One of the biggest news in the country last week was the attack at the Myawaddy district police office with bombs using drones. The successful attack was launched by the ally of Karen ethnic armed groups, PDF forces and the Federal Wings on Sunday night. It resulted in the loss of five lives including a temporary battalion commander, an administration officer, a traffic police inspector and two general officers. A dozen of people were also injured in the attack.

 

The first bomb dropped by the drones destroyed the buildings while the second bombs were dropped while officers were looking over the damages caused by first drone attack.

 

The attack was the most destructive and deadly since the junta grabbed power more than two years ago.

 

Federal Wings warned the staffs and their family members in Myawaddy to leave their staff housing. They also warned people to avoid living near military outposts.

 

High concern of State Counselor's health

 

In previous days, both domestic and global media outlets described the detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's poor health relating to tooth ache. A source said she has been suffering from toothaches frequently. Her blood pressure has been unstable and dropping frequently.  She has also lost her appetite. The source said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in need of systematic treatment by specialists but she is not allowed to do so. Only the prison doctor is supervising her health examination.

 

The Myanmar democratic icon has been sentenced to 27 years imprisonment after a junta court found her guilty of several charges. There is no confirmation as to where she is being detained.

 

 

Myanmar Now photojournalist sentenced to 20 years in prison

 

A photojournalist from Myanmar Now, Ko Sai Zaw Thike, was sentenced to 20 years in jail with hard labor on Wednesday after he was convicted for incitement and several other charges.

 

 Ko Sai Zaw Thike was detained on May 23, while reporting about the news related to Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state.

 

He was charges included incitement, violations of state defamation act, violation of telecommunications law and violation of the natural disaster management laws. He was deprived of legal representation and a chance to hire lawyer. He is the second staff of Myanmar Now who is being detained by the junta.

 

Myanmar bypassed from hosting ASEAN meetings next year

 

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has decided to skip Myanmar from hosting the sub-regional grouping’s meetings next year.

 

Although it was supposed to be the turn of Myanmar to host the meeting based on a rotational system, the ASEAN leaders decided to let the Philippines host next year’s meeting due to the ongoing political conflict and instability in Myanmar.

 

Moreover, Myanmar could also be a potential coordinator between European Union (EU) and ASEAN from 2024 to 2027, but the task has yet to be assigned to the conflict-ridded country.

 

 

ASEAN's People Forum classifies Myanmar military as a terrorist organization

 

The ASEAN People’s Forum which hold parallel meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia from 1st to 3rd September declared the Myanmar junta as a terrorist organization.

 

The civil society community from ASEAN countries which comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste and Vietnam attended that meeting. There were no representatives from Myanmar, which is also a member of the ASEAN.

 

The ASEAN People’s Forum said that the Myanmar junta deserves the terrorist tag since it has committed and continues to commit genocide, war crimes and inhuman crimes. The junta allegedly also threatens the security and stability of the region.

 

The ASEAN civil society group added the Myanmar people are under digital surveillance, Internet blockage. The Myanmar people allegedly suffer from sexual violence, indiscriminate air strikes and use of heavy artillery.

 

Likewise massive killings, decapitation, arrests, torture and capital sentences are allegedly rampant in the country.

 

 

 

Some ASEAN members will not attend South East Asia Aviation Leaders' Summit

 

According to global media outlets, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines will not attend to ASEAN Aviation Leaders' Summit that is scheduled to be held in Myanmar’s administrative capital of Naypyitaw from 12 to 15 September.

 

Except for the adjutant navy generals from Malaysia and Indonesia, no one is willing to attend that summit but Philippines will have a video speech.

 

Thailand is planning to attend the meeting while Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam have not decided yet.

 

The international community including United Nations (UN) strongly condemned junta's rampat air strikes after the military takeover.

 

Burma Associated Press