Suu Kyi announces Covid-19 death in Facebook live broadcast

The woman was one of two people who died Wednesday morning

Published on Apr 8, 2020
State Counsellor announces the death of a Covid-19 patient during her Facebook live on Wednesday (Photo: Myanmar State Counsellor office)
State Counsellor announces the death of a Covid-19 patient during her Facebook live on Wednesday (Photo: Myanmar State Counsellor office)

Two Covid-19 patients died in Yangon and Pyay on Wednesday morning, bringing Myanmar’s official fatality count to three.

They are a 63-year-old woman with underlying diabetes, kidney and heart diseases, who died at Yangon’s Wai Bar Gi hospital, and a 47-year-old man with underlying hypertension, who died at the general hospital in Pyay.

State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi announced the death of the woman during a Facebook live broadcast of a conference with health and social workers in Magwe region.

“The death of a person is a loss for the country. Please help as much as you can to prevent further losses,” she said in the broadcast.

“Don’t panic. Sad news may emerge in the coming weeks, and we should be prepared for that,” she added.

 

 

The woman was admitted to hospital in late March after falling ill following a meeting with her son on his return from Dubai. But the son was given the all clear after she tested positive in early April.

Health experts have warned that the elderly, people with other diseases, and those with poor immune systems are more likely to die from Covid-19.

 

 

The man, a township administrator from Paukkaung in Bago region, tested positive along with his son, daughter and niece after his wife, a staff member at the International SOS clinic in Yangon, was diagnosed.

He died at around 4am on Wednesday after suffering from septicemia and acute respiratory distress, said Khin Khin Gyi, director of contagious diseases at the health ministry.

His wife is now being treated at the Wai Bar Gi hospital while the son, daughter and niece – who were until recently at the Pyay hospital but were transferred to Wai Bar Gi on Wednesday afternoon – are in good health, the ministry said.

Myanmar has 22 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The first fatality was a 69-year-old man with underlying nasal cancer.

Nyunt Win is News Editor with Myanmar Now.

Those arrested include a BBC reporter and a former Mizzima correspondent. 

Published on Mar 19, 2021
Photojournalists take cover near the entrance of a monastery where military supporters gathered to attack protesters and media in Yangon on February 18 (EPA-EFE/LYNN BO BO)

A BBC journalist and a former Mizzima News reporter were arrested by the junta’s armed forces in Naypyitaw on Friday afternoon, a family member confirmed.

BBC Burmese journalist Aung Thura was in front of the Dekkhina District court to report on a hearing for National League for Democracy patron Win Htein when he was arrested. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung was with him at the time of the arrest.

No further details of the arrest or the reporters’ detention were known at the time of reporting, according to Aung Thura’s relative. 

“I saw some plainclothes officers dragging away a person in trousers into a car,” lawyer Min Min Soe, who was near the court at the time, told Myanmar Now. The man she saw is believed to be Than Htike Aung.  

“Two other officers in plainclothes were hassling another individual in a paso [traditional sarong for men] and glasses,” she said, referring to Aung Thura. “It was quite a scene so I don’t know what happened next.”

As of March 16, a total of 38 journalists had been arrested or targeted for arrest since the February 1 coup. The latest arrests of the BBC and former Mizzima journalists push this number up to 40.  

Only 22 of these reporters have been released. Ten journalists have been charged with violating Section 505(a) of the penal code, which has been used against people who are seen as causing fear, spreading fake news, or agitating government employees. Under recent amendments to the law, the charges come with a three-year prison sentence if convicted.

Online news website The Irrawaddy has also been charged by the junta as violating the same statute for showing “disregard” for the armed forces in their reporting of the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Five publications, including Myanmar Now and Mizzima had their offices raided and their publishing licenses revoked earlier this month by the regime.

 

Myanmar Now is an independent news service providing free, accurate and unbiased news to the people of Myanmar in Burmese and English.

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The offensives come in the wake of deadly crackdowns against anti-coup protesters in Myitkyina 

Published on Mar 18, 2021
A KIA soldier watches from an outpost in Kachin state in this undated file photo (Kachinwave) 

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) launched attacks against police bases in the jade mining region of Hpakant on Thursday morning, a local resident told Myanmar Now. 

The attacks targeted police battalions where soldiers were stationed near Nam Maw village in the Seik Muu village tract.

“There are Myanmar police battalions around Nam Maw,” a resident said. At least three bases were attacked, he added. 

A 41-year-old civilian in Seik Muu village injured his left hand during the clash, the Kachin-based Myitkyina News Journal reported.

The KIA has launched several offensives against the coup regime’s forces recently. Fighting has also been reported in Mogaung and Injangyang this month. 

Some 200 people fled the Injangyang villages of Gway Htaung and Tan Baung Yan on Monday after the KIA launched an offensive against the military there. 

The offenses began in the wake of deadly crackdowns against anti-coup protesters in Myitkyina. The KIA has warned the junta not to harm anti-coup protesters. 

 

Myanmar Now is an independent news service providing free, accurate and unbiased news to the people of Myanmar in Burmese and English.

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The coup regime’s forces took the injured people away and locals do not know their whereabouts 

Published on Mar 18, 2021
Kalay residents move the body of a man who was shot dead on Wednesday (Supplied) 

Four young men were killed and five people were injured in the town of Kalay in Sagaing region on Wednesday as protesters continued their fight to topple the regime despite daily massacres across the country aimed at terrorizing them into submission. 

The Tahan Protest Group gathered in the town at around 10am and police and soldiers began shooting. One young man was shot dead on the spot as he tried to help people who were trapped amid gunfire, residents told Myanmar Now.   

The regime’s forces also shot at and chased fleeing protesters along roads and through narrow alleys, a resident said.

“The crowd of protesters dispersed but one person was shot dead while trying to rescue those trapped in the protest site,” the resident added. 

As the crowd dispersed, a man riding a motorcycle was shot outside a branch of KBZ Bank. “He also died,” the resident said. 

Despite the murders, protesters gathered again in the afternoon around 4pm. Police and soldiers started shooting again and killed two people. 

“They were shot dead while trying to set up barricades at the protest site. They were shot while trying to obstruct the army’s way as the army troops chased and shot the trapped protestors,” the resident said. 

The two who were killed in the morning were identified as Salai Kyong Lian Kye O, who was 25, and Kyin Khant Man, who was 27 and had three children. The identities of the other two have not yet been confirmed.

Five people were also injured and then taken away. Locals said they did not know where they had been taken.   

 

Myanmar Now is an independent news service providing free, accurate and unbiased news to the people of Myanmar in Burmese and English.

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