Summary of News
- NUG welcomes UN Special Rapporteur Mr. Tom Andrews’ call for ICC investigations into Myanmar situation
- NUG Ministry of Women, Youths and Children Affairs (MOWYCA) holds meeting with Mon State CDM Civil Servants Council (CCSC-Mon)
- Rohingya prominent figures and religious leaders in Maungdaw arrested by military junta
- Thai authorities repatriate 48 Myanmar junta troops who fled across border back to Myanmar
- Revolutionary artists’ omnibus film “Daring Flowers” to screen in Canada
- KIA captures three additional military bases in Kachin State’s Momauk township
- Junta fighter jet bombs public hospital in southern Shan State’s Pekon township, resulting in at least two deaths
- KNLA launches counterattack on junta’s 19th Infantry Battalion in Karen State’s Hpapun District following junta’s airstrikes, resulting in three junta troop deaths and three injuries
- Local defense forces issue emergency notice restricting access to road segment between Kamma town and Yaepyar village on Mindat-Pakokku Road for security reasons
1. NUG welcomes UN Special Rapporteur Mr. Tom Andrews’ call for ICC investigations into Myanmar situation
The Ministry of Human Rights of the National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement on March 20, welcoming the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Mr. Tom Andrews, presented at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC55). The statement conveyed deep gratitude from Myanmar, represented by the NUG, to Special Rapporteur Mr. Tom Andrews and expressed sincere appreciation for his tireless commitment to his mandate.
Furthermore, the statement reiterated full support for the Special Rapporteur’s call for a renewed and determined approach by the international community. The Special Rapporteur has called for member states to redouble efforts to refer the situation in Myanmar to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) under Article 14 of the Rome Statute and request the initiation of investigations in order to end impunity and ensure accountability.
2. NUG Ministry of Women, Youths and Children Affairs (MOWYCA) holds meeting with Mon State CDM Civil Servants Council (CCSC-Mon)
A virtual meeting between the NUG Ministry of Women, Youths, and Children Affairs (MOWYCA) and the Mon State CDM Civil Servants Council (CCSC-Mon) took place via the Zoom platform on March 21. Present at the meeting were Union Minister Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe, Deputy Minister Daw Ei Thinzar Maung, along with the Permanent Secretary and other relevant officials from MOWYCA. The CCSC-Mon chairman and members also participated.
Union Minister Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe delivered the opening remarks and provided an overview of the ministry’s procedures. Subsequently, the Permanent Secretary elaborated on the ministry’s efforts and activities concerning CDM civil servants.
The General Secretary of the CCSC-Mon then explained the structure and activities of the council. Union Minister Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe expressed satisfaction with the presentation, noting that the CCSC-Mon is the first council for CDM among all federal units. She expressed confidence that the enhanced intellectual and emotional intelligence of the CDM civil servants, as evidenced by the presentation, will greatly benefit the future establishment of a federal democratic union. The Union Minister also assured support and guidance for addressing the challenges and needs of the council.
Following this, participants exchanged viewpoints before concluding the meeting.
3. Rohingya prominent figures and religious leaders in Maungdaw arrested by military junta
Deputy Minister for Human Rights U Aung Kyaw Moe, reported in a social media post that the military junta had arrested some of the Rohingya prominent figures and religious leaders from Maungdaw, Rakhine State. He said that this action was taken by the junta to coerce the Rohingya community in Maungdaw into protesting against the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) and the ongoing armed conflicts in Rakhine State, mirroring similar tactics employed against the Rohingya community in Buthidaung.
Recently, the military junta compelled the Rohingya community in Buthidaung to protest against the ULA/AA in order to sow community division in the region, driven by its military setbacks against the group.
Deputy Minister U Aung Kyaw Moe further stated that the community and religious leaders remain detained at a border guard battalion in Myo Thu Gyi village. He added that the exact number of individuals arrested is currently unknown, and the situation is being closely monitored in real-time.
4. Thai authorities repatriate 48 Myanmar junta troops who fled across border back to Myanmar
According to reports from Thai sources, Thai authorities repatriated the initial batch of 48 junta soldiers who had fled to Thailand back to Myanmar on March 21. These troops had fled their base near Mae Tha Raw Hta village in Kyainseikgyi Township of Karen State to Paikalan village in Umphang District, the southernmost district of Thailand’s Tak Province, on March 19, following attacks by a coalition of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and other revolutionary forces.
Upon receiving reports from local residents about the arrival of Myanmar soldiers, the Royal Thai Army and Thai authorities detained them, confiscating their weapons for safekeeping.
Additionally, a second group of junta troops also fled from the Yaytalyauk base in Kyainseikgyi Township to Paikalan village on March 21, but there has been no statement from the Royal Thai Army regarding their status yet.
5. Revolutionary artists’ omnibus film “Daring Flowers” to screen in Canada
The Artists’ Shelter has announced the next international screening schedule for the omnibus film “Daring Flowers.” The film will be shown in Vancouver, Canada, at The Cinematheque on March 30, marking the fourth city on the screening tour. Tickets for the screening can be obtained through agents or directly at the Vancouver branch hosting the event. Additionally, Burmese cuisine will be available for purchase during the screening, with pre-orders reportedly being accepted.
Following its world premiere in Boston, United States, on March 16, which received significant support, the film will be screened next in Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, United States, on March 23 and 24, before the Vancouver screening on March 30.
6. KIA captures three additional military bases in Kachin State’s Momauk township
According to military reports, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) captured three additional military junta bases in Momauk township, Kachin State, on March 21. The newly captured bases include the 370th Artillery Battalion located near Nawng Kun village, the 438th Light Infantry Battalion, and the 616th Missile Battalion, both situated in Num Lang village. KIA-led forces initiated offensives against these bases early in the morning and successfully captured all three by the evening and late evening of the same day.
Furthermore, the KIA-led revolutionary coalition also seized control of two military junta bases, including its old headquarters near Nahpaw village, which had been lost to the military nearly 40 years ago, on the morning of March 21.
These bases targeted by the KIA-led forces are reported to hold strategic importance and are crucial for territorial control and military operations.
The recent campaign conducted by the KIA, which was initiated on March 7, has resulted in the capture of nearly 50 military bases and outposts, including over 10 strategic bases, within a span of 15 days.
7. Junta fighter jet bombs public hospital in southern Shan State’s Pekon township, resulting in at least two deaths
The military junta carried out an airstrike on a public hospital located in Laei village, southern Shan State’s Pekon township, bordering Karenni State, around 10:00 a.m. today, March 22. Initial reports from the media and local sources indicate that at least two individuals lost their lives in the airstrike. The hospital is situated within territory controlled by the Karenni revolutionary coalition, and the military junta launched this airstrike without any apparent provocation.
As of now, the full extent of the damage is unclear. However, according to reports, the entire hospital building was destroyed.
8. KNLA launches counterattack on junta’s 19th Infantry Battalion in Karen State’s Hpapun District following junta’s airstrikes, resulting in three junta troop deaths and three injuries
On March 21, the 5th Brigade of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), revealed that its drone unit had initiated a counterattack against the military junta’s 19th Infantry Battalion in Karen State’s Hpapun (Mutraw) District. This action was taken in response to a series of airstrikes carried out by the military junta in the district.
According to the KNLA’s statement, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on March 21, a fighter jet dropped two bombs on Panaw Kale village in Hpapun District, resulting in the destruction of seven houses and the deaths of livestock. Subsequently, between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., another fighter jet came and dropped a bomb on Dwei Loe village, as well as 43 bombs on three other villages of Htoo Maw De , Nee Doe Htar, and Tar Doe Htar. Additionally, the junta’s fighter jets continuously dropped 20 bombs on Bottha village from1:00 p.m. to 2:07 p.m., as reported by the statement.
In response to these airstrikes, the KNLA’s 5th Brigade drone unit conducted a counterattack against the military junta in Hpapun District, resulting in the death of one junta soldier. Furthermore, on March 20, the KNLA’s 5th Brigade had previously launched an attack on junta bases using a sniper, resulting in the deaths of two junta soldiers and injuries to three others.
9. Local defense forces issue emergency notice restricting access to road segment between Kamma town and Yaepyar village on Mindat-Pakokku Road for security reasons
The West Plains Force (WPF), a local defence force, issued an urgent notification on March 22, announcing restrictions on access to the road segment between Kamma town and Yaepyar village on the Mindat-Pakokku Road for security reasons.
Effective from March 22 onwards, the WPF declared that individuals needing to utilize the road due to emergency health reasons must notify their nearest people’s defence teams or contact the WPF’s Facebook Page messenger in advance.
#Credit : Radio NUG
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