Myanmar Spring Chronicle – October 01 Scenes
Moe Ma Ka, October 02 2022
The Military Council rejected the proposal of the Bamar State; Neutral standing of humanitarian aid; Transfer of political prisoners; Fall of dollar price at the end of the month;
At the end of September, the ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA, which were discussing with the military council, revealed to the media some of the topics they were discussing.
The main point is that they are interested in defining the “Wa” State and Mongla Autonomous Region. I read in the news that SSPP spokesperson Lt. Col. Sai Su, who attended the peace talks, told the Than Lwin Times that the military leader did not accept the proposal for the formation of Bamar State in order to bring about national equality presented by the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP).
Currently, there are reports that point to the limited provision of international humanitarian aid organizations in Myanmar.
It is said that international charity organizations that cannot go beyond the control limits of the military council cannot reach the places that really need it. UN agencies, organizations such as the Red Cross, Red Crescent and many NGOs adhere to the principle of non-bias.
It is said that acknowledging local assistance organizations that stand with those struggling against injustice and the humanitarian aid work that came with the revolution is perceived as politically dangerous to INGO.
According to NUG Union Minister U Win Myat Aye’s radio interview, humanitarian aid is being provided to the people through local organizations and groups supporting the revolution. Another thing is that in the areas controlled by the Ethnic Resistance Organizations (EROs), they have to work with the EROs’ all-round cooperation. It seems that neutral international aid organizations are still not working.
From August to September 26, 794 political prisoners were transferred from Insein prison to prisons in rural regions, according to data from Eat My Heart, a group that helps political prisoners in the Spring Revolution. On September 24, 250 political prisoners, including 50 women, were transferred to Thayarwaddy Prison in one day, according to BAP news.
During the 2007 Saffron Uprising, when Than Shwe was ruling as military leader, the 88 generation student leaders, Saffron Monks and 2007 generation students were arrested and imprisoned, and thousands of political prisoners were sent to prisons away from their families. Now, it has become clear that the military council has turned its back on the release of political prisoners along with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from international and ASEAN demands.
It is said that in the last week of September, the Myanmar Kyat price dropped from 3,000 Kyats to 2,600 Kyats per dollar. Reports also said that the military council is setting a price of 2,100 kyats per dollar for sailors and foreign currency holders who exchange official kyats for foreign currency.
Reports suggest that due to the suppressing of dollar transactions by the military council and decreasing the financial flows of current businesses, the exchange rates are fluctuating.
It is also said that at the end of the month is the time when Myanmar expatriates send foreign currency to their families, so the value of the dollar falls.