Myanmar Spring Chronicle – July 18 Scenes
MoeMaKa, July 19, 2023
The Military Council trying to get recognition diplomatically
The military council, which has seized state power by means of the military coup, does not have the right to be fully represented in the United Nations. The ASEAN also decided not to invite officials such as the Foreign Minister to the meetings until there is progress, and the military council has not yet implemented the promise made 2 months after the coup.
The military council is unable to persuade some of the Western countries and ASEAN countries that do not recognize it to change their position. Meanwhile, other regional countries, such as South Asian countries, countries like Thailand, which have the same military background and have the same position, some powerful countries that are going with a one-party dictatorship system, such as China, democratic countries that want to hold on to the strategy of engaging with Myanmar in terms of regional politics and geography like India, and Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, have adopted the strategy of engaging the Myanmar Military Council in their national interests.
The Foreign Minister of the Military Council has had the opportunity to attend the meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which is being held in Bangkok these days. It can be said that the military council is trying to increase the number of countries that recognize it diplomatically, through such meetings.
Some countries in the region are of the opinion that rather than cutting ties with Myanmar, which borders their countries, they can work for the interests of their countries by interacting with them.
Rather than supporting the government, these countries may think that they are engaging Myanmar as a state that has seized power. For India, the issues related to armed organizations in some border regions, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project to build in the region, the Kaladan Project, which is an outlet to the sea from the Kaladan River for some landlocked states, etc., are projects with long-term goals. So, rather than liking or disliking the current military coup government, it may be that the intention is not to interrupt communication with neighboring countries.
On the other hand, as for the military council, they are actively participating in the meetings to prove that some countries in the region recognize and treat them as a legitimate government.
It is time to learn that the standards of democracy and human rights are not the first priority in every place and situation, but the first priority is the situation that will benefit their country, which they call the national interest.
Another news item for today is the news of the battle that broke out between the military council troops and the Chinland Defense Forces in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, and the military council’s airstrike, the news of ongoing battles between the KIA and the military council in Nam Sang Yang, Kachin State, the news of the military council troops raiding villages in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Division, these days and burning down around 600 houses, and the news of joint forces of the KNU and PDF attacking the military camps near Myawaddy and the ongoing battle till last night.
While these attacks are going on in Chin State, in Kachin State, the fighting between the KIA and the military council is still going on near Nam Sang Yang Village on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road, which is only 10 miles away from Laiza. According to news reports, the KIA has issued a notice to people living in Laiza to be careful when moving around.
While these attacks are going on in Chin State, in Kachin State, the fighting between the KIA and the military council is still going on near Nam Sang Yang Village on the Myitkyina-Bhamo road, which is only 10 miles away from Laiza. The KIA has issued a notice to people living in Laiza to be careful when moving around, according to news reports.
In Sagaing Division, the military council troops are launching attacks and arsons village by village, and killing people suspected of being PDF members or supporters. On the other hand, there are clashes between junta troops and KIA joint forces in some places.
Reports of arsons in Sagaing Division are seen every week, sometimes every day. In recent days, military council columns raided villages in Myinmu Township and burned down houses, causing more than 600 houses to be damaged in 2 weeks, according to an RFA news article.
After the news about battles in the north, upper part, and west of Myanmar and the news of houses being burned down, reports of attacks by the KNLA and joint forces on some militarily important camps controlled by the Border Guard Forces in Myawaddy Township in Karen State continue to emerge. According to some residents, there was a continuous firing of heavy weapons the night before yesterday, and even the residents of Mae Sot on the other side of the Myawaddy could hear the sound of heavy weapons.
The battles that are happening all over Myanmar, the military council’s airstrikes, the alleged killings of civilians, and the burning down of houses are becoming a daily scene in Myanmar, and the daily news even gives the sense that such topics are not new.