Myanmar Situation Update (28 June - 4 July 2021) Summary Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in the special court in Naypyitaw on 29 June and the court accepted the two evidence documents submitted by the junta for the case charged under Section 505(b) to incite unrest in the country although the lawyers of Aung San Suu Kyi objected. Those two documents are NLD party statements issued on 7 and 13 of February after the NLD’s leaders have been detained. Her lawyer also expects the trial will run longer than scheduled, with the prosecution still to call nearly two dozen witnesses. The junta has been building strong high-tech surveillance tools that can be used for internal repression, many of which come from Western companies. An investigation conducted by the “Lighthouse Reports” revealed that those technologies include high tech software that can extract data from different devices and surveillance over the internet. More than 50,000 Karen people have been displaced since the beginning of the year. Local community groups expect that there is much more the international community can do to help as humanitarian as is not enough meeting the survival of the people who fled their villages and living in makeshift shelters. Indian media also reported that over 700 people from Myanmar, mostly civilians, have entered Mizoram in the past few weeks. Altogether 10,025 Myanmar nationals have so far sneaked into Mizoram following the military coup. Media also reported that the Myanmar military shells struck Magar Yang camp, home to over 1,600 internally displaced persons in Kachin State, along the China border. The junta also released on 30 June 2,342 prisoners, including many political prisoners and at least 14 journalists, from different parts of Myanmar. The Assistance Association for the Political Prisoners said in a statement that “democracy will not be reached until all political prisoners are released, with justice and national reconciliation achieved. This illegitimate junta is not making positive changes, they are only trying to make the case to be given credentials at the UN in September”. The UN said that it was aware of the releases of political prisoners and has repeated its call for the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar, including President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Junta forces have recently arbitrarily arrested at least six lawyers defending political prisoners, violating both the lawyers’ rights and those of their clients, Human Rights Watch said. At least three of them have been arrested while attending court and arresting lawyers makes it abundantly clear that Myanmar’s junta has no interest in providing a fair trial for pro-democracy activists and that justice under military rule is an illusion. Protests continued in different parts of Myanmar despite the crackdown by the junta. The clashes between the junta forces and the civil resistance fighters or Ethnic Armed Organizations also emerged across Myanmar particularly in Chin, Shan, Kayah, and Kayin States and Sagaing Region. According to the information compiled by ANFREL, at least 43 bomb blasts happened across Myanmar in the past week. It was reported that at least 14 people were injured and 4 killed1. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that, as of 3 July, 890 people have been killed by the junta. 5,086 people are currently under detention and 223 are sentenced. 26 have been sentenced to death (incl. 2 children). 1,964 are evading arrest warrants2. Colour Code and its Categories Political Repression by International CRFs and Humanitarian Media Other updates the junta community EAOs situation Timeline of events 28 June Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing returned to Myanmar after a week-long visit to Russia. Although no arms deal has been reported, both countries declared their intention is to strengthen bilateral cooperation3. Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer said that the junta trial of her will run longer than scheduled, with the prosecution still to call nearly two dozen witnesses4. 1 Annexure I 2 https://aappb.org/?p=16312 3 https://www.mizzima.com/article/min-aung-hlaing-returns-russia? 4 https://www.mizzima.com/article/trial-myanmars-suu-kyi-overrun-prosecution-needs-more-time? The spokesman of the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) said it has compiled more than 400,000 pieces of evidence of atrocities committed by the junta regime against civilians since it overthrew the government in February and is preparing to file an international lawsuit against the junta for crimes against humanity5. The spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG), Dr. Sa Sa, said that the junta sold over 50,000 acres of teak to a Chinese company with the price of 37 USD per acre6. A 5 years old child was arrested together with her mother and sister as hostages on June 13 as her father was an anti-regime protest leader in Mogoke, Mandalay Region7. She was released on Wednesday afternoon and the sister and mother are still in detention8. Junta sentenced 16 people to death after accusing them of the murders of an alleged informant and his two sons in Yangon’s North Okkalapa Township following a two and a half month trial by military tribunal9. Junta’s forces attacked nearby residents, beating & threatening, after a loud explosion in South Dagon Township, Yangon Region10. An NLD member and protest leader of Koke kar village in Gangaw Township, Magway Region, was arrested at his home by junta’s troops11. The junta detained and charged three Christian pastors from Kachin State who organized a prayer for peace in Myanmar12. Japanese media reported that a company headed by a former Japanese minister and the chairman of the Japan Myanmar Association has been pursuing a project to develop land owned by junta through a joint venture with a military-affiliated firm13. The former chairperson of Arakan Patriot Party (APP), was abducted by a group of gunmen in civilian clothes in front of the primary school in Ohetan Ward of Sittwe Township14. 5 https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/court-06282021185752.html 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ilkc3VYcY 7https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/in-myanmar-juntas-bid-to-quell-opponents-not-even-their-babies 8https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/detained-5-year-old-girl-from-mogok-released-reunited-with-father 9https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/junta-sentences-16-yangon-residents-to-death-over-murder-of-alleged 10 https://www.mizzima.com/article/tatmadaw-attack-civilians-south-dagon-township-after-explosion? 11 https://www.mizzima.com/article/military-troops-arrest-nld-member-leading-protests-koke-kar-village? 12 https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regime-charges-three-priests-after-peace-prayer.html 13 https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/06/3087036896b3-firm-led-by-former-japan-minister-in-jv-linked 14 https://www.mizzima.com/article/unidentified-gunmen-abduct-former-rakhine-party-leader-sittway? The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has ordered businesses operating within its territory to stop selling products made by military-owned companies by the end of the month15. 18 Shan organizations released a joint statement condemning the act of the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) arresting a Shan ethnic person on 30 May and his death on 26 June16. An explosion also occurred during a protest against the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in Namkham which detained a person and killed him in custody. The blast killed one person and injured three others17. Myanmar military raided a post belonging to the People’s Defence Force-Kalay (PDF-Kalay) outside the Sagaing Region town and a spokesperson for the local resistance group said they were forced to withdraw18. A junta-appointed administrator was shot dead in Ye of Mon State19. The Hindustan Times reported that over 700 people from Myanmar, mostly civilians, have entered Mizoram in the past few weeks. Altogether 10,025 Myanmar nationals have so far sneaked into Mizoram following the military coup20. The media reported that Myanmar military shells struck Magar Yang camp, home to over 1,600 internally displaced persons in Kachin State, along the China border. The incident happened on the same night KIA attacked a checkpoint on the Irrawaddy Bridge (aka Bala Min Htin) in Myitkyina, capital of Kachin State. Tatmadaw also shelled KIA positions in Laiza, Mai Ja Yang and Laisin21. The junta locked down Laukkai Township in northern Shan State’s Kokang Self-Administrative Zone near the Chinese border as more than 100 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported within 10 days22. Schools have been temporarily closed in Taungoo from Bago23, Naung Cho from Northern Shan as the numbers of COVID-19 cases increase in those areas24. 15https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/taang-national-liberation-army-bans-sale-of-goods-from-military-companies 16 https://t.me/TachileikNewsAgency/8226? 17 https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/one-dead-three-injured-in-explosion-at-namkham-protest 18 https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/military-council-raids-resistance-force-base-in-kalay 19 http://burmese.dvb.no/archives/472242? 20 https://www.mizzima.com/article/700-people-myanmar-flee-indias-mizoram? 21 http://www.nmg-news.com/2021/06/27/14061 22https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regime-locks-down-chinese-border-town-amid-covid-19 23https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/schools-in-taungoo-closed-for-two-weeks-as-the-numbers-of-covid-19-cases 24 https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/all-schools-temporarily-closed-in-naung-cho In the alleged rape case of 13 years old nun in Nant Phat Khar of Kut Kai in Shan State, the junt troop said that “he just made the touch on her hand and cheek”, admitted in the letter revealed in a meeting joined by the child family, village administrator, monks and 3 members from junta25.