Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar
(1-06-2024 to 15-06-2024)
(40) months ago, on 1 February, 2021, the Myanmar military attempted an illegal coup, toppled the civilian government, and unlawfully detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and other senior members of the civilian government, parliamentarians and activists. Since then, the Myanmar military has ignored the will of the people of Myanmar, placed the country in turmoil, and made people suffer tremendously as a result of its inhumane and disproportionate acts.
As of 15 June 2024, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has ruthlessly killed 5,280 people and arrested another 26,865 people. 20,543 people remain in detention and 167 people have been sentenced to death, including 119 post-coup death row prisoners and 43 in absentia since 1 February 2021, when the military unleashed systematic and targeted attacks and violence against innocent civilians. Four democracy activists who were sentenced to death were executed by the military junta in July 2022.
Crimes committed Across Myanmar by the Junta Troops and its affiliates
Crimes perpetrated by the junta troops and its affiliates, militias across Myanmar include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and the targeting of civilians, including children. These atrocities have led to widespread displacement, destruction of civilian properties, and a climate of fear and insecurity among the civilian population. The junta's brutal widespread and systematic tactics are aimed at suppressing dissent and maintaining its grip on power, regardless of the human cost and violations of international law.
According to the data collected by the AAPP, from June 1 to 14, 2024, (20) women and (28) men; (48) people in total were killed by the junta across the country, including (7) children who were under the age of 18 and (10) elders who were over 60. The identities of those who have been verified. Among (48) deceased, Rakhine State records the highest number of deaths with (22) people, followed by Mandalay Region with (10) deaths. Of these (48) deaths, the number of people killed by the junta’s airstrikes was the highest with (20), followed by artillery strikes as the second highest with (18) people.
Desperate Myanmar Junta Drags Retired Veterans Back to Frontlines Amid Military Collapse
Myanmar Now report that the retired military personnel are facing increased pressure as military junta struggles to bolster its dwindling troop numbers. Sources close to the junta military report that since the beginning of June, over 100 former army officers have arrived at the Ywar Taw military guesthouse in Naypyitaw for physical examinations and new assignments.
Former logistics staff are reassigned to logistics duties, while ex-trainers and those with technical skills return to their previous roles. Investigations by Myanmar Now reveal that at least 50 military trucks carrying former officers have arrived at the guesthouse since early first week of June 2024, with some higher-ranking officers, including captains and colonels, arriving in their own vehicles.
There are many high-ranking officers who are eager to return to the army, seeing it as an opportunity for personal gain amid the prevailing lawlessness since the coup. They often impose arbitrary fines on the public. In contrast, ordinary soldiers and lower-ranking officers have fewer opportunities and are quickly sent to the frontline after being assigned.
One veteran recounted being sent to Kalay a month after being summoned, along with at least 30 other former officers. Some tried to avoid being forced back into service but were threatened with the loss of their pensions. Only those supported by their adult children can avoid rejoining the military.
One sergeant, serving for over 30 years, described the situation as being forced to serve in the military until death. Many military families are focused on preventing younger members from being conscripted, with some sending their children abroad. The sergeant has no immediate plans to evade recall, expecting an urban security detail, but would consider joining his sons in Thailand if sent to the frontline.
Others unable to flee are prepared to face imprisonment rather than forced recruitment. A former lance corporal, previously imprisoned for desertion, is determined to go to jail instead of returning to the army if summoned.
Military Junta Starts Preparing Forced Conscription of Women
In Myeik Township, Tanintharyi Division, junta reportedly preparing to enumerate women eligible for military service. A resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, indicated that the administrators under the military council have issued verbal orders to conduct the census.
The heads of the residences are discussing it themselves. the resident reported that the junta personnel ordered the women to be counted. They even asked the locals to facilitate the census.
According to local sources, the women are being considered for weekly military service by the military council, causing concern among families in the area. Since April, over ten thousand individuals have been forcefuly recruited under the forced conscription law , with the next phase of recruitment anticipated soon.
Mass Murders, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Myanmar Military
Dozens of deaths confirmed in Myanmar air force’s attack on Sagaing Region wedding
According to Myanmar Now, an airstrike by the junta in Mingin Township, Sagaing Region on 2 June 2024 resulted in 28 deaths, emergency response volunteers reported. The victims perished in a bombing raid by the junta air force during a wedding ceremony in Mataw Village. The type of bomb used was highly destructive, causing massive damage due to a direct hit on a large building from a close distance of about 50 feet, said Capt. Zay Thu Aung, a Civil Disobedience Movement Air Force Officer.
A local rescue worker in Mataw described the condition of the bodies as severe, with mangled limbs, dismemberments, decapitations, and bodies blown apart at the waist. Among the deceased were six children. Of the 54 people injured in the attack, 12 sustained severe injuries, and there was a shortage of medical supplies and doctors in the area to provide adequate treatment. Most bodies were identified based on missing persons' reports, according the spokesperson for the Mingin Township People’s Administration Team (PAT).
Junta fighter planes bombed the village twice around 8:15 am on 2 June, with one bomb landing near the wedding pavilion and another near the newlyweds' house. The scene was described as having fallen palms, damaged houses, and bodies scattered within a 100-foot radius. Groups of four or five bodies were found clustered together, many blown to pieces by the blasts.
Shortly after the airstrike, junta ground forces across the Chindwin River fired on the village using heavy artillery, making it difficult to retrieve bodies or rescue survivors and endangering residents who had fled to the nearby forest.
Mingin, located on the southwest bank of the Chindwin River, remains under junta control, while the surrounding township is divided between anti-junta resistance forces and junta-trained Pyu Saw Htee militia forces. Mataw, a large village of over 100 households, is situated across the Chindwin River from Mingin on the northeast bank.
Junta Airstrike Kills 13, Including Abbot, in Sagaing Monastery
Thirteen people, including three Buddhist monks, were killed and nearly 40 injured in a junta airstrike on a monastery in Thabyay Thar Village, Sagaing Township, on 7 June 2024, according to the Irrawaddy’s report.
Around three 500-lb bombs were dropped, causing devastating blasts that mangled the victims. Elderly worshippers at the monastery were among those killed. Many more suffered injuries, and residents are struggling to treat them with the limited medicines available.
Residents confirmed that four Thabyay Thar villagers were killed in the attack, while other victims came from nearby villages and resistance groups. The deceased included the monastery’s abbot, a disabled worshipper, and a man and his two sons who were sheltering at the monastery. Residents of other villages also lost their lives, and identification of some victims is still ongoing. The bombing followed a junta air raid that killed at least 27 people at Mataw village in Mingin Township, Sagaing on 3 June 2024.
Myanmar junta airstrike injures TNLA members in northern Shan State
The junta air force attacked Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) members in Moemeit Township, northern Shan State on 9 June 2024, breaking a ceasefire that has been in force since January, TNLA spokespersons said. At least three members of the TNLA were injured in the airstrikes, which occurred at around 4:30 pm of that day. The TNLA’s information team claims the bombs fell between Man Ping and Pang Tin Villages, just under 24 miles northeast of Mongmit and less than a mile from a TNLA base camp.
A TNLA spokesperson reported that there were no battles in Mongmit Township, but junta forces conducted aerial assaults near their camp, critically injuring three comrades. The motive for these attacks, which appear to violate the current ceasefire, remains unclear.
The TNLA is a member of the Brotherhood Alliance, which also includes the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, representing the Kokang ethnic group, and the Arakha Army (AA), Rakhine State’s largest ethnic armed organization, previously known as the Arakan Army until its rebranding in April.
Dozens of civilians confirmed killed in junta airstrikes near Ngapali
Myanmar now stated that the airstrikes on an area located six miles to the south of Sin Gaung Village began around the first week of June 2024. Residents of Sin Gaung Village could hear gunfire on the other side of the Thandwe River, which lies between the two villages, but did not believe they were in any immediate danger, according to local sources.
Despite the bombing, however, many residents chose not to leave the village because they didn’t think there would be any further attacks, told by residents. But later that day, between 4 and 5 pm, the planes returned and dropped more bombs. And on the following morning, residents who went back to their homes after fleeing the night before were hit by yet another raid, resulting in a high number of casualties. Up to 60 homes were also destroyed by the airstrikes, according to the Arakan Army’s statement. In another statement released on 11 June, the AA said that the junta was continuing to conduct indiscriminate attacks to prevent further losses of territory in areas where fighting is currently at its most intense.
The military junta is grappling with losses in Maungdaw, Thandwe, and Ann Townships, and has ramped up its excessive and indiscriminate airstrikes, drone attacks, and naval and inland artillery fire on civilian villages, where public hospitals, markets, schools, and monasteries are located, AA said in its statement.
Human Rights Abuses
Myanmar junta targets gold merchants following recent arrests
According to the report of Myanmar Now, with at least 21 gold business owners already in custody, junta-run news outlets published an announcement on 2 June 2024 naming ten other prominent Yangon and Mandalay gold merchants whom the military intends to prosecute. The recent arbitary arrest campaing motivated by the higher gold price because of the mismanagement of the military junta.
Military junta arrested the 21 gold dealers in late May after the real market price for one tical (approximately 16.3 grammes) of 24 carat gold reached an unprecedented 5.7 million kyat (US $2,730). Junta officials allege that the targeted merchants are responsible for destabilising the price.
Among the dealers the junta intends to arrest are Aung San Win, San Win, Aung Kaung Myat,Thet Naung Win, and Myo Thu Win, the respective owners of the gold and jewellery businesses Aung Thamardi, Zwe Htet, Weint Sein, Khayan-Thongwa, and Academy Gold Refinery.
Sein Kyaw Moe gold shop owner Kyaw Nyein, Shwe Zin Win gold refinery owner Aye Kyu, and gold brokers Kyaw Win, Nyi Nyi Oo and Tin Tin Naing are also on the list.
More gold shops closed in Yangon following the announcement. Locals said only half the gold businesses in Yangon remained open by Monday morning, with some putting out signs announcing that they were pausing all sales of 24 carat gold. Branches of the Shwe Nan Taw gold business—owned by the junta’s hotel and tourism minister Thet Thet Khine—notably stayed open in Yangon.
Some townships in Sagaing were cut off electricity
According to the RFA’s report, the military junta completely cut off the electricity to Butalin and Kani townships on 14 June 2024. Local said that the electricity has been cut off since 13 May in Kyunghla and Kantbalu townships. A resident of Kantbalu told RFA that because the electricity was cut off, it was difficult to work with electricity, and it was also difficult to get drinking water. According to him, the most difficult challenges is getting drinking water since most of these area have to pump water from rivers and streams with electricity. Now that there is no electricity, they are facing a water crisis.
Myanmar Junta Cracks Down on VPN Use and Extorts Users
Myanmar's junta is intensifying efforts to clamp down on the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) on smartphones and extorting money from those found using the privacy applications. Following the February 2021 coup, the military blocked Facebook, other messaging apps, and independent media sites to restrict freedom of expression and control the flow of information. This move is seen as a direct violation of fundamental rights and an attempt to suppress dissent.
To bypass these restrictions, VPNs have been used to hide browsing history and phone locations from the junta military. In late May 2024, the junta banned the use of VPNs, and reports of inspections and extortion have emerged in Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Magwe regions this week. Two young women were searched in Thingangyun Township, Yangon, on Wednesday afternoon in a street, found to be using VPNs, and detained, according to two witnesses.
The women were reportedly detained for two days at a police station until their parents paid at least 1 million kyats (around US$230 at the market rate) each, said a resident. Similar cases have been reported in Hlaing and Shwepyithar townships in Yangon. In Kyauktada Township, central Yangon, there was a nighttime raid on a bar and its dormitory on Tuesday, and three young waiters were detained by the police, according to a source.
The junta personnel claimed they were inspecting guest registration at the dormitory but instead checked phones for VPNs. The three waiters remain under detention, and no details about them are known. VPN inspections have also been reported at junta-owned factories, with fines ranging from 100,000 to 3 million kyats. Human rights activists argue that the junta's actions are not only aimed at controlling information but also at intimidating and punishing those who seek to exercise their basic rights.
These measures have sparked outrage among human rights organizations, who condemn the junta’s tactics as oppressive and a clear breach of international human rights standards. The systematic suppression of digital freedom is seen as part of a broader strategy to maintain an iron grip on power by silencing any form of opposition or criticism.
Myanmar Becomes Second Most Affected Country by Internet Shutdowns Due to Military Junta
The National Unity Government (NUG) announced on 7 June 2024 that Myanmar has become the second most affected country globally in terms of internet shutdowns, with 13 out of 14 provinces and over 80 townships experiencing internet blockages. The military Junta has leveraged the general economic crisis, public anxiety, panic, and its use of physical violence and psychological attacks to restrict information. By blocking freedom of expression and cutting internet access, they aim to conceal war crimes. Additionally, Facebook, a widely used social networking site, is blocked in Myanmar. The military council can access users’ locations, phone numbers, contacts, SMS messages, and cameras. The Military Council has developed a social network page to detect users’ information even when the application is not open, continuing its efforts to violate public privacy. According to the Federal Democratic Charter, every resident of the Union is entitled to basic human rights, including freedom of speech and expression and the right to information, as stated in Part (1), Chapter (4), Section (3), and Article (24). The NUG strongly condemns the military council’s attempts to limit and restrict these basic human rights and is committed to building an independent internet network in areas free from the military council’s control.
Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta
KNU-led forces continue assault on junta bases in Karen State’s Hpapun Township
Anti-junta forces in Karen State continue their efforts to capture three junta bases in Hpapun Township, despite heavy fire from Myanmar’s military. These bases are the last in the township still under junta control since allied forces led by the Karen National Union (KNU) seized the town of Hpapun in late March.
Tin Oo, Commander of the People Defence Forces in the area, reported that junta forces are still actively fighting, causing residents of nearby villages to flee due to airstrikes. The fighting is centered in the KNU’s Mutraw District, the territory of Brigade 5 of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). A statement released by KNLA Brigade 5 on 6 June 2024 indicated that there were 107 major and minor battles in the district in May, resulting in the deaths of around 60 junta troops and injuries to some resistance fighters. At least eight civilians were injured by junta airstrikes during this period.
Maung Saungkha, leader of the Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), stressed the importance of the ongoing offensive in Hpapun Township, declaring that victory is essential despite the difficulties. The BPLA is one of the groups participating in the offensive.
Relief workers report that the conflict has displaced almost the entire population of Hpapun Township, which has over 70,000 inhabitants. David Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, noted that junta attacks have rendered the township’s administrative center uninhabitable, with about 20 percent of the town's buildings destroyed by shelling and airstrikes. Displaced residents are in urgent need of food and other essentials, particularly children who lack schools and educational supplies. The military has also imposed an internet blackout in Hpapun Township since the onset of the fighting more than two months ago, complicating communication with the outside world.
National Unity Government’s Forces Captures A Key Military Camp in Northwestern Myanmar
On 11 June, the Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government announced the successful capture of a front-line guard station located one mile from the Northwestern Regional Military Command of the Terrorist Military Council. The attack was led by Union Liberation Front defense froces in Yinmarbin Township. After approximately 30 minutes of fighting, the camp, which housed around 40 soldiers, was overtaken. About 20 soldiers of the military junta were killed, many were wounded, and five were captured after fleeing the camp. The National Unity Government forces seized military equipment, including 9 small arms, a 60 mm commando mortar, 5 60 mm grenades, 2 M79 grenades, and 1,330 rounds of 5.56 ammunition. The captured prisoners of war will be detained in accordance with international conventions.
Aung Thawara military camp in Tanintharyi was taken over by the alliance
On 14 June 2024, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People's Defense Forces (PDF) forces captured the military junta's Aung Thawara camp in Tanintharyi Township, Tanintharyi Region according to the RFA’s report.
At least 17 junta soldiers were killed in the battle to capture the camp, and the remaining 30 junta soldiers fled, Padosaw Elna, secretary of the KNU Brigade (4th) Myeik-Dawei district, told to the meida. This camp, located on the banks of the Taninthari River, has been in existence since 1997 and is said to be the camp where about 50 junta soldiers are stationed. In Tanintharyi, the camps of the Military junta Army and Pyu Saw Htee militias have been taken over by the allied groups, and now there are ten camps including Aung Thawara Camp seized.
Activities of the National Unity Government
Prime Minister of the National Unity Government Prioritizes Expansion of Governed Territory
Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann of the National Unity Government emphasized the importance of prioritizing issues that support the expansion of governed territory during the Central Committee for Interim Implementation of Public Administration meeting on 13 June 2024. As 2024 reaches its midpoint, the Prime Minister called for accelerated efforts to be undertaken collectively. He urged ministries to prioritize initiatives that will enhance the expansion of sovereign territory. “With strong territorial governance, we will be able to implement administrative activities, public service activities, and other ministry-specific tasks,” said the Prime Minister. He further advised that during regular meetings with townships public administration groups, they should understand and adhere to policies, follow administrative instructions, and balance the current revolutionary situation with the local context.
Acting President Calls for Formation of Interim Federal Education Council
On 14 June 2024, Acting President Duwa Lashi La of the National Unity Government issued an exhortation letter to all political forces and educational institutions of ethnic communities, urging them to unite for the formation of the Interim Federal Education Council (iFEC). The letter emphasized the necessity of cultivating a federal education system aligned with the aspirations of the people to build a federal democratic union. It highlighted that this is a crucial time for uniting the federal union system to ensure equal rights for all ethnic groups. The Interim Federal Education Council expressed hope that federal units would be able to exercise their right to self-manage education freely, with mutual respect and recognition. The letter concluded by stating that the education systems within the federal union must be interconnected and cooperative to achieve these goals.
Ministry of Health Reports Major Achievements Despite Challenges
On 13 June 2024, the Ministry of Health of the National Unity Government announced its achievements over a three years period, detailing extensive collaborative efforts with 29 State Health Administration Team workers, 227 Township Health Administration Team workers, and 4,899 additional CDM health workers. From 16 April, 2021, to 16 April, 2024, the Ministry successfully built 77 hospitals, 377 clinics, and 250 mobile clinics. These facilities have provided a range of services, including emergency health care (such as surgery and referrals), primary health care, and public health services. The Ministry’s operations are largely supported by CDM health workers, with significant contributions from state, regional, and township health officers. Additionally, the Ministry has implemented disaster response measures, emergency health care activities, national immunization programs, infectious disease control, school health services, nutrition development, rehabilitation and prosthetic fitting, telehealth services through a free online clinic, and mental health services. The Ministry has also emphasized the importance of coordination with federal health organisations and international cooperation. Despite these achievements, the health sector has faced severe challenges due to violence from the military council, which has committed 1,295 acts of violence against the health sector. This violence has resulted in damage to 341 hospitals, the deaths of 108 health workers, and injuries to 131 health workers.
Myanmar’s Permanent Representative Addresses the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
At the General Debate of the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17), Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative, delivered a statement highlighting the pressing issues faced by persons with disabilities in Myanmar, particularly in the wake of the illegal military coup in February 2021.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun welcomed the session’s focus on disability inclusion and the discussions around international cooperation to promote technology innovations and transfer, address risk situations, and ensure decent work and sustainable livelihoods. He mentioned that these areas resonate strongly with the current situation in Myanmar, where the military coup has severely curtailed the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. Since the coup, the military junta’s atrocities and indiscriminate attacks have led to an increase in the number of persons with disabilities, with many children and young people in conflict-affected areas losing body parts.
Despite numerous challenges, the people of Myanmar, including persons with disabilities, remain resilient and determined to end the military dictatorship and build a federal democratic union. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun called on the international community to extend effective support to Myanmar’s efforts to save lives, restore the future for its people, and ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.
Response of the International Community
Remarks on Myanmar at Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
At daily press briefing on 6 June 2024, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric said about Myanmar. He said that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the increasing violence across Myanmar and strongly condemns the recent attacks by the Myanmar military that have reportedly killed scores of civilians, including in Rakhine State and Sagaing Region. The latest incident targeting ethnic Rakhine in Western Myanmar, and the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya, underlines the need for protection of all communities. Indiscriminate aerial bombings and human rights violations continue to be reported in many parts of Myanmar. Those responsible must be held to account. The Secretary-General calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint, prioritize protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law and prevent further incitement of communal tensions and violence. The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the widening regional ramifications of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and reiterates his appeal for a unified approach. The Secretary-General urges Member States and all stakeholders to engage and support his newly appointed Special Envoy, Julie Bishop.
Malaysian PM Anwar calls for an end to violence in Myanmar
Ahead of Malaysia assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has again called for an end to violence and political marginalisation in Myanmar. Datuk Seri Anwar emphasised the importance of compliance with the five-point consensus (5PC) and stated Malaysia’s commitment to working with other Asean member states and influential dialogue partners to push for peace, effective humanitarian mechanisms and the eventual political engagement of all relevant stakeholders. ―A difficult challenge we must contend with is the crisis in Myanmar, given the scale of death, displacement and fighting, he said in his keynote address at the 37th ―The message that Asean should convey must come from a unified voice. Failure to act, when there is ample cause to believe that a member state is violating the spirit of the ASEAN Charter, is a dereliction of our moral duty. Mr Anwar said Asean must facilitate and offer assistance to Myanmar through various methods, but this can be done only when the various parties in the country are ready.
Myanmar’s Economy Faces Stagnation Amid Conflict and Instability, Reports World Bank
Myanmar’s economy continues to face significant challenges with projected growth expected to remain weak, according to a new report from the World Bank. Released on Wednesday, the World Bank’s Myanmar Economic Monitor forecasts a 1 percent rise in gross domestic product (GDP) for the year ending March 2025, consistent with growth estimates from the previous year but down from the December 2023 forecast of 2 percent growth. Economic output is anticipated to remain approximately 9 percent below 2019 levels, starkly contrasting with the performance of other large regional economies.
The report outlines numerous challenges confronting Myanmar’s economy and its people. Inflation and unemployment rates remain high, while poverty has become widespread across the country. The poverty rate reached over 32 percent in early 2024, levels not seen since 2015, with an additional third of the population classified as economically insecure.
“Displacement, job losses, and income losses have wiped out much of the previous progress in poverty reduction,” stated Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Lao PDR. Over the longer term, declining household investment in health and education, reductions in employment and job quality, and increased outward migration will hinder human capital accumulation and scar Myanmar’s future growth and development potential, according to Kim Edwards, Senior Economist and Program Leader for Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Lao PDR.
IUF Calls for International Recognition of National Unity Government at International Labor Conference
On 12 June, the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco, and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) urged the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other international organizations to recognize Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and support the people’s struggle for independence. Speaking at the 112th Session of the International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, held from June 3 to 14, the IUF called for immediate action in accordance with the ILO Constitution against Myanmar’s military junta, which has been committing acts of violence. The IUF stressed the need for international cooperation with the NUG to support the democratic movement and the freedom struggle of the Myanmar people.
CTUM Deputy Secretary-General Elected to ILO Governing Body
Daw Phyo Sandar Soe, Deputy Secretary-General of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM), has been elected as a Worker Deputy Member in the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO). She was submitted as a worker representative by the National Unity Government (NUG). The election took place on June 9, and her term will run from 2024 to 2027. Furthermore, the 112th International Labour Conference, held from June 3 to 14, adopted a resolution under Article 33 of the ILO Constitution. This resolution calls for the swift implementation of the recommendations of the ILO Commission of Inquiry and outlines measures to be taken against Myanmar’s military council.
GCR2P calls for more sanctions on the Military Junta to stop violence against civilians
The Global Protection Group (GCR2P) has urged the international community to impose more sanctions on fuel against the military junta. The GCR2P’s report, issued on 12 June 2024, urges the Military Council to end blockades that harm Rohingya and other civilians, and to refrain from targeting and destroying civilian infrastructure.
From 29 May to 2 June, at least 75 Rakhine civilians were killed as a result of the military junta's attack on villages outside Sittwe, Rakhine State. On 17 May, AA reported that at least 30 people were killed and thousands of Rohingya civilians fled their homes during the occupation of Buthidaung town, where the majority of Rohingya live. At the same time, in other areas such as Chin, Karen and Kayah (Karenni) states, the military junta targeted civilians and set them on fire. The statement stated that the bombings are being carried out on a wide scale. Such targeting and killing of civilians constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. GCR2P announced that additional sanctions must be imposed on the military junta to prevent such atrocities from continuing.
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Date: 15 June 2024
Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, New York