Summary of News
- The Acting President says that during the Spring Revolution, the armed resistance path is still necessary, and the public political struggle cannot be ignored either
- The Acting President and Defence Minister made no agreement or decision with Bo Na Gar, the leader of the MRDA, in the Zoom meeting in May
- The NUG/MOD has not yet appointed commanders in its recognised PDF battalions; only squadron commanders and acting commanders have been appointed
- Union Minister U Htin Linn Aung says that strengthening the communication system can protect the public and schools from bomb threats and provide numerous benefits for the defence sector
- Seven military vessels ascending the Chindwin River were ambushed in Depeyin
1. The Acting President says that during the Spring Revolution, the armed resistance path is still necessary, and the public political struggle cannot be ignored either
At the 31st Cabinet Meeting of the National Unity Government held on September 12, 2023, Acting President Duwa Lashi La remarked: “Now, the entire Spring Revolution still cannot lessen the armed resistance path, nor can the public political struggle be ignored. I believe that all of our cabinet members have clearly understood this.”
The Acting President also emphasised the need for the cabinet members to understand the public’s political behaviour as the revolution reached a certain length.
“We need to understand the nature of the political traditions and revolutionary ideas that are common in our society. The wave of the revolution is not always rising. It is natural for it to rise and fall. It is natural for political attitudes to change with time,” the Acting President said.
2. The Acting President and Defence Minister made no agreement or decision with Bo Na Gar, the leader of the MRDA, in the Zoom meeting in May
On September 12, the Spokesperson of the Acting President Office issued a press release, clarifying that no agreement or decision was made with Bo Na Gar, the leader of the MRDA.
According to the press statement, on May 2, 2023, Acting President Duwa Lashi La and Defence Minister U Yee Mon had a meeting with Bo Na Gar, the leader of the Myanmar Royal Dragoon Army (MRDA) based in Pale Township of Sagaing Region, via Zoom based on the NUG’s recognition of the leaders of the revolutionary organisations who are fighting against the military dictatorship on the ground and the unity for the revolution.
During the meeting, the Acting President and Defence Minister made no agreement or decision with Bo Na Gar, rather than encouraging him to participate in the COC established by the MOD, coordinate and cooperate with the administrative and defence mechanisms that NUG is building on the ground, and accept and participate in the security sector reform programmes to be implemented during the post-revolutionary period, as stated in the statement.
3. The NUG/MOD has not yet appointed commanders in its recognised PDF battalions; only squadron commanders and acting commanders have been appointed
“The NUG/MOD-recognised battalions still do not have commanders. There are only squadron commanders and acting commanders. Even squadron commander posts were given to those who had successfully finished the training for the role and had gone through a year of refresher training alongside those with military experience. No matter how much they are educated, it is impossible for someone with only two years of experience to be appointed a commander who must oversee thousands of soldiers. They must undergo step-by-step trainings. At some point, these commanders will become generals who will lead the entire national security system; hence, these positions cannot be assigned carelessly. Our revolution is not only to change the system; it is also a revolution that will eradicate fascism. So we must systematically lay a foundation starting now. If we act carelessly, the outcome will also be careless,” Union Minister Dr. Tu Hkawng said.
Currently, there are 293 battalions within the People’s Defence Force (PDF), while 68 local groups are under assessment for battalion status, in addition to the People’s Defence Organisations (PDO/Pa-Ka-Fa) formed in over 250 townships that function as people’s militias.
4. Union Minister U Htin Linn Aung says that strengthening the communication system can protect the public and schools from bomb threats and provide numerous benefits for the defence sector
In an interview in September, U Htin Linn Aung, Union Minister for the NUG Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology, said the advantages of installing the communication system: “If the internet is available, we will be able to communicate with one another from village to village about where the columns are marching, how many troops are there, and other details in order to protect civilians from the military council’s atrocities, such as arbitrarily bombing, marching in columns, and burning villages. By receiving information like this, we can know where the military council columns are in real time and will be able to intercept them and stop them. In a similar manner, we can evacuate civilians and children from the schools to other safe places in time. Moreover, there will be many other military benefits.”
On September 11, 2023, the NUG Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology (MoCIT) IT & Cybersecurity Department released that Naypyidaw-based IT Spectrum Company Limited attacked NUG government websites by using distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. According to the statement, the IT & Cybersecurity Department immediately found out about the cyberattack and blocked all the attacking IPs. The IP used for the attack was the ISP of IT Spectrum Company Limited, and the department announced that actions would be taken against the company and its directors in accordance with existing laws.
The Union Minister revealed that the public will be accessible to the internet in rural areas in the controlled territories with a secure network in three to six months.
The Chin National Youth announced on September 2 that Elon Musk’s Starlink has arrived in Chinland.
5. Seven military vessels ascending the Chindwin River were ambushed in Depeyin
The Depeyin Bo Kyar Gyi group claimed that the group had ambushed seven vessels travelling up the Chindwin River on September 11 at 12:26 p.m.
The group said that the extent of damage on the enemy side was still being investigated, and its members were able to retreat safely after the mission.
Right now, the military council is mainly using the Irrawaddy River and the Chindwin River as the main transport routes for support.
#Credit : Radio NUG
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
