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The 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 in several places in Myanmar, such as in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Shan, Sagaing and Yangon States/Regions.
The Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) said that airstrikes by the junta in Karen State’s Mutraw district have displaced 90% of the entire rural population in recent months and sparked a “humanitarian crisis”.1 Around 70,000 residents from around 150 villages in Kayah State’s Demoso and Loikaw and Shan State’s Pekon Township have been displaced in the five days of fighting since Friday.2
Karen National Union (KNU) said that 128 junta’s troops died and 180 injured during clashes between junta’s troops and the KNU in May. There were around 193 clashes between them from 5 to 26 May.3 Several civilian resistance forces have alerted people not to go outside unless they have urgent reasons to do so, as of increased risks to civilians4. At least 73 children were killed by regime forces across Myanmar from 15 February to 15 May, according to the Ministry of Human Rights of the National Unity Government (NUG).
Aung San Suu Kyi attended a court hearing on Monday for the first time after arresting her on 1 February. Prior to the hearing, Suu Kyi had only been permitted to speak with lawyers via video conference.
Japan permits the visa extension for another six months for Myanmar nationals due to the current situation, while the US designated Myanmar nationals for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), allowing many in the US to be shielded from deportation and obtain work permits.
The economy is falling down into the depths due to the military coup as well as the COVID-19 crisis. Myanmar people lose their jobs and the banking system is not fully functioning, the Central Bank is not issuing the limited cash to the bank, therefore, many people are waiting infront of ATMs which is common seen in many mornings.
Millions in Myanmar are struggling to buy food as due to price hike and millions of farmers were pushed into destitution and debt as there are more expensive inputs, declining crop prices and a possible dearth of affordable credit. According to estimates by NetBlocks, a nongovernmental organization that tracks internet access, the cost to Burma’s economy exceeds $24 million per day due to the internet shutdown and restrictions5. On the other hand, Myanmar’s junta could lose tens of millions of dollars after French oil giant Total announced that it has suspended dividend payments.
Southeast Asian nations lobbied to remove the arms embargo call from the UN on Myanmar Junta but the Phillippine foreign minister denied knowledge of ASEAN blocking calls to the UN6.
School enrolling commenced on Monday across the country which was enforced by the junta but more than half of all teachers are on strike and some 90 percent of students have refused to enroll in Myanmar’s education system, according to the members of the Myanmar Teachers’ Federation (MTF).
According to the information compiled by ANFREL, at least 101 bomb blasts happened across Myanmar in the past week. It was reported that at least 7 people died and at least 20 were injured.
UN special envoy on Myanmar Christine Scharner Burgener called for member states to support Myanmar people and talk to NUG as its setup by the elected MPs during her press conference in Japan.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), as of 30 May, 840 people were killed by the junta. 4,409 people are currently under detention and 108 are sentenced. 1,881 warrants have been issued. 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment.
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The views shared in this statement do not necessarily reflect that of the AHRC.
