Myanmar Spring Chronicle – October 17 Scene
(MoeMaKa) October 18, 2024
Capturing Lay Kay Kaw & Crimes in Mandalay
On October 17, KNU and allied forces captured the artillery hill of Lay Kay Kaw after over three months of fighting, according to reports from the armed groups that seized it.
Before the military coup in early 2021, the region had many strategic outposts, but since the coup, KNU and PDF forces have taken control of several of them. As a result, many military bases were lost, and now the artillery hill near Lay Kay Kaw has become one of the last remaining outposts between Myawaddy and the southern border.
The military junta began attacking the Lay Kay Kaw region in mid-December 2021, nearly ten months after the coup. Three years later, there are no longer any significant outposts or strategic bases left under junta control in the area.
In the early 1990s, after the military seized KNU territories, it established several strategic foothold bases along the Karen State and Thai border. But following the 2021 coup, ethnic and PDF armed groups grew stronger, and the military, faced with nationwide resistance, has been forced to abandon many of these border outposts.
Earlier in March and April, KNU and PDF forces attempted to seize Myawaddy after capturing several bases near Thinga Nyi Naung, but they were thwarted by a Karen armed group led by Saw Chit Thu, which intervened on the junta’s behalf. After months of calm, the Lay Kay Kaw artillery hill has now fallen into KNU and PDF hands.
Despite efforts to retake the Thinga Nyi Naung bases lost in March and April, the junta has not succeeded in over six months. Although the military briefly reclaimed parts of Kawkareik in late April and early May, it has not regained control of the Thinga Nyi Naung bases near Myawaddy.
Around the same time as the military launched Operation 1027 in northern Shan in late October last year, KNU and PDF forces mounted heavy assaults in Karen State, capturing several small towns and outposts.
Another notable event involves frequent robberies and murders, especially targeting high-value establishments like gold shops and banks in Mandalay. On October 17, a group of armed robbers posing as food delivery workers carried out a robbery at a car parts store, stealing gold and cash. Although firearms were not used in this instance, most other recent crimes have involved armed robbery, including the use of guns.
The junta seems to be more focused on politically related issues and suppressing armed resistance than curbing crime, leading to a rise in criminal activities. With the police collaborating with the military to monitor anti-coup activities, law enforcement has weakened, and citizens are left vulnerable, having to safeguard themselves.
With weapons increasingly circulating among civilians, robberies and murders have become more common. The rising cost of living and economic hardships also push more people toward committing crimes. Recent incidents tend to target wealthy businesses and homes, with crimes planned meticulously.
The military’s lack of effort in suppressing crime may stem from a strategy of allowing increased criminal activity to pressure civilians into relying more on the military for protection.