Spring Revolution Local News – Dec 31 (Evening)

1. The NUG Minister of Labour addresses the CRPH about the ministry’s work
2. NUG Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung met with the Secretary General of the European External Affairs Service
3. NUG issues a public alert to be cautious on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
4. Union Minister Dr. Tu Hkawng says that the lessons learned in the spring revolution are expensive
5. The NUG Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs had an online discussion with international Myanmar democracy activists
6. The NUG Ministry of Defence announces that the arming is going on
7. A banner reading “We will keep revolutionising till we win, also in 2023” is hung on a flyover in Mandalay
8. The EOD announces that its spring investment projects are still available for purchase

2. NUG Foreign Minister says that the main underlying cause of the Spring Revolution is for the military to stay out of politics

Daw Zin Mar Aung, Union Minister of Foreign Affairs, said during an interview with VOA Burmese last Friday that the main underlying cause of the Spring Revolution is for the military to stay out of politics.

The Union Minister said:

“The 2008 constitution doesn’t work any more. They violated it themselves. They have already violated 2008 constitution since they seized state power. We see that it is important for the military to stay out of politics and act in its proper role. This is the main underlying cause of this revolution.”

At present, the coup military is planning to hold its 2023 sham election and is trying to maintain political power.

3. NUG issues a public alert to be cautious on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

The National Unity Government’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management issued a public alert on December 31, advising people to exercise caution on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, as follows:

“Inhumane crimes, including mass killings of people in ethnic areas and central Myanmar, burning people’s homes, and aerial strikes on public places like hospitals, schools, and religious buildings, are proof that the terrorist military council is targeting the populace in exchange for power. At the same time, the military council, which is facing international and diplomatic failures, is trying in every way portray the National Unity Government and the People’s Defence Forces as terrorist organizations. Therefore, on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, people are warned to be especially aware of terrorist acts in crowded places.”

4. Union Minister Dr. Tu Hkawng says that the lessons learned in the spring revolution are expensive

In the Newsletter of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vol. 1, No. 11, under the sector “The Voice of the Union Minister,” Union Minister Dr. Tu Hkawng said,

“When basic principles, stances, and norms are not strong, everyone only has their livelihoods to count. The lessons learned in this revolution are expensive.”

Following the military coup on February 1, 2021, the Spring Revolution emerged along with the public movement against the military dictatorship.

5. The NUG Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs had an online discussion with international Myanmar democracy activists

An online discussion was held on December 30 between officials of the National Unity Government and international Myanmar democracy activists to exchange views and cooperate in a balanced manner.

At the discussion on December 30, organized once every three weeks by the NUG representative office in Norway, U Moe Zaw Oo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; U Maung Maung Myint, NUG representative in Norway; Daw Nan Su Mon Aung, NUG representative in France, as well as activists from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, the U.K., Canada, and Ireland, attended and discussed.

It is reported that a representative from Germany acted as the moderator in the discussion, and the attendees had a friendly discussion related to foreign affairs, diplomacy, and other important issues.

6. The NUG Ministry of Defence announces that the arming is going on

In an interview in the final week of December, U Naing Htoo Aung, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), stated that the MOD does not stop arming, despite the fact that arming each battalion costs more than a million dollars. 

He said: “If we look up the arming part, the basic arming cost of one battalion without including heavy weapons is over one million dollars. Therefore, merely arming the battalions will cost us roughly 300 million dollars. We have, however, been gradually working on arming since before. We are also doing it now.”

Currently, there are nearly 300 battalions of the People’s Defence Force (the arm wing of the NUG), over 250 Township PaKaHpa (township revolutionary forces), and hundreds of LDFs (local defence forces) and urban guerrilla youth groups.

7. A banner reading “We will keep revolutionising till we win, also in 2023” is hung on a flyover in Mandalay

It is reported that a protest movement against military dictatorship was carried out by youth activists in Mandalay on the morning of December 31, and a banner reading “We will keep revolutionising till we win, also in 2023″ was hung on a flyover in Mandalay.

Young people have been holding guerrilla strikes in Yangon and Mandalay until today for nearly two years.

8. The EOD announces that its spring investment projects are still available for purchase

In the final week of December, the End of Dictatorship (EOD) initiative urged people not to miss the opportunity to invest in its spring investment projects since they were still available for purchase, as follows:

“Among the projects supported by the revolutionary people to end the dictatorship, EOD’s spring investment projects received the most revolutionary funds. Some of EOD’s projects have been completely sold out, but there are still opportunities to invest in some projects. Invest for the future; it is important not only for your own future but also for the future of the country and the future of democracy, we assure you.”