Sister Regina, of the Sisters of Repair, offers her testimony. “Without humanitarian aid, children and the elderly are suffering in the forests because the roads are blocked by the military. Conscription is used to provide human shields to force the rebels to kill their own countrymen. Our sisters remain close to the people, walking with them, even in tears, amid the dangers and the pain.”
Malaysian authorities want migrants they deem illegal to go home after paying a fine to avoid prosecution and incarceration. Malaysia, however, does not recognise refugee status for those fleeing persecution and conflict. Myanmar citizens who fled their country risk compulsory military service if they return.
Today's news: consumer prices in China rise for the first time in six months, driven by the New Year; Punjab, blasphemy: 22-year-old student sentenced to death for Whatsapp messages, a 17-year-old to life imprisonment; UN enquiry: Iran responsible for 'physical violence' that killed Mahsa Amini; Settlement and settler attacks in the West Bank reacheshttps://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/china-economy-consumer-prices-february-chinese-new-year-4183161 record levels.
Minister Win Myat Aye said he fears Thailand's cooperation with the military junta, proposing an alternative aid mechanism. In November, a group of ASEAN lawmakers, after a fact-finding mission in the border region, noted that the Myanmar military obstructs assistance distribution. Meanwhile, the number of internally displaced persons reached to 2.7 million.
Human rights group reports that about 345 people are being held in a police station in inhumane conditions. The Arakan Army has announced that it is close to defeating another army battalion in Rakhine; meanwhile, the repatriation of Chinese nationals involved in Myanmar-based online scams continues.
The worst case is Myanmar, where both the regular army and armed resistance make extensive use of landmines. Almost half of the countries that are not signatories to the UN treaty are in Asia or the Middle East. In Southeast Asia region, Cambodia has become a leader in demining.