Since 17 July, Mawlamyine town in Mon State, was hit by floods due to the heavy rains, forcing government official to open four refugee camps.

 

These camps opened three days after the floods swept the plains in six wards located in downtown Mawlamyine.

 

Three children died from drowning on 19 July, including a one-and-a-half year old child and two 13-year-old children.

 

The heavy rain is a new record rainfall after 70 years.

 

Numbers of Myanmar emigrants reached 1.9 million

 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Myanmar (UNOCHA-Myanmar) said the number of emigrants from the strife-torn south-east Asian country has already reached to 1.9 million as of 10 July 22, 232023.

 

In April, around 1.8 million of Myanmar people moved to foreign countries and in the three months thereafter, the number rose to 1.9 million.

 

Around 1.6 million out of the 1.9 million total, left Myanmar after the unstable and chaotic political situations under military government.

 

70 percent of Karenni refugees urgently need for rice

 

"The refugee camps in Karenni face lack of rice and 70 percent of the refugees urgently need the staple food, a source from refugee volunteer association told BAP on 18 July.

 

There are around 270,000 displaced people in Karenni and 200,000 or about 70 percent of them face with inadequacy of rice. The provision of rice is distributed to the necessary places. Karenni has not received rice donations during the last six months.

 

Moreover, "around 9000 displaced Karenni fled to Thailand because of the clashes between resistance and junta forces," the Thai authorities said.

 

Martyr's Day

 

Last Wednesday (19th July) Myanmar commemorated the 76th years of the assassination of nine martyrs, including General Aung San.

 

Detained leader, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not allowed to pay homage to her father’s monument at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon. It's been three years that she was not allowed to attend the commemoration ceremony.

 

Her brother, Aung San Oo and the Minister for Transport and Communications; a Member of the State Administration Council and the Deputy minister of Myanmar attended the ceremony.

 

On the other hand, the people of Yangon, Mandalay, Monywa and Yinmabin marched to protest the military power grab by chanting "Generation of Martyr will never die", "More than 9 Martyrs"

 

Moreover, the units under the defence ministry of  National Unity Government (NUG) celebrated the commemoration of Martyr's Day.

 

New officer of the US embassy

 

On 17th July, the new head of Mission of the US embassy in Myanmar claimed that Washington stood first in pressuring the junta, enforcing accountability and responsibility of the offenders.

 

Susan Stevenson said she is rooting for an all-inclusive democratic movements.

 

She is appointed as the new ambassador of United States, six months after the US reduced diplomatic relations with the junta by not sending new ambassador and continuation of a second officer as the Chargé d’Affaires .

 

Washington imposed sanctions against Myanmar around 20 times, including against the two biggest finance institutions of the junta and over 100 private and public associations.

 

Newsletter reporting the deaths of political prisoners

 

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said on 19 July that the family members of some political prisoners detained in Kyaik Sa Kaw Prison in Daik-U township received the newsletters describing the death of political prisoners. According to the family members, eight out of 37 inmates have already died.

 

The AAPP mentioned the increasing occurrence of torture and killing, burning villages, killings in prisons during these days.

 

According to the last AAPP report, as of 20 July, 3813 people were killed and 23,977 were detained since the military take over in 2021

 

Thailand invites Myanmar to BIMSTEC meeting

 

Union minister U Than Swe attended the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) meeting in Thailand upon the invitation of Thailand’s foreign affairs minister.

 

The junta was not invited to attend the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting held from 11 to 13 July in Jakarta last year.

 

This year’s BIMSTEC Meeting was held on 17t July and attended by Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Siri Lanka and secretary general of BIMSTEC, Tenzin Lekphell.

 

Britain bans traveling to eight areas in Myanmar

 

 On 19 July, Britain announced a ban for its citizens in traveling to two districts and 6 states in Myanmar, due to the unstable political situations in these areas. Among the areas where British citizens are not allowed to go include Sagaing, Magwe, Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Chin, Mon and Rakhine.

 

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) noted that the situations in Myanmar are unpredictable and changes can occur without any notice.

 

7th sanctios by EU

 

The European Union (EU) imposed 7th round of sanctions to Myanmar on 20 July.

 

Three Union Ministers, two members of the State Administration Council (SAC), the Quartermaster General, as well as the No. 2 Mining Enterprise (ME 2), a state-owned enterprise, were included in the list.

 

EU has already imposed sanctions against 99 individuals and 18 associations in Myanmar.