6 August 2024
Esteemed people,
I would like to clarify the situations happening in the country at present. I have explained some situations at the National Defence and Security Council meeting.
More than 11 million voting frauds committed by the NLD party in the 2020 election caused instability in the country. Hence, the Pro Tem President of the State called the meeting of the National Defence and Security Council with a decision to order Tatmadaw to assume responsibility for the State in accord with the Constitution. Tatmadaw formed the State Administration Council with military and civilian participants. Since its assumption, the State Administration Council has clearly declared its ultimate aim to hold the election of the nation. At a time when State politics changed, ordinary protests gradually changed to riots and unrest. Under the leadership of some extreme members of the NLD party, armed riots were staged.
Moreover, some youths were indoctrinated to take terrorism military training courses from some ethnic armed organizations which do not have a correct stance on the State with no will to forge peace. Then, they became so-called PDF terrorists. Both NCA non-signatory ethnic armed organizations and some NCA signatory EAOs encouraged and provided training to PDF terrorist groups. After undergoing terrorism courses from some EAOs, those PDF terrorists have been committing murders, planting bombs, blowing up bombs and firing without reason across the nation in order to cause panic among the people till today. Some armed groups taking advantage of instabilities nationwide attempted to expand their land of control.
MNDAA, TNLA and AA insurgents refused the offer of peace given by the government in April 2022 and launched attacks on security posts of Tatmadaw at border regions and Chinshwehaw in Shan State (North) with excessive strengths on 27 October 2023. To do so, they have been gathering manpower and arms since 2022 and completing training in attacks with drones. They committed the impacts of war on the whole peaceful and stable region. Insurgents started the destruction of economic and social infrastructures, including roads and bridges, which are vital for regional development. With the aim of restoring the stability of the border region and regional peace and stability, the government agreed on a bilateral ceasefire in January. But, MNDAA and TNLA groups showing various reasons, launched attacks on Hsipaw, Nawnghkio, Kyaukme and Momeik in Shan State (North) and Mogok in Mandalay Region. On 3 July, they attacked Lashio. Everybody knows that these groups fired the upgraded rockets and bomb drops on public residences, hospitals, schools and religious buildings in towns and villages as targets many times. On 2 August, they dropped bombs on the Tatmadaw hospital in Lashio and raided it. They shot at patients and health staff and abducted some patients, including women, families and children. Tatmadaw hospitals are providing healthcare services not only to Tatmadaw members but to their families, members of the Sangha, and ordinary civilians, and the mobile healthcare teams of these hospitals are providing healthcare services to residents in relevant regions. With regard to their terror attacks, some per cent of their ethnic people reside in these regions. For example, some 20 per cent of Kokang people reside in Lashio Township, and most of them live in villages, not in urban areas of Lashio. The urban area of Lashio is the residences of Shan, Bamar, and Kachin ethnics. Likewise, some 15 per cent of Palaung ethnic reside in Kyaukme and Hsipaw townships. Nawnghkio Township does not have even one per cent of the Palaung ethnic population, but most of the people are Shan, Bamar, and Danu ethnics. People can see that due to unreasonable terror attacks, residents left their residences to take shelter in other regions.
Those insurgents looted precious gold, silver and property of displaced people and committed burglaries at the houses of displaced people to take precious objects. Moreover, they intimidated displaced people and residents, as well as children, to serve in military service and forcibly ordered them to participate in the fighting. They destroyed government infrastructures and racial and religious landmarks with the use of heavy machinery in their controlled regions. They know that if these regions were peaceful with the entire rule of law, they would miss a chance to manipulate residents with threats, show arms and seek their interests. As such, they are committing wicked acts. MNDAA insurgents at present abduct Bamar ethnic in Laukkai and expel them from the town. However, statements of these insurgents accuse Myanmar Tatmadaw of attacking and destroying the town with racial discrimination. Laukkai is a town in Kokang Self-Adminstered Zone according to the 2008 Constitution. It is a region where entry and the existence of foreigners must be done under official procedures and permission from the government. Those who illegally reside and their related persons committed online scams and gambling. The government has clearly taken action against illegal residents and their associated persons, handing over and oppressing them. At present, I want to say that no foreigner, under the official procedures, is allowed to reside there. Currently, insurgents are launching violent attacks on security outposts of Tatmadaw in Kyaukme and Nawngkhio regions with excessive strength. Hence, it is essential to analyze their acts and statements correctly and totally oppose them.
AA insurgents raided the Donpaik police outpost, which is one of the outposts of border guard police in Rakhine State, on 13 November 2023 to cause instabilities in Rakhine State. Then, they continued attacks on security camps and Tatmadaw posts, which are taking regional security measures in northern Rakhine State and destroying the socioeconomic life of residents, education and health sectors. So, residents fled to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and other cities as displaced people. At present, AA is violently attacking towns in both northern and southern parts of Rakhine State, where residents wish to live with peace and stability. As 90 per cent of Rakhine ethnics reside in Rakhine State, the actions of AA leaders themselves are designed to destroy their ethnics. Tatmadaw will continue measures of peace and stability in these regions in cooperation with residents.
Likewise, the KIA group has been equipping PDF terrorists with arms in the upper Sagaing Region and providing military training on terror acts since 2021 in order to destabilize the region. It was found that the destruction of life and property of people, towns and villages in Sagaing Region and related areas by PDF terrorists was due to the KIA group. Since March 2024, they have been deploying excessive strength in attacking security posts and towns and villages in Kachin State. Moreover, the CNF group cooperates with PDF terrorists and launches attacks in Chin State. So, ethnic people who are stably and peacefully residing in Chin State for their livelihoods lost socioeconomic lives. It can be seen that towns and villages, including Falam, Matupi, Lailinpi, Mindat and Thantlang, faced loss and damage.
Similarly, some leaders from the KNU group violate the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA despite signing it. They provided terrorism training courses and equipped arms to PDF terrorists. They attack security posts, towns and villages in Kayin State with excessive strength. They attacked Kawkareik on 1 December 2023, Thingan Nyinaung on 5 April 2024, and Myawady on 10 April. Due to the terror attacks by KNU, residents suffered many losses and damage in their socioeconomic lives. Moreover, the border trade routes on which the Myanmar people rely were blocked, causing losses to the State. So, security forces and partner organizations are striving to ensure peace and stability in the region as quickly as possible. At present, the information has been received that the present KNU Chairman and the chief of staff are attempting to launch attacks around Sittoung River through the collaboration of Brigades 1, 3 and 5 of KNU.
KNPP/KNDF insurgents deployed their strengths in attacking Loikaw in Kayah State on 11 November 2023. Due to information given by the residents who do not wish terror acts of the KNPP/KNDF group, those KNPP/KNDF insurgents could be assaulted. As Tatmadaw and security force members made sacrifices in their counter-attacks, all situations in the town could be controlled. As KNPP/KNDF insurgents failed their mission over Loikaw, they penetrated Hsihseng, adjacent to Shan State. As the Hsihseng region is under the control of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone, Pa-O people’s militia and residents did not totally accept them and bravely drove them out. At present, rehabilitation tasks are being initiated in the Loikaw and Hsihseng regions. Efforts will be made to restore peace and stability in the whole of Kayah State, as in the past event. Insurgents committed destructive acts in their attacks, harming a large number of people and destroying towns and villages.
Some foreign countries wish for the existence of armed conflicts and shaping the form of Myanmar as they like providing money, food, medicines, arms and ammunition, technologies and logistic opportunities to armed insurgents and terrorist groups from politically diverse persons, helping malicious media outlets to wage psychological warfare.
In some EAO regions at the China-Myanmar border, arms and ammunition factories have been established to produce arms, ammunition and explosive devices. It can be seen that arms and ammunition produced from these factories are sold and provided to PDF terrorists and other EAOs. The majority of arms and ammunition seized by security forces are products from these factories. It is not an ordinary situation to establish these factories. It needs to spend monetary and technological power. So, it is necessary to analyze the sources of monetary and technological power. The arms being used by armed groups in the southern part of Myanmar were smuggled from the Thai-Myanmar border. Communication devices, drones and arms and ammunition being used by EAOs and PDF terrorists were obtained from these sources.
It was seen that technologically upgraded bombs from drones and rockets are being used by MNDAA and TNLA terrorists. Their drones can be purchased in foreign markets, but they cooperate with foreign mercenary technologists to develop these drones and improve them to be helpful in the fighting.
Security forces follow the Rules of Engagement and rules for combatting terrorists as much as possible in attacking terrorists without harming civilians.
Myanmar is a country where all national races reside in unison, and they are inseparable in the natural environment as well as businesses. All Myanmar citizens have the right to freedom of travel and trade without any restrictions in the country. As insurgents control the regions, those people lose their rights and liberties automatically. Without considering familiar racial characters and languages in addition to shared histories, traditions and cultures, their wrong racism and narrow-minded attitude, which had never occurred in history, will not be acceptable. Shan State (North), which shares a border with China, is a hub of border trade for the entire nation. The region, which is located on the trade route to other countries, brought development opportunities to residents. But, as terrorists launch attacks, socioeconomic life, education of children, and the future of youths will be extinct. As the warlordism of insurgent leaders resurges, residents will face unlawful bullying and killing like past incidents in the areas of warlords. Narcotic drugs and gambling acts can dominate legal businesses, whereas maize and sugarcane will be substituted with poppy cultivation. Youths will see their lives with holding arms instead of books and ball-pens. They all will return to the darkness from the legal fold. I firmly believe that people will not reach such situations. Myanmar Tatmadaw will not allow these situations for the people.
In this regard, I would like to talk about the economic sector. Only when a country has economic power will the remaining powers be strong. Hence, economic sanctions and spreading rumours were committed against Myanmar in various ways and means in order to disrupt the State economy and defence capabilities. The government solved these problems to improve the State economy. As it is necessary to manufacture a large volume of products to boost the state economy, efforts must be made to increase production and export volume continuously. Hence, I would like to point out how to leverage productivity based on the agriculture and livestock sectors.
With regard to the situation of Shan State (North), security forces withdrew their positions by considering the security of current areas and the safety of people. MNDAA and TNLA insurgents and their stooges at home and abroad carry out propagation to the tune of their masterminded countries in order to cause downheartedness among the people. We, as a polite society, cannot totally accept the act of solving the armed conflicts in terror attacks but not using political ways. So, those insurgents must be designated a common enemy, and the government will continue to strive to ensure peace and stability not only in Shan State (North) but in the entire nation. Members of Myanmar Tatmadaw, members of the Myanmar Police Force, people’s militia and patriotic people will always be heroes of Myanmar in successive eras for their sacrifice of life, blood and sweat to forge peace and stability in Myanmar. They must consistently be recognized with respect. Correct spirit, perseverance and diligence of members of Myanmar Tatmadaw will be a drive to cease armed terrorism in the country and to develop education, health and socioeconomic life of the people with peace and stability under the rule of law.
Our Myanmar Tatmadaw was born of the people to fight for the independence of Myanmar, and it is a Tatmadaw established with patriotic youths with national spirit and sacrifice. Such Tatmadaw took the independence of the whole nation with the support of the entire people amid various difficulties. At present, it can be seen that patriotic public organizations and ministries provide foodstuffs, supplies and letters of encouragement to members of Tatmadaw discharging defence duties of the State with bravery and sacrifice on the frontlines. Likewise, political parties and public organizations wishing peace and stability object to and condemn terror acts, whereas volunteers and organizations support Tatmadaw and the State based on patriotic spirit and national spirit. I want to say that the government and Tatmadaw especially thank them for their encouragement, which boosts their strengths. Tatmadaw has been safeguarding independence and defending the Union and people for their existence in successive eras till today. Currently, it is regrettable that members of Tatmadaw and MPF, people’s militia members, wives of Tatmadaw members and family members were dead and wounded in addition to missing while discharging defence duties of the State to ensure the existence, peace and stability of the State. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. The government and Tatmadaw will honour them and provide deserved opportunities and aid. So, I want to say that all members of Myanmar Tatmadaw are valuable people’s sons, like soldiers who sacrificed lives and limbs in independence struggles. Our people have been fighting against external invaders and various internal insurgents by joining hands with Tatmadaw in successive eras. Tatmadaw and the people cooperate with each other to overcome internal and external dangers, and they are capable of overcoming these dangers. Our people have to notice that as global affairs are deeply complicated, we have to unite among all to ensure the existence of Myanmar as long as the world. Only then will the united strength overcome these challenges. Hence, all our people have to support and contribute to Myanmar Tatmadaw with sacrifice of life, blood, and sweat in successive eras, as well as patriotic people with trust to have victories in their righteous fighting. Whenever Tatmadaw and patriotic people exist, the entire country must be distinct and strengthened. We will perform the existence and strengthening of the nation. Let’s safeguard the motherland through united strength. Thank you all.
CRD// GNLM
