11th December 2021
There will be little narrative to today’s story. I will let the pictures taken on Friday speak for themselves.
Friday 10th December was International Human Rights Day and was marked in Myanmar by a nationwide strike.
Nearly all businesses — particularly those in the regions of Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing, Magway and Irrawaddy, as well as Kachin and Chin states — were shuttered, and residents avoided any form of public interaction, emptying the streets.
In some towns, residents reported that military and police tried to thwart the protest by urging them via loudspeakers to conduct business as usual and vowed to “protect the people from threats and attacks.” In other areas, authorities threatened to “punish” vendors if they didn’t show up to market. Despite the threats, no major clashes were reported.
Aung Myo Min, human rights minister for Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG), said the rights situation in the country had completely collapsed under the junta.
“The 73rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out 30 articles on human rights. Myanmar has violated all 30 articles. From the coup to the murders, the arrests of innocent people and destruction of homes — these were all violations,” he said.
“We can say the situation in Myanmar is such that all human rights are in jeopardy. There had been weaknesses during the previous governments. But since the latest coup, the few human rights we had were all taken away.”
Source Radio Free Asia’s Myanmar Service, 10th December 2021.
The whole country respected Human Rights Day and Myanmar was silent as the grave. The Civil Disobedience movement is causing economic chaos, and one of my well-placed sources stated last week that the country is collapsing. In an act of supreme self-sacrifice, the citizens forced the closure of Myanmar Breweries operations.
Earlier in the year, the JV partner Kirin withdrew from its agreement with the Junta (who owned 50% through cronies and trusts.) Since then, consumers boycotted Myanmar Breweries (the largest in the country) and the resulting disastrous fall in sales caused its closure. Other non-military breweries remain operational. The resultant loss of income is hurting the Junta.
Meanwhile in Sagaing Division reports are coming in of the slaughter of 11 youths by, allegedly, Junta troops. They were shot, bound together in a circle and then set alight, whilst most were still alive. I have on file pictures of the cinder-like corpses, still arranged in a circle. For reasons of decency and respect, I will not publish them.
The latest casualty figures.
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