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The Caretaker Story

Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a speech via the military-owned Myawaddy TV on August 1^st, the day marks six months since the military coup. In his speech, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said it had a plan to reform the Union-, State- and Region-level administrative bodies in order to effectively implement the future processes. One step forward from Military Council.

The Myanmar Peace Monitor’s weekly review mainly focuses on the coup leader’s future processes.

EVENT

On August 1st, the military council chaired by the coup leader issued a statement on the transformation of the ‘State Administration Council’ into the ‘Republic of the Union of Myanmar Caretaker Government’ in order to easily, swiftly and effectively carry out work in accordance with the five-point roadmap and nine objectives. The military council’s chair himself takes the role of the Prime Minister while the military council’s vice-chair serves as the Deputy Prime Minister of the caretaker government.

What is the significant point of the name-change statement?

No significant change is found when taking a look at the statement on the formation of the caretaker government. The terrorist group called ‘military council’ which killed more than 940 people and arrested more than 7,000 dissidents during six months of the coup, remains unchanged.

As the people have been witnessed by the military council’s brutal crackdown on and arbitrary arrests and tortures of all entire people who defy the military dictatorship, arson attacks to the whole village and massacre during the six-month of coup, it is assumed that the future processes of the so-called caretaker government led by the coup leader is another challenge to the entire people who are defying the military council.

The name-change statement is assumed to be the wearing of plainclothes without taking off the military uniforms. It means that the senior general in plain clothes would effectively implement the directives of the senior general in military uniform. The coup leader wants to trick the people and international community by wearing two kinds of uniforms at the same time.

Possibilities of wearing two kinds of uniforms

Take a look at the international arena, until now, no country in the world has recognized the military council’s acts and dare to publicly declare their support for the military council. The coup leader is neither recognized nor welcomed even by China and Russia which are said to have close relations with the coup leader, for their own interests.

It seems that those who will recognize and support the coup leader and his cohorts who arbitrarily arrest elected government leaders and famous monks and people, shall turn a blind eye to the lives of more than 50 million Myanmar people and future expectations and trusts.

International penetration by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) formed with elected candidates from the 2020 General Elections and the National Unity Government (NUG) formed by the CRPH, served as a deterrent to the military council’s efforts to get recognition in the international stage.

In addition, the military coup and the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) by civil servants, anti-coup movements by the Generation-Z youth and collective and united strength of those who are working for the interest of the country and the entire people rather than personal interest, bear witness to the name change statement that the coup leader and its cohorts cannot withstand on all fronts. The army’s future process seems that they will shamelessly say it is a legitimate government after the coup leader who wears two uniforms tricks local and international community.

Does history repeat itself?

Some analysts review that according to the coup leader’s speech given on August 1st; the election will be held in August, 2023. Taking the role of Prime Minister after the formation of the caretaker government is similar to the act done by General Ne Win in 1958. But it is different in form. Prime Minister U Nu handed over power to General Ne Win who was trying to stage a coup and formed the caretaker government for fear that there would be a black stain on the country’s history. As mentioned earlier, coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing himself confers the title of the Prime Minister on him.

General Ne Win held the election in 1960 and handed over the country’s power to U Nu, head of the Clean Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) which won the election. Two years later, General Ne Win staged a coup on March 2nd, 1962. The army activated the military rules under the names of the Socialist System and the Single Party System. The army made brutal crackdowns on and killings and imprisonment of pro-democracy students, monks and people in the 8888 Uprising in 1988. Senior General Saw Maung and military leaders continued to govern the country, pledging to hold the election within two years.

Although the National League for Democracy (NLD) secured the majority of seats sufficient for the formation of the government in the 1990 General Elections, the military leaders failed to hand over the power. They arrested elected candidates and continued to retain power. Then, military leaders drafted the 2008 Constitution which reserves a quarter of parliamentary seats for the army without any competition in the election. Two decades later, the election where the NLD and the majority of political parties which secured seats in the 1990 General Election did not participate, was held in 2010. Then, the quasi-civilian government led by U Thein Sein who took off the military uniform was formed and tried to get international recognition. The quasi-civilian government’s efforts achieved some successes to a certain degree. Myanmar saw a new political landscape after some MPs from the NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi entered parliaments through the by-elections in 2012.

The U Thein Sein Administration had to hand over the power to the NLD which secured the majority seats in the 2015 General Elections. The NLD-led government paid attention only to the reconciliation with the military leaders during the five-year tenure. It also faced strong criticism from political groups and CSOs from home and abroad citing that it turned a blind eye to other political and peace problems. But, the NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi again won a landslide victory in the 2020 General Elections. The NLD which got lessons in the first five-year tenure of government tried to formulate the form of the National Unity Government. It held talks with ethnic political parties which secured the seats.

At around 2 am on February 1st, 2021 before the attendance of the first parliamentary session by the elected candidates from the 2020 General Elections, military leader Min Aung Hlaing and his cohorts staged a coup by arresting the government leaders, famous politicians and famous persons from social strata. Regarding the question on ‘Does history repeat itself’? history does not repeat in a correct order. Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his cohorts just changed the military council into the caretaker government. The August 1st speech bears witness to the fact that their future processes will remain unchanged.

REVIEW

Along with the world superpowers’ denouncements and the UN’s urges and demands in the international arena, the military council (so-called caretaker government) shall face intense pressures from the ASEAN. Military leaders who are expecting to get international recognition are still turning a deaf ear to important political demands by releasing some arbitrarily-arrested peoples.

The coup leaders who restrict the people’s oxygen demand during the COVID-19 pandemic period are pretending to show they are benevolent towards the people by urgently placing orders with COVID-19 vaccines from China and Russia which have close relations with them. But they are unable to hide the arrests of those from philanthropic organizations, doctors and nurses who are helping the people by posing as patients.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Programs which are being jointly implemented by the NUG and ethnic health organizations in ethnic areas are underway. At present, the People’s Defense Forces formed in regions, states, townships and wards for defying the military council’s terrorist acts, are trying to affiliate with the NUG’s the People’s Defense Army. The military council’s so-called caretaker government shall continue to be in a tight corner on all fronts. We are likely to continue to see their brutalities and information hiding. It is reviewed that we need to keep a watchful eye on the military council’s steps towards wearing two kinds of uniform simultaneously.

PART II

What Happening in this Week?

Chin State

From July 21^st to 31^st, fighting took place eight times in Mindat and Kanpetlet Townships in Chin State, with the report of casualties from both sides. Military tension will continue there, said the spokesperson of the Chinland Defense Force (CDF). Matupi-CDF issued a warning letter, urging the locals not to give information to the junta’s troops and feed them and to avoid picking vegetables and hunting along Mindat-Matupi Road on the mountain range. Zophei-CDF based in Zophei of Htantalan Township issued a statement that it would fight against the junta’s troops and execute those from the so-called caretaker government backed by the army and informants. There is a shortage of medicine at the heavily-populated self-reliant IDP camps in Mindat Township as the junta’s troops have banned the people from carrying medicines via the inspection camp in Pauk Township of Magway Region. The people in IDP camps are concerned about the spread of COVID-19.

Arakan State

The United League of Arakan (ULA) issued a statement on August 1^st that the people can lodge a complaint to its judicial department, about offense and criminal cases in Arakan State. All legal cases including violence, theft and land disputes can be sent to the judicial department of the United League of Arakan (ULA) through e-mail, Telegram and VK. The department would keep the facts about the complaint letter, investigation and action confidential, the statement said.

As the government’s administrative and judicial sectors are not active in many parts of Arakan State after over two-year-long war between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State, the AA has to deal with administrative and judicial affairs, said U Pe Than, Spokesperson of the Arakan National Party (ANP).

According to the statement by the Burma Campaign UK on August 2^nd, up to 300 Arakan Army soldiers began the occupation in Letma village in Minbya Township on July 24^th. They extorted money from villagers and kept 12 villagers who refused to pay money in a village Mosque without food. In response to the statement, the AA said it was not true and took legal action against a criminal gang which had been committing the various crimes for many years, based on the complaints lodged by locals. Around 5,000 people are facing difficulty due to a shortage of rations at the IDP camps in Myebon and Kyauktaw Townships. They have no carrying costs although the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement provides the IDP camps with one-month rations. In the past, the IDPs went outside to catch fishes and pick vegetables. But now they have to solve the problems by selling rice as they are unable to go outside due to COVID-19, the IDPs said.

Shan State

Fighting between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the army took place in Panhsan in northern Shan State on August 3^rd, killing five soldiers including the second in command and the deputy company commander, according to locals. Three people including soldiers were wounded in a bomb blast on Lashio-Mongyaw Road in northern Shan State, on August 4^th. On July 27^th, there was a clash between a combined Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA)-the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the RCSS/SSA. Locals said members of the TNLA set fire to two houses in Chonethit village. In response to the news, Col Mai Aike Kyaw, the TNLA’s spokesperson said it was just fabricated news. There were two explosions at the City Hall in Phalkhone Township in southern Shan State while the vaccination took place under the management of the military council. One security police member died in the blast. Locals said they did not know which organizations carried out attacks.

According to the statement by the Moebye People’s Defense Force (MPDF), the MPDF based in the Shan-Karenni border made an ally with local PDF. Narcotic drugs worth Ks-200 million were seized from two youths near Tachilek Township in eastern Shan State on Myanmar-Thai border.

Karenni State

On August 3^rd and 4^th, fighting between a combined force of the Karenni Army (KA)-the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and the military council’s troops, took place four times in Loikaw, Demawso and Hpasaung Townships in Karenni State, killing 11 military council’s soldiers and wounding at least 20 others, according to the statement by the KNDF’s News and Information Department. The military council’s troops removed the self-reliant COVID-19 inspection gates run by the public in Loikaw Township. The KNDF announced that it strongly denounced the army’s act as the army was doing it intentionally to ensure the spread of COVID-19 in Karenni State. There are more than 1,000 populations in the IDP camp in the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)-controlled areas on Thai-Myanmar border. The IDP camp is in need of medicines and utensils for the pregnant women, the mothers who have delivered babies, and children, said the Secretary of the Karenni National Women’s Organization (KNWO).

Kachin State

In late July, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) attacked the military-backed Mayankahtaung group in Mogaung Township in Kachin State. The KIA intercepted a military convoy on Hpakant road on August 2^nd. Fighting forced more than 100 locals from three villages along Hpakant Road to flee to safer places. On August 3^rd, the military council’s troops fired artillery shells at some villages in Waingmaw Township and Laiza where the KIO headquarters is located. Col Naw Bu, the KIA’s Spokesperson said the KIA did not fire artillery shells. It may be indiscriminate firing or aims to carry out offensive attacks on the KIA. Momauk Township Administrator U Kyaw Swe and one ward administrator were shot. The duo is in critical condition.

South Eastern Area (Mon, Karen and Tanintharyi)

There have been frequent reports on the killings of people including the ward/village administrators in Mon State since the military coup. A ward administrator was shot dead in Mudon Township in late July, according to locals. Two female university students were arrested in Sinywa village in Paung Township for alleged participation in the guerrilla anti-coup protest, according to locals.

The Asian Development (ADB) has suspended loans to the military council’s Mon State Administration Council while the UNDP provided only 30 per cent of its fund (Ks-2,700 million) earmarked for the current fiscal year and suspended the rest. During one month, there were 134 encounters between the military council’s troops and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in Mutraw District in the Brigade-4 KNU-controlled area in Hpapun Township in Karen State. In the fighting, eight military council soldiers were arrested alive and 115 soldiers killed.

Two members of the Border Guard Force (BGF) returned to the legal fold, according to the KNU’s statement on August 1^st. Ten military council soldiers were killed in an encounter between the Dictatorship Revolutionary People’s Army (DRPA) and the military council’s troops in Karen State on August 4^th. Soldiers searched for a person in Thabawseikpyingyi village in Launglon Township in Taninthayi Region in late July. As the soldiers did not find the person they searched for, they beat his brother and nephew. Soldiers took more than Ks-160,000 and a bag of rice from the house, family members said.

On August 1^st, the military council changed the name of Taninthayi Region Administration Council into Taninthayi Region Government and gave retirement to U Tin Aung, Chair of the Region Administration Council. U Myat Ko who served as Taninthayi Region Chief Minister in the time of U Thein Sein Administration, was appointed as the Chief Minister, according to the announcement.

Upper Myanmar (Mandalay, Magway and Sagaing)

A member of the military-backed PyuSawHtee group was shot by Thaymintaman group in Kyaukse Township in Mandalay Region on August 3^rd as he gave information to the military council. The ward administrator was injured in a bomb blast at the ward office in Pyigyidagun Township on July 31^st. Then, he was sent to the hospital, according to a local. In Patheingyi Township, the military council’s troops fired shots and used sound bombs. Then, they beat and arrested 15 villagers by accusing them of being PDF members, according to locals.

On the morning of July 31^st, fighting between Pauk-PDF and the PyuSawHtee group from Pintaung village, erupted in Wonchone village in the south of Pauk Township in Magway Region. As three PyuSawHtee members were killed in the clash, the military council’s troops set fire to the houses owned by the PDF members, locals said.

On August 1^st, fighting erupted between the military council’s troops and Myaing-PDF in a village of Myaing Township, leaving Ko Phoe Htay, head of Myaing-PDF dead. Beikthanoe PDF announced that it bombed the house of the military council-appointed 100-household head in Taungdwingyi Township on August 5^th and would attack the pillars of the military council very often. On July 26^th and 27^th, the villagers ran away when the military council’s troops entered Taungpauk village in Kani Township.

The military council’s troops detained some villagers and then killed 12 villagers including a 14-year-old child on July 31^st, the villagers said. The military council’s troops massacred 16 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kani Township on July 10^th and more than 10 people on July 27^th. This is the third massacre committed by the military council, the villagers said.

Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the UN U Kyaw Moe Tun sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General about the massacres of civilians by the military council. Pale People’s Defense Force (PPDF) issued a statement urging the administrators appointed by the military council to resign from their jobs in Pale Township in Sagaing Region as of August 1^st.

From August 1^st to 4^th, 15 village administrators submitted their resignation letters. U Myint Htwe, Sagaing Region Parliament Speaker said thousands of people from 37 villages in Yinmarbin District have been displaced by the military council’s attacks. Efforts are being made to provide necessary assistance to the IDPs. According to the Chin Social Association, the military council’s troops arrested a youth who returned to his native town Kalay after working in China, for alleged possession of weapons. He died at the interrogation camp.

Lower Myanmar (Yangon, Bago and Ayeyawady)

Two explosions occurred at military-owned Mytel towers in Hlaingthayar Township, leaving a person injured. Two men on motorbike fired shots at and threw a bomb into Myaingmahar tea shop in north Dagon Township. Three persons including the shop owner were injured. On August 5^th, the former MP from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) was shot dead by an unidentified armed group in a village of Kayan Township, according to locals.

National Unity Government

• NUG provides over 700 million kyats in aid to conflict areas
• Interim President says NUG has been able to build Basic infrastructure within 100 days
• NUG and ethnic groups discuss future federal health policy
• ASEAN parallel group criticizes ASEAN action on Myanmar Crisis
• NUG declares illegal caretaker government of military council
• Myanmar National Defense Army-MNDF is formed: Statement

The Military Council

• Myanmar junta chief named head of ‘caretaker government’, pledges election in two years
• Central Bank of Myanmar sells US $ 2 million
• SAC leader Min Aung Hlaing says coup until August 2023
• The military council release a statement of appoints state and divisional chief minister
• SAC leader Min Aung Hlaing says he would like to dicuss peace with Ethnic Arms Groups
• Myanmar Coup Chief Amends Counterterrorism Law
• Ordinary resignations of military personnel after the coup were suspended
• USDP and allies announce welcome new election

International Arena

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says during the six months since the military coup in Myanmar, the military junta has killed, Torture, illegal detained the people whom protesting against the coup and response to arbitrary arrests is a crime against humanity. HRW said the Myanmar people simply wanted a government that respected the results of last year’s election and reflected the will of the people. UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric also said that the post-election postponement of the election until 2023 was not a return to the path of democracy in Burma demanded by the United Nations and its member states.

On August 4, Asean appointed Brunei Deputy Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof as the ASEAN Special Envoy to address the political crisis in Myanmar. He will take to reduce violence and negotiation between all side. The latest case has been the subject of intense debate among ASEAN foreign ministers. The agreement on the appointment of a special envoy to Myanmar on April 24, which reached the ASEAN Leaders’ Special Working Group on April 24, came almost three months after implementation. On August 2, 16 European groups called on all political leaders to provide assistance to the people of Burma who are in need of help due to the Coronavirus epidemic.