New Year battles calling

 

2023 started with the calling for battles.

 

Chairman of Kachin Independence Oraganization (KIO), General N'Ban La stated in his New Year speech that it's time for the neighboring countries to support the anti-military armed groups and the people of Myanmar.

 

According to the saying,” the one living in past is barely able to move forward," he urged the all-inclusive anti-junta movements to continue the resistance along with three fingers salute. It might be his last speech as the leader of KIO since he is over 80 years old. The vice chairman of KIO, Gam Shawng Salmut Gam, will be taking over his position as he is in charge with supervising the KIO’s military operations in cooperation with the peoples defence forces (PDFs).

 

Clashes in Karen

 

Intense battles have been going on in Karen National Union-controlled areas in Kayin State since the military junta seized power in 2021. From the late 2022 to the beginning of 2023,the PDF forces raided junta outposts on Kawkareik and Kyainseikgyi townships. This can be considered as the intensification of the people’s revolt against the usurpers. Nevertheless, the clashes resulted the rise of displaced people in Kayin State.

 

 

Junta Hypocrisies.

 

In the late December 2022, the junta announced the extension of National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with ethnic armed groups for a year. The period of the extension of the truce would be from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

 

However, five days after issuing the truce statement, junta forces bombarded the district administration offices of KNU- 6th Brigade, although the ethnic armed group is a signatory to the NCA.

 

Meanwhile, one of the senior members of the junta head of junta bestowed state level titles to the leaders of KNU, KNU-KNLA(PC), DKBA and BGFs.

 

Rogue Gathering

 

Before 75th Anniversary of Independence day, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing met with the descendants of the successive Myanmar military dictators, including those of U Ne Win, U San Yu, U Sein Lwin and General Saw Maung.

 

He also held the talks with Daw Than Than Nu, (a daughter of former prime minister U Nu), Daw Lae Lae Yu (a daughter of U San Yu), U Thiha Saw (son of General Saw Maung), Dr.Khin Sandar Win(daughter of U Ne Win), Daw Nay Yi Ba Swe (daughter of U Ba Swe), Daw Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein (daughter of U Kyaw Nyein), U Zaw Tun (son of deputy general U Tun Yi) and Dr. Cho Lwin Oo (daughter of U Sein Lwin).

 

He bestowed grand titles to the former military dictators, but failed to honor the father of the Burmese army and the leader in the resistance against the colonial British government,  the late General Aung San and detained his 78 years of daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the only non-military leader in Myanmar since the 196 power grab of General Ne Win.

 

Over 7000 prisoners being released

 

Due  to strong local and international pressure against the Myanmar military junta, its top leadership released over 7000 prisoners to commemorate the country’s 75^th Independence Day.

 

Among the released prisoners were former minister of  Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, famous writer and philanthropist Daw Than Myint Aung, leader of CDM movement Dr. Arkar Moe Thu, chairman of Kachin National Congress Party Dr. M Kawn La, research delegate of Yangon University Students Union Ko Aung Phone Maw, delegate of students rights Ko Lay Pyay Soe Moe, vice chairman of Yangon University of Education  Ko Sitt Naing(aka)Ko Zaw Htet Naing and former chairman of All Burma Federation of Students Unions Ko Aye Aung.

 

Only five journalists were included in the amnesty. Thus, over 50 journalists remain in detention in different prisons in Myanmar.  

 

The former Arakan state chief minister U Nyi Pu and former minister of development affairs U Min Aung  were not released but their prison sentences were shortened.

 

Secretary-General of United Nations Antonio Guterres expressed his concern about the continued detention of Myanmar civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He called on the junta to release her immediately.

 

U Phyo Zeya Thaw, among the notable personalities that pass away in 2022

 

The Council on Foreign Relations listed the 2022 notable deaths and U Phyo Zeya Thaw was among those included in the list.

 

Others notable personalities included in the list were Japan Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II and former China president Jiang Zeming.

 

U Phyo Zeya Thaw, one of the most prominent 88 student activist leaders,  was among the four political prisoners the junta executed in July 2022.

 

Killings of ALP leaders

 

The commander-in-chief of armed ethnic group Arakan Liberation Party(ALP) and of the group’s senior officers were shot to death on 4 January in Rakhine state capital of Sittwe.

 

The ALP is one of the signatories of NCA. Its leaders frequently met with junta after the coup. The junta accused the rival armed ethnic group, ULA/AA, in the killing but the group denied the accusations.

 

ULA/AA stated that that assassination might have been carried out by another political force in order to worsen the situation Rakhine or it might due to internal conflict in the party.

 

 

Burma Associated Press