The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of the National Unity Government announces it provided support to victims of a recent junta airstrike on a village school in Oh Htain Twin, Dipayin Township, NUG Representatives and Myanmar Revolutionaries attend 45th Anniversary Commemorations of Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Spring Development Bank Launches New Collateral Loan Product.
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1. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of the National Unity Government announced on May 21 that it had provided consolation and support to victims of a recent airstrike carried out by the military junta on a village school in Oh Htain Twin, Dipeyin Township. A counseling and support session was held with the participation of the Union Minister, Deputy Minister, and officials from the Ministry, as well as child psychologists and mental health experts focused on providing emotional support, stress management techniques, and trauma counseling to affected families, children, and teachers. For those who were killed or injured in the airstrike, MoHAA provided MMK 10.5 million in financial assistance to victims, supplemented by MMK 13.0 million from local administrative organizations and donors, totaling MMK 23.5 million, which was distributed directly to affected families by township officials. The military launched an airstrike bombing on Ohtain Twin Village School in Depayin Township at 9:35 am on 12 May, killing two teachers and 22 students and injuring a total of 105 students and teachers.
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2. The National Unity Government (NUG) announced that representatives and members of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement participated in the 45th anniversary commemorations of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in South Korea. Led by the NUG’s Representative Office to the Republic of Korea, the Myanmar delegation, including members of Spring Revolution organizations, condemned the Myanmar military junta’s brutality and presented the ongoing pro-democracy struggle. NUG Labor Affairs Officer Daw May Moe Thuu led a delegation to the official event at the National Assembly in Gyeonggi Province on May 17, highlighting Myanmar's political crisis with a presentation and photographs. Another team, led by Ko Tin Htay Aung, joint chair of the Anti-Coup Committee, attended a memorial event in Chuncheon, screening video footage of the military junta's human rights violations and explaining Myanmar's democratic movement. Representative U Yan Naing Tun and his team attended the May 18 memorial event in Seoul.
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3. A Myanmar junta Mi-17 helicopter was reportedly shot down by Kachin Independence Army (KIA) joint forces in Shwegu Township. The helicopter was equipped with KAVRO ballistic protection gear, manufactured by the Indian defense company MKU. MKU, an Indian manufacturer of helmets, body armor, and ballistic protection for various forces, provides upgrades for helicopters like the Mi-17, according to its website. The KAVRO armor on the downed helicopter, designed to protect key interior components from small arms fire with NIJ Level III plates capable of stopping rifle rounds, did not provide full-body protection. Tactical Raptors noted that the plates, manufactured in February 2025, suggest a recent upgrade to the junta's Mi-17 fleet. This incident highlights potential defense ties between India and the Myanmar junta. Despite India's public support for Myanmar's democratic transition, the presence of recent Indian defense equipment in junta aircraft raises concerns about ongoing strategic cooperation. India's direct or indirect supply of military gear to the junta could worsen Myanmar's volatile situation. The extent of Indian government and defense company involvement remains unclear, but the discovery of this equipment suggests a significant connection. International stakeholders are urged to monitor military supplies to Myanmar, given the risk of escalating the internal conflict.
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4. Spring Development Bank launched its Collateral Loan product on May 22, enabling individuals with urgent financial needs to secure loans by pledging collateral. Initially, the program accepts SpringDB tokens as collateral. To support this, the bank is allocating 10% of its reserved SpringDB tokens to shareholders for use as collateral. Eligible token holders can pledge their SpringDB holdings for immediate loans disbursed in USD or USDT, according to their preference. A minimum token holding equivalent to 100 USD is required, with a maximum loan limit of 100,000 USD. The Collateral Loan carries an annual interest rate of 11%, or approximately 0.92% monthly.
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5. Justice For Myanmar's "ASEAN Crony Watch" list names Thai billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont, highlighting concerns that his family's wealth, amassed through ethically questionable practices, supports oppressive regimes. Their conglomerate, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), holds stakes in controversial Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State, projects – a Special Economic Zone and deep-sea port within the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. Since the 2021 coup, these projects have advanced in cooperation with the Myanmar military regime, evidenced by a 2023 port agreement signing attended by sanctioned junta minister Aung Naing Oo. This discreet progress, aimed at evading scrutiny, underscores CP Group's ongoing collaboration. Further tarnishing its ethical record, CP Group was previously implicated in forced labor through its purchase of fishmeal from tainted suppliers in 2014. Justice For Myanmar's inclusion of Chearavanont reflects increasing apprehension regarding powerful ASEAN business figures enabling authoritarian regimes through economic partnerships.
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