Thai border. People on the Thai side of the river
in Mae Sam Lap (Maleta) could see the fighting, which began before dawn. Fighting continues on 28 April. Junta airstrikes
force some three thousand Karens to flee their homes for the Thai border. ----------------- 1 May Demonstrations in Rangoon, Mandalay, Monywa, Tavoy . . . 1 - 2
May 2,300 flee to
Thailand -------------- The Global Myanmar Spring Revolution 2 May 2021 Protest marches throughout Burma Army and police pot shots kill eight marching demonstrators Mandalay
(2), Wetlet (3), Shan State (2), Kachin State (1) ----------- Pope Francis 2 May Pope Francis urges all to pray for peace in Burma. Say
a special prayer for Burma every day in the month of May. May
is the month of Mary. 'Each of us turns to our mother in times of need and of difficulty.
During this month we ask our Heavenly Mother to speak to the hearts of all those who have responsibility in Myanmar
so they may find the courage to walk the path of encounter, of reconciliation and of peace.' Santa
María, Madre de Dios, Ruega por nosotros pecadores, Ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte . . . Kachin
shoot down Burmese Army helicopter 3 May 2021 Momuak, Kachin State U Kyaw Zwar Minn, Burmese ambassador
to U. K. At the ambassador's request, British
courts are to rule on the legitimacy of the Burmese military junta. Rangoon, 12
May 2021
----------- Mindat Mindat, Chin State Mindat, a village of 15,000 to 40,000 Chin 100 k.
from India Mindat Junta soldiers, Mindat May 2021 The junta soldiers arrived in April. After a four-day battle with the junta in May, many men and
boys, armed with hunting rifles, left the village for the surrounding hills. The junta occupied
the village on 15 May. Residents of Mindat protest against the arrests of locals
by junta soldiers. Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Karen National Union (KNU) Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) ----------
Some members of the Karenni People's Defence Force
made their own guns.
1 June 2021 Daily demonstrations throughout Burma Fighting along the border between local defence forces and the junta soldiers Daily killings (assassinations) of junta soldiers, junta- appointed officials, and
policemen Daily bombings and arson of junta buildings In
late 1988, many lone policemen in Rangoon were ambushed and murdered on their way home from work by students. Hundreds may
have been killed.
Anti-coup (pro-democracy) demonstrators burn the ASEAN flag
in Mandalay on 6 June 2021 as two ASEAN envoys visit the junta leader.
---------------- UN General Assembly 18 June 2021 Votes for a resolution condemning the Myanmar coup Demands the junta 1.
restore democracy 2. release political prisoners
3. end its violence against the populace Calls
on UN members to stop providing arms to Burma. Burma's five immediate neighbours - China, India,
Laos, Thailand and Bangladesh - abstained. Four ASEAN nations - Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Brunei
- abstained. Russia abstained.
Belarus was the only country to vote against
the resolution. ASEAN members Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
voted for the resolution. Food, medical care difficult to obtain. Naypyidaw, Burma 6 - 7 July 2021 Aung San Suu Kyi and her personal staff have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Aung San Suu Kyi asks the people to 'get vaccinated - if possible. 'Take
care of each other and follow restrictions and notifications.' ----------------------- Covid in Burma - Medics on strike since coup on 1 Feb. -
Actual number of cases and deaths since coup unknown. - Cases and deaths 'underreported' - Borders closed -------------- Colonel Saw Nay Soe Mya, youngest son of the legendary General Bo Mya, leader of
the Karen National Union, died of Covid-19 in Mae Sod, on the Thai border, at age 48 on 3 August 2021. Bo
Mya (1927 - 2006) in 1999.
-----------------
Bertil Lintner, Swedish journalist . . . The mindset of the Tatmadaw leadership is also
the main reason why "dialogue" or "engagement" with them is bound to fail. The generals are, plainly speaking, delusional
and live in their own Orwellian fantasy world, devoid of any understanding of what the people think and want. And, to use another quote from 1984: "We know that no one ever seizes
power with the intention of relinquishing it." The Myanmar military seized power in 1962 and has since then remained in charge
under different guises, as a junta or behind a political façade. And not even the 2016-21 NLD government was able to change
the country’s fundamental power structure, with the military always at its apex. Unless the Tatmadaw cracks, and some in high positions are willing to face up to reality, there is little
chance of Myanmar becoming truly democratic. The
alternative is another few decades of military-dominated rule, with all the repression and misery that entails. - Bertil Lintner, Myanmar’s Orwellian
New Order (article), The Irrawaddy (periodical), last paragraph, 7 July 2021.
UN:
Continue to next page, 10. The Pandemic - Year Three - 2022
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