It doesn't matter whether you are counting the days or not; the last day of the old year will turn into a new year with fainted joy, with little to look forward to.

 

What the people in Myanmar struggled this year are the lost lives, demolished buildings, loss of freedom and a life full of fear. No doubt, the process of revolution has grown in substance although at times it appears to be a losing endeavor, an adventure in futility.

 

Every day is full of junta's destructive actions that led to more pains and sufferings for the people. The Burma Associated Press (BAP) will present some round-ups of key events in the last week of 2022.

 

Imprisonments

 

A Nay Pyi Taw special court imposed 7 years of imprisonment for State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint for the charge against the protection of environmental law on 30th December. The former state counselor would be serving a to total of 35 years in prison and U Win Myint for 12 years.

 

In addition, attorney Daw Ywet Nu Aung, who became an instant celebrity in Myanmar for representing the toddler who was allegedly rape at a nursery school in Nay Pyi Taw and who led the defence team of former Mandalay chief minister U Zaw Myint Maung, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for allegedly support anti-junta resistance forces.

 

Likewise, five students and one youth including the committee member of East Yangon University (EYU) Students' Union were also sentence to between 4 to 26 years imprisonment. Four more people, including the chairman of EYU students' Union Ma Su Yi Lin were sentenced 4 to 10 years for additional charges.

 

On December 26, the co-founder and editor of Kamayut media was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for alleged violating Section 33 (A) of the Electronic Transactions Law.

 

Continuous arsons

 

Villages and townships in Sagaing have been burned down by junta troops and over 300 houses in Depayin, Myin Se and Tigyaing were razed to the ground. .On December 27, soldiers burned 10 more houses in the villages of Ta Khot and Tigyaing. More than 100 houses in Myin Se were also burned down on the same date.

 

The December 26 air strike in Nganzun injured one kid and four people.

 

After Sagaing, Magwe also suffered from the brutality of junta troops who burned down over 200 houses in three villages earlier this week.

 

On December 29, the junta troops burned around 100 houses in Kan Nat village and Makyi Lay Lin village in Myaing township in Magwe Region. On December 30, troops burned more houses in Obo Village also in Myaing township.

 

Attitudes of EAO on 2023 election

 

After the two-day discussion in Nay Pyi Taw, the signatory groups of NCA, which include the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the KNU/ KNLA Peace Council and the Lahu Democratic Union agreed to participate in the upcoming 2023 election.

 

These groups are the members of Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) and they announced that their agreement is not only in the holding of the 2023 election, but also involved the transition to a multiparty democratic system.

 

According to their statement, they encourage multiparty democracy, the building of Union on democracy and federal system of government, and peace and development of the Union. Moreover they also agreed to the proposal to amend 10 provisions in the 2008 Constitution.

 

The departed

 

An idol of 1990s and creator of the Alternative genre, writer and singer Kine Zar Tin Mone passed away on December 25 after suffering from a heart attack. He was 42 years old. He first produced his album "Atta Nga" in 2000 with Query Query Band. Then, he founded the Antibiotics Band and produced their own tunes. His songs like Alien/Human and Face were quite popular in the 1990s.

 

Likewise, the singer-composer Reggie, who wrote the famous rock songs for Lay Phyu and Myo Gyi, passed away on December 30. He was 48 years old. He composed the remembrance song for Cyclone Nargis.

 

Martial law lifted for a day

 

In a bid to show that everything is back to normal in the country after the February 2021 coup d’ etat, the junta held grand celebrations of the Thadingyut festival, Tazaungdaing festival and Christmas festivals, but with no significant outcome. Now they are also preparing to hold grand celebrations to welcome the new year.

 

To welcome the new year, the junta lifted Section 144 for a day on December 29.They also lifted the Martial law starting from 00:00 am of December 31 to 4:00am of January 1.

 

They are also preparing a grand Countdown party at the People's Park in Yangon, complete with fireworks. Another grand new year party will also be held at Mandalar Thiri Stadium on 68th Road in Mandalay. Junta officials invited celebrities to lead the celebration.

 

Burma Associated Press