Yangon Region

· During the third wave of COVID-19 with a high rate of infection, the number of deaths is also on the rise. As dead bodies have been piling up at crematoriums, the City Development Committee has issued a letter saying that those bodies are to be cremated proportionately at respective township crematoriums.

· The youth in Insein Township distributed masks to the public and protested against the military dictatorship.

· In Dagon Township, a nurse working at No. (2) military hospital or former 500-bedded hospital tested COVID-19 positive. Reportedly, family members of the junta army living in the quarters have been infected with the disease.

· With the excuse of no recommendation letter from the hospital, the junta armed forces confiscated oxygen cylinders of a charitable organization from a countryside town, which had come to Yangon for refills, at a check-point at the entrance to the city.

· In South Okkala industrial zone, Shwe Pyi Nyunt oxygen plant had been refilling hundreds of oxygen cylinders on a daily basis. There was a sign on the entrance to the plant saying that they would stop individual oxygen refills for unlimited days.

· According to local residents of South Dagon, Tin Tun, a pro-military man, was shot dead at about 5:00 pm Wednesday.

· In South Okkalapa Township, there was a robbery at state-owned Global Treasure Bank near Nandawun market at about 11:10 am Thursday.

· In South Dagon Township, the youth conducted a “People & People” campaign, distributing masks and hand-sanitizers at the markets and YBS buses in their township.

· Pyusawti members have been distributing propaganda leaflets - “Your life will be saved only when you support the army”.

· People’s Party urged the military junta to release health-care personnel who have been in detention without exception, withdraw charges against them, and let them work freely at public hospitals and also in private clinics, hospitals and organizations for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Mandalay Region

· Amidst violent arrests by the junta armed forces in Mandalay, a Mandalay-based rally made a night strike against the military dictatorship.

· On Wednesday, Mandalay Monks’ Union made a protest against the military dictatorship at night and recited Parittas for the public. In that night strike, the monks said that the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had killed too many people and told various lies.

· Chanting “No discussion for bloody debts. We shall dedicate our lives to bloody debts. We must win this time”, a rally of Aungmye Thazan Schools marched for the downfall of the military dictatorship on Thursday morning.

· Under the scorching sun, a rally of Chan/Zi in Unity expressed their objection to the military junta complaining they could not even provide support with sufficient oxygen.

· On Thursday, Myataung rally took to the streets and protested against the military dictatorship by burning electricity bills with the intention that public’s money must not be used by the junta army to buy bullets.

· Aung Pinle General Strike expressed their desire for an end to the military dictatorship.

· Amidst crackdowns and arrests by the junta armed forces, a rally led by Mandalay Monks Union marched for the downfall of the military dictatorship as they continued what is now a 157-day-long protest.

Sagaing Region

· In Monywa, a rally led by the women in wards marched for the end of the military dictatorship.

· To mark their 127-day protest, a rally comprising various villages from Salingyi North and Yinmabin East made a march in compliance with preventive measures against COVID-19.

· According to local residents of Pale Township, Than Htay, allegedly an informer to the military junta, was killed.

· Across-the-Border Lightening-&-Thunder, a group with clearance-activities targeting accomplices and informers of the junta armed forces, announced that they managed to carry out 54 operations within 8 days.

Taninthayi Region

· In Longlone Township, Thajettaw villagers marched in the rain for the downfall of the military dictatorship on Thursday.

· In Thayetchaung Township, there was a rally against the military dictatorship in a village at dawn Thursday.

· In Thayetchaung Township, women activists from Nyaungzin and Yantaung villages expressed their desire against the military dictatorship on Thursday evening.

· Due to violent crackdowns and arrests by the junta armed forces, Dawei General Strike, in cooperation with young students, made an indoors strike against the military dictatorship on Thursday.

· In Kanbauk area of Yebyu Township, a rally led by Kanbauk women expressed their disapproval of the military dictatorship as they continued their 158-day-long protest.

· In Longlone Township, a rally led by women in Waidy village protested against the military dictatorship on Thursday evening.

Kachin State

· In Pha-Kant Township, the junta armed forces wildly fired a mortar in Konsaizut village at about 5:30 am Thursday. Reportedly, 6 local residents were injured in the incident.

Mon State

· In Mawlamyein, the youth made an indoors strike for the end of the military dictatorship.

· According to a social media post by Khin Maung Win, the house of a Kayin State BGF officer in Beelin was hit by a RPG shell on Thursday morning.

Bago Region

· In Bago, a police car on patrol turned right suddenly and knocked over a motorbike of lemon-seller behind them. Reportedly, the lemon-seller was injured in the accident.

Shan State

· In Namkam of Shan North, GZ youth placed request letters all over the town on Thursday morning, calling on the public to help each other in the crisis and not to sell food and medicine with high prices.

· The military junta announced that over 200,000 seeds had been scattered by helicopters and planted on the near-by hills of Inle Lake the previous day.

· In Maitone Township of Shan East, the junta army has been collecting money for illegal crossing of the border area through Pachi check-point. 7 Myanmar people, who had crossed illegally via that check-point, were arrested by the Wa and they were tested for COVID-19. Reportedly, two of them were COVID-19 positive.

Kayar State

· In Loikaw, ammunition was fired and sound bomb explosions were heard for 15 minutes carried out by the junta armed forces at about 10:30 pm Wednesday. According to local residents, the reason for the firing was unknown.

Nay Pyi Taw

· The military junta announced that they rejected the bill proposed by the OIC at 47th regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

· According to the junta media MWD, the military junta has declared a long holiday period from 17th to 25th July. They say they will take action against those who go out unless necessary.

· Through the ministry of information and communication, the military junta had instructed the junta ministries to listen to the records of talk-shows by military lobbyist Moe Hein broadcast on MWD, at offices, schools and universities.

· According to Reuters news, Ari Ben-Menashe, former employee of Israel’s military and Myanmar junta army’s lobbyist in international community, stopped his lobby activities as he didn’t receive payment.

Summary on 15th July

· In Yangon, hundreds of people died of COVID-19. As the dead bodies piled up at crematoriums, they had to be cremated proportionately in respective townships. On the other hand, the military junta restricted oxygen refills of the citizens. Therefore, the public criticized that they were killing people by gunshots as well as by a lack of oxygen. Unlike normal protests against the military dictatorship, there were campaigns of distributing masks and hand-sanitizers to the public to show poor management of COVID-19 by the military junta. In South Dagon where a member of NLD had been assassinated, a pro-military nationalist was killed. With the excuse of the pandemic, there were activities by Pyusawti members.

· In Mandalay, guerrilla attacks were silent due to junta informers. However, there were clearance-activities of administrators, pillars of the military junta. In spite of violent arrests, public protests still had great momentum.

· In Sagaing Region, there were powerful protests against the military dictatorship as well as constant clearing of junta informers. As for the junta armed forces, they raided the villages and conducted clearance-activities among the public. Consequently, some local residents had to run away.

· In other states and regions, there were almost no protests. In some states, there were battles between local ethnic armed organizations and the junta armed forces. As for some areas, they were in the midst of a warfare atmosphere.

· The military junta and their ministries didn’t set emergency measures to control COVID-19. In a meeting by the junta ministry of hotel and tourism, there was no urgent discussion related to the disease. Instead, it was disheartening to see that they just discussed the development of tourism. At a time when the public feel helpless with the high rate of deaths, the junta minister of social welfare, relief and resettlement has been out of sight.