Weekly News in English (25/08/2024)

 

The Acting President, H.E. Duwa Lashi La, and the Union Prime Minister, Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, attend the high-level panel entitled insights on the achievements of Myanmar's Spring Revolution, the Myanmar Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, attends the opening session of the High-level Open Debate on Peace Building and Sustaining Peace at the United Nations Security Council and IIMM says that they are attempting to prosecute the perpetrators of the Rohingya clearance operation.


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1. The high level panel entitled "Insights on the achievements of Myanmar's Spring Revolution" was held on August 21st. At the meeting, the Acting President of the National Unity Government, H.E. Duwa Lashi La and the Union Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, the President of Timor-Leste H.E. Jose Ramos-Horta, Chairman of the Karenni National Progressive Party and a leader of the K3C ethnic alliance, Khu Oo Reh launched the discussion. The panel included the distinguished guests, such as the Senior Advisor of Prague Civil Society Center, Igor Blazevic, Former Foreign Minister of Thailand, Mr. Kasit Piromya, MP of NSW, Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, Australia, Mr. Janelle Saffine and Senior Fellow of Lowy institute and special advisor to the interim central Bank of Myanmar, Dr. Sean Turnell.  The Acting President and the Union Prime Minister emphasized that since the coup military junta is going to seperate in the near future, the international community must officially recognize and assist the democratic partners. The Acting President also stressed to the international community that now is the time to stand with us on the right side of history. Union Prime Minister Mann Win Khaing Than stated that it is time for the international community to stand by the Myanmar people and put an end to the military dictatorship, which benefits no one. Without a terrorist military, we hear claims that our country may disintegrate and collapse. Our destination is not a country that will break into parts. The revolutionary forces are more united than ever. We are moving toward a federal democratic union that guarantees democracy, equality, and full self-determination. The President of Timor-Leste, H.E. Jose Ramos-Horta, who delivered the opening remarks at the meeting, stated that the military junta is losing the war. It lost the political battle. It has lost everything, including the respect and trust of the people and the international community. Revolutionary forces have the upper hand; they are winning both the battle and the war.


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2. Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, attended the opening session of the High-level Open Debate on Peace Building and Sustaining Peace: The New Agenda for Peace - Addressing Global, Regional, and National Aspects of Conflict Prevention, which took place on August 21st at the United Nations Security Council in New York. The Ambassador highlighted that as a result of the military junta’s atrocities, the number of displacement and refugees has reached 3.2 million, and 18.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Large number of children and youth has lost their rights to education and health. Vulnerable groups including women and girls as well as Rohingya have been facing numerous forms of violence by the junta forces. Moreover, Humanitarian operations remain challenging where essential services cannot be delivered efficiently as being highly politicized and weaponized by the military junta.


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3. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of the National Unity Government issued a statement on August 22nd that the NUG government was able to provide 575 million Kyats in humanitarian relief to people in need of assistance in July. It was provided with the contribution of the revolutionary well-wishers’ people-to-people donations; among the 575 million kyats to 462.8 million kyats for emergency food for 247,046 war refugees, 31.6 million kyats for emergency humanitarian aid for 162 heroes who died in the battles and 253 injured people, 0.9 million kyats as emergency humanitarian aid for CDM employees, 1.9 million kyats as emergency humanitarian aid for political prisoners and their families, 53 million kyats for those affected by natural disasters, 24.7 million Kyats were provided as general humanitarian assistance. Furthermore, in July, the ministry was able to support 504,260 people in 534 villages from 31 townships for people fleeing the war affected by floods in the states and regions.


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4. The Myanmar Independent Investigation Mechanism-IIMM released a statement to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Acts Violence Based on Religion or Belief. This statement was issued by Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. This week marks seven years since a wave of violent atrocities by the Myanmar security forces drove hundreds of thousands of Rohingya women, men and children to flee their homes in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Rohingya lost their loved ones and property, and many were subjected to horrific sexual violence. The majority sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh where they remain, still awaiting the day when it will be safe to return to their homes in Myanmar. No one has yet been held accountable for these horrific crimes. This has emboldened perpetrators in Myanmar to continue their brutal actions without fear of the consequences. When crimes go unpunished, this can fuel more violence. This cycle of impunity must be broken. This year, armed conflicts have increased across Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, as opposition to military rule grows. This has left Rohingya particularly vulnerable, with horrific reports of killings, torture, rape and the burning of villages. International justice is often slow, and this can be very frustrating for victims who rightly hope for justice that can bring an end to their suffering. At the Mechanism, we understand their frustration and are making our best efforts to produce results. We have accelerated the amount of evidence and analysis we are sharing with the authorities involved in the cases concerning the Rohingya at the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and in Argentina. To date we have shared 80 packages containing more than one million items of supporting information and analysis.


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5. Justice for Myanmar issued an official notification; on August 20th that the Singapore based company Emerging Towns & Cities Singapore (ETC), is continuing to fund the Myanmar military as it commits war crimes and crimes against humanity with total impunity. ETC’s latest financial disclosure, for the six months to June 2024, shows the payment of a land lease premium of 900,000 SGD for Golden City, a real estate complex in Yangon on land leased from the Myanmar military’s office of the quartermaster general. Earlier financial reports show the payment of 1.68 million SGD in 2022 and 2.99 million SGD in 2023, bringing the total paid to the Myanmar military to 5.57 SGD since its illegal coup attempt. ETC did not register any payments in 2021. Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Ma Yadanar Maung said, it is unacceptable that ETC can continue operating in Singapore while financing a genocidal military that is murdering children, bombing schools and clinics, and displacing millions. Through this continued funding to the Myanmar military, ETC is complicit in ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity.  As ETC and Grand Ally are both registered in Singapore, Singapore remains exposed to Golden City’s business with the Myanmar military, which helps fund its ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity.


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