JULY marks the sixth month of the State Administration Council and the month when the country was hit by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government, together with public health service personnel, is making strenuous efforts to prevent, manage the pandemic, and provide medical treatment. Myanmar starts another round of vaccination against COVID-19 from the end of July. Those over the age of 65, health workers, COVID volunteers, monks, nuns and others on the priority list are scheduled to be vaccinated. The Tatmadaw medical corps and volunteers are also working on the frontline of the pandemic as there continues to be a shortage of health workers due to the government health staff who had abandoned their patients and their positions due to the civil disobedience movement.
National
and subnational coordination meetings were held on COVID-19 prevention, control
and treatment activities. These led to policy decisions, such as those on the
systematic implementation of lock-down measures, such as the closure of offices
and schools, the provision of medical oxygen to meet the needs of the country,
the establishment and expansion of quarantine centres for medical treatment,
and vaccination programmes to control the transmission of infection.
Policy
guidance by the Head of State
Chairman
of the State Administration Council Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has taken
the key role of leading the country’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19
pandemic through mechanisms set up for this purpose. Various structures and
entities have been set up from community level up to State and Region, and at
the national level. COVID-19 committees involving both government
representatives and civil society actors have also been set up in large cities.
These are all overseen and coordinated by mechanisms in each State and Region,
which take their policy guidance from the national level coordination body.
At
the first national coordination meeting on the COVID-19 emergency held on 9
July, the State Administration Council Chairman emphasized health education of
the public, provision of treatment and health care, and cooperation with social
welfare organizations and volunteers. He also underscored that no limits would
be placed on budget. The meeting also discussed effective actions to provide
the required oxygen, transport patients to facilities and conduct COVID-19
vaccination.
The
second national coordination meeting on the COVID-19 emergency held on 12 July
focused on systematic planning and preparation for the large numbers of
quarantined cases, the preparation of isolation facilities, the provision of
medical oxygen and other health care system needs for the public.
At
the third national coordination meeting on the COVID-19 emergency on 18 July,
the State Administration Council Chairman highlighted his appreciation of the
high level of preparedness of the systems for coping with the surge of COVID-19.
There were now 1,934 facilities for more than 69,000 people at military and
public hospitals, and another 1,114 facilities for 46,000 positive patients.
The efforts by the public to follow COVID-19 public health rules and
regulations were also appreciated since participation by the public is needed
to combat the third wave of COVID-19 and reduce infection rates. The meeting
also discussed the prevention of infections among health workers and government
employees, and the provision of medical services, oxygen and other medical
supplies in the remote areas of the country.
At
the fourth national coordination meeting on the COVID-19 emergency on 23 July,
the State Administration Council Chairman spoke about health personnel who had
joined the civil disobedience movement. He noted that these doctors and nurses
had not returned to their positions although he had invited them and requested
them to help in the country’s response to combat the pandemic and that this
should cut across all political divides. Some had taken up the government’s
offer and returned to public service, but others had not. He again issued a
request to all doctors and nurses to cooperate with the government. He also
urged the social welfare organizations to cooperate in the acceleration of
vaccination programmes.
The
fifth national coordination meeting on the COVID-19 emergency on 26 July took
up the issue of rolling out vaccination programmes systematically according to
the pre-defined priority groups, the opening of new COVID-19 centres, treatment
centres, and provision of medical oxygen supplies. At another meeting held on
27 July, the SAC Chairman discussed measures to accelerate the COVID-19
prevention, control and treatment efforts, the preparations for the arrivals of
vaccines, and messages to the public to maintain good health and nutrition
throughout this period.
International
relations
On
6 July, Union Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin attended the Special ASEAN-Russia
Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. He presented Myanmar’s efforts to make progress
towards the sustainable development goals, the work undertaken in cooperation
with partners to revive the economy, notably through the development of the
tourism industry, and other future plans.
Myanmar
media interviewed Associate Professor and expert on Myanmar Affairs Ms Kseniya
Alexandrovna Efremova from the Moscow State Institute of International
Relations (MGIMO), one of the top universities in Russia, Central and Eastern
Europe, and Vice -Chairman Mr Bulochnikov Anatony Mikhinovich of the
Russia-Myanmar Friendship Association. They spoke about the current political
affairs of Myanmar, good bilateral relations with the Russian Federation, and
potential socio-economic cooperation on Myanmar state media.
The
government has also been active in all ASEAN-led initiatives. The Union
Minister for Foreign Affairs joined the ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
held through virtual channels on 14 July. During the meeting, the Union
Ministry expressed appreciation for the support of the United States in the
fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He urged all parties to continue to
support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI).
The
Union Minister for International Cooperation attended the 11th Mekong-Ganga
Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on 21 July and pledged to fully
cooperate under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Framework. Government officials
from the concerned ministries concerned attended the 54th ASEAN Tourism
Authority Meeting and relevant meetings, the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institution
Senior Officials’ Meeting, and the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on
Transnational Crime and other international meetings.
Rejection
of attempts to intervene in domestic affairs
Over
the past few months, the government has been setting out in public the evidence
of the NUG’s support for the bombing, maiming and killing of innocent
civilians. Nonetheless, the UN and some western embassies have ignored
government statements and continue using fake news on social media and
promoting the NUG terrorist group.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement pertaining to the baseless
remarks made by Mr Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the United Nations
Secretary-General António Guterres on 29 June
2021. These remarks were apparently based on the UN Country Team in Myanmar,
who have not even verified the real facts and take as their source the
unsubstantiated accusations and fake news on social media. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs also objected to the recognition of the website of the
terrorist group NUG. It called on the UN not to release one-sided remarks
without verification and to take a balanced approach towards the verification
of sensitive information with the relevant ministries before issuing
statements.
Moreover,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released another press statement on 9 July that
objected to the proceedings in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special
Rapporteur on Myanmar at the 7th regular session of the UN Human Rights
Council, held in the absence of the representative of the country concerned,
Myanmar also rejects the statement made by the Special Rapporteur as
interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Myanmar
also issued a press release on 13 July, which again categorically stated that U
Kyaw Moe Tun had been terminated from his position as Ambassador/Permanent
Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations
since February 2021. Therefore, any statement or participation by U Kyaw Moe
Tun at the various forums of the United Nations is neither official nor
representing the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. He has been charged with
high treason and official letters to this effect have been sent to the relevant
countries and organizations not to recognize him as the Permanent
Representative of Myanmar.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement to reject the resolution
A/HRC/47/L.11 tabled by the States Members of the United Nations that are members
of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC), entitled “The
situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.”
The Myanmar government disagrees with this resolution, which was adopted by the
47th Session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on 12 July.
On
7 July, the Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the
assertions made by Zaw Wai Soe from the terrorist group NUG in an interview
with France 24 TV channel on 1 July. In that interview, Zaw Wai Soe had
requested international countries to provide the necessary assistance to the
Myanmar people for “self-defence”. This shows that he is defending terrorist
acts against innocent civilians by making such remarks, and trying to instigate
further violence, since the NUG-supported terrorists are currently targeting
civilians in killings, bombings and attacks. Zaw Wai Soe will be prosecuted in
accordance with the laws on terrorism. France 24 TV should not promote such
attempts to solicit funding for NUG.
On
30 July, the ministry released a statement condemning the efforts to sow
divisiveness and attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Myanmar while
the country is fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic together with the people
like other international countries. At the Arria formula meeting on Myanmar
held at the initiative of the United Kingdom on 29 July, participants engaged
in discussions with members of the terrorist group NUG. Myanmar strongly
condemned these discussions based on one-sided information.
Peace
and the Rule of Law
The
Tatmadaw extended its unilateral declaration on the suspension of military
operations across the country from 1 to 31 July, and again from 1 August to 30
September. The suspension of military operations across the nation will apply
except to cases where the security and administrative machinery of the
government and national defence measures are being threatened or sabotaged.
The
Special Appeals Court, together with the Chief Justice of the Union, passed
judgement on four exceptional criminal appeal cases and heard four special
civil appeal cases on 5 July. Moreover, the State Administration Council
released an order to withdraw some ongoing criminal cases. Following this,
court proceedings in those would be dropped and the defendants must be
released. Altogether, a total of 4,297 defendants were released.
Investigations
by the Union Election Commission
The
Union Election Commission released its findings on the voter lists and ballot
papers used in the November 2020 elections for four townships of Kachin State
and one township of Kayin State on 5 July, another 18 townships of Kachin State
on 6 July, and seven townships of Kayin State on 7 July.
In
its statement of 8 July, the Union Election Commission cited its findings of
massive electoral frauds committed at polling stations in the 315 townships
where the 8th November 2020 Multiparty General Election was conducted and also
noted that the voting irregularities were identified as intentionally committed
fraud by the previous authorities. Investigations showed that in total, there
were 11,305,390 names in the voter lists that are potentially fraudulent. This
represents 29.54% of the total voter lists provided by the former Union
Election Commission. On 10 July, the Union Election Commission issued the
statistics of the voter lists finalized by the previous Union Election
Commission of those who allegedly voted in the 2020 General Election. This
included so-called voters without any citizenship scrutiny card, so-called
voters who appeared in the voter list three times and above with the same
citizenship scrutiny card number, so-called voters included in the voter lists
twice with the same citizenship scrutiny card number, voters of age under 18
years, implausibly large numbers of so-called voters of age 100 years and
above.
From
23 July onwards, the Commission released its findings of the respective regions
and states in July. Subsequently, on 26 July 2021, the present Union Election
Commission issued Announcement No. (2/ 2021) on the Annulment of Results from
the 8 November 2020 Multiparty General Election, based on the evidence that the
said General Election was not in compliance with the Constitution of the
Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Union Election Commission Law and the
respective Hluttaw Election Laws, and that the 2020 General Election was not a
free and fair election.
COVID-19
prevention and response
As
Myanmar struggled with skyrocketing new infections, the State Administration
Council advanced a raft of new coronavirus prevention measures in July,
including acceleration of immediate response, preparations for COVID-19
centres, implementation of stay-at-home measures in respective regions and
states, granting import licence exemptions for COVID-19 medical supplies and
facilitating their import at border trade points daily.
Throughout
the month of July, responding to disease patterns, the government issued stay-at-home
orders progressively for the residents of 85 townships in regions and states as
well as in Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, in order to break the
chain
of COVID-19 transmissions. Public announcements were broadcast throughout
neighbourhoods to urge the people to abide by the health guidelines issued by
the Ministry of Health.
TO
BE CONTINUED
By
Kanaung
#The_Global_New_Light_of_Myanmar
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