A demolition order was also served to 19 Buddhist sites in the city's "cultural zone," set to be razed to unearth ancient Ketumati. AsiaNews reports local Catholics are dismayed by the threat looming over the church dedicated to the Sacred Heart, built in the late 19th century by PIME missionaries. This is just the latest blow by the military to destroy places of worship. As many as 300 have been affected in Myanmar since the coup on 1 February 2021.
The vote is set to start on 28 December, and subsequent rounds in January. Currently, 55 parties have registered, nine ready to run countrywide. Humanitarian NGOs and the international community are highly critical of the vote, but China wants stability. Meanwhile, the humanitarian emergency is growing, particularly in Rakhine State, where the WFP warns that resources are in dire shortage.
General Min Aung Hlaing has launched the “National Security and Peace Commission” and at the same time imposed martial law in dozens of municipalities, adding to threats of the death penalty for those who boycott the upcoming elections. Citizens have received messages calling for armed surrender and participation in the polls.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering a partnership with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to access rare earth deposits in northern Myanmar and reduce US reliance on China's monopoly. However, residents fear mining’s potential environmental impact and the risk of further fuelling the civil war. Kachin activists are calling on Washington to uphold strict standards and pursue sustainable solutions to avoid repeating the mistakes of others.
According to the Myanmar Bar Association, conscription violates human rights: “Crime against humanity”. Enacted by the junta in 2024, the controversial law was followed by an aggressive campaign involving coercive practices and extortion. Revolutionary fighter from Sagaing: ‘Out of 200 soldiers, 50 are real’. Corruption in institutions has increased for economic gain.
Two prisoners died from lack of healthcare on 19 July in prisons run by Myanmar’s military regime: 26-year-old activist Ma Wut Yi Aung, tortured after her arrest, and Ko Pyae Sone Aung, a member of the National League for Democracy. Their death extends a long list of victims of the junta’s prison system, while leader Aung San Suu Kyi is also in poor health after more than four years in prison.
