4th March 2021
An IHS market survey was released today, showing that manufacturing output is at its lowest for 5 years. It was revealed that 70% of factories are closed. The cracks are beginning to show in the economy from the effects of the CDM. It is even extending its influence to the police.
YANGON—Following the recent deadly crackdowns on peaceful protesters against the regime, more than 100 police officers have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) so far.
From the Feb. 1 coup to March 3, police and soldiers’ violent crackdowns against anti-coup demonstrations across Myanmar have killed around 50 people in numerous cities, including the commercial hub Yangon; Mandalay, Monwya and Myinchan in Upper Myanmar; and Mawlamyine and Dawei in the deep south of the country.
After joining the CDM, acting Police Colonel Tin Min Tun, 54, from the Yangon Police Department, said in a video message earlier this week that he had to make sacrifices in order to support the nationwide CDM launched by government staff.
He is the highest-ranking police officer to join the movement.
“I don’t want to serve the military regime,” said acting Police Col. Tin Min Tun, who has 31 years of service with the police force.
He added that the whole police force is now being misused by the military regime.
Following the lead of the senior police colonel, young officers are also joining the CDM. Police officer Kyaw Lin Oo, who finished his police training in August 2018, wrote on his Facebook page on March 2 that he would regret it in future if he failed to do something he knew should be done. “Have loyalty to the people rather than the police force. People are the main benefactor,” he wrote on his Facebook.
He and two friends, both policemen, have reportedly joined the nationwide CDM, defying military rule after being ordered to open fire on peaceful anti-coup protesters.
They are now in hiding, while their superiors hunt for them and put pressure on their families.
Also on Tuesday, seven policewomen from Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar joined the movement, announcing they will get back to work when the democratically elected government returns.
They said in their CDM announcements that police officers are ordered by the military regime to commit lawless acts against the people, and they cannot follow the military junta’s orders.
On Thursday, 17 police personnel from Putao Police Station in Kachin State, northernmost Myanmar and Bokpyin Police Station in Tanintharyi Region also joined the CDM.
Every day since early February, police personnel, including some higher-ranking officers in major cities in Myanmar, have joined the nationwide CDM, with the number now exceeding 100. Source The Irrawaddy 4th March 2021.
Probably the 1st defection at officer level from the military. Major Nyi Thuta posted on social media about his disapproval of the coup and the use of force on people. He said he’s been doing that for 5 days and is currently in hiding now for his safety.
Today, a group of police in Yangon arrested a man and pushed him along the street in front of them. When they were sure he was in front of them all, they shot him in the back. They then picked up the body and dragged it away. I have the clip of this on file, but again, I will not put it up here, it’s just too distressing and I don’t want to overexpose as that would reduce the impact. Even the MSM in the UK is describing incidents as executions.
Long ago, a previous dictator, Ne Win said in his final speech, during the 1988 uprising “army would have to be called and I would like to declare from here that if the army shoots it has no tradition of shooting into the air. It would shoot straight to hit.” The Tatmadaw is therefore continuing a longstanding tradition.
A new tactic is developing where snipers target individuals at random in the crowd. When the crowds clear enough for rescue workers and medics to reach the dead/wounded to administer treatment they then become targets for general gunfire from regular police.
There are still reports of injuries from gunshots today, but in general, the authorities have limited their crowd control measures to thunderflashes and teargas. There have of course been cases of random thuggery and violence but compared to the excesses of the previous day it has been extremely limited.
I will finish with a picture of the scene of yesterday’s slaughter. People came out in droves to demonstrate and it went off without violence. Something is happening, but what?
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