Myanmar Spring Chronicle – July 30 Scenes
MoeMaKa, July 31, 2023
Some Karenni war refugees get access to ASEAN humanitarian aid; The NLD party’s statement of promising to try all their best to free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners
It has been reported in the news that the assistance provided by AHA, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance, to the refugees fleeing the war in Karenni State, was provided through the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PNLO), an ethnic armed organization.
The war refugees from Karenni State are taking shelter in Hsihseng Township, an area where the majority of the Pa’O people live in southern Shan State. The humanitarian assistance from ASEAN was provided to them for the first time through the PNLO, an ethnic armed organization in the area, for 1,400 war refugees. Last May, during negotiations for the delivery of aid, an unknown group of armed men opened fire on the convoy of ASEAN diplomats, hitting some cars but causing no fatalities.
A few months after the military coup in Karenni State, the fighting between the military council forces and the armed groups based in the Karenni region has resumed, and the new armed groups that have emerged after the military coup, and the armed forces that have strengthened much more than before the coup, have had a big impact on the military council’s administration, territorial control, and military bases. The residents of Karenni State have been fleeing either within the state, to the border of neighboring Thailand, or to towns and villages in Shan State for months or years.
Karenni State, which has a population of just over 300,000, more than half of which, more than 250,000, have fled their homes, according to a statement of the United Nations refugee data collection organizations. Therefore, the situation in Karenni State is that more than half of the population is fleeing the war, and there are many people who have been fleeing their homes for months and years. For those who have been fleeing their homes for months to years, they can no longer do agriculture and livestock, which are their primary livelihoods, so they are dependent on aid. On the other hand, the military council did not allow organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to civilians in areas where armed conflict is taking place, and because of its 4-cut strategy and blockades, even if there are organizations that want to provide assistance to the locals, they are unable to receive them. The refugees in the region who are allowed to receive aid are only a small part of the more than 250,000 refugees. The military council intentionally made the locals suffer if the war broke out, and in the event of an armed attack, civilians were prohibited from receiving food and medical aid.
Another piece of news for today is that on July 29, the NLD Party Central Work Committee held a meeting online and released some opinions about the current situation. Special points include the fact that they will do their best to free political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to expand the formation of the Ethnic Affairs Committee to further improve cooperation on ethnic issues.
In addition, the statement also included, “We strongly believe that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the most important person who cannot be excluded while resolving Myanmar’s political problems.” The holding of the central committee meeting can be considered as a meeting held based on the recent news that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to a house in the deputy minister’s residence in Nay Pyi Taw and other emerging news. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s role comes to resurface amid speculation that her role will change from not being able to directly communicate with the party for more than 2 years and party leaders not being able to fully comment. In this situation, the party’s statement came out.
On the other hand, when the NLD party itself issued such statements, we have to conclude that there is no change in the opinion on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Win Myint by CRPH and NUG, who are still leading the main role of the spring revolution because CRPH and NUG, which includes many NLD party members and MPs, were formed with the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint keeping in their original positions.