Another Junta battalion surrendered to Northern Alliance in the China border
Kidnapped University teachers and families being released on 28 November 2023 (Photo from Opposition Transitional Administration's statement)
Yangon, 29 November 2023
The Light Infantry Battalion No 125 of Junta army, stationed in the strategic town of Kone Kyan near China border on 28 November. The opposition alliance group released a statement with video evidence about the surrender of 272 personals from the entire battalion along with local police, militia and their family members. This is the third junta battalion to surrender to the opposition since the offensive begun about a month ago on 27 October. The LaukKai city, last Junta strong hold in heavily contested North Eastern Kokang front is defenseless and totally cut off out of Myanmar with only opening to Chinese border and waiting for the final onslaught.
In another development, the opposition forces in Kayah State released second batch of 86 University teachers and family members they have kidnapped from the Loikaw University campus on 14th November. According to the statement released on 28 November by the opposition transitional administration “The Interim Executive Council of Karenni (Kayah) State” deported total of 193 out of 204 persons they have captured from the University, to the neighboring Shan State. According to the statement in Burmese language, the detained 204 University employees and their family members were interrogated by them and found to commit crime of being employed by the Myanmar Junta Government’s Ministry of Education and 193 person were given light sentence of banishment from Kayah State. Out of the remining 11 kidnaped victims, 5 including the University Rector and Vice Rectors along with their family members are found to be criminally responsible for the action of all the employees while 3 persons are incriminated for being the relatives of the Junta army’s soldiers. The Kayah State Opposition Transitional Administration is said to be taking legal action on remaining kidnapped victims according to their laws.
The violation of Human Rights and commitment of war crimes like using child soldiers are being committed by the both sides of the conflict in Myanmar’s new phase of Civil War but only the conduct of the military Junta is high-lighted by international media since foreign language reports came out of the country is mostly prepared by the popular opposition side.
The education in Myanmar is primarily operated by the State and private education sector is just opened up few years ago. Only a few privileged students in the Asia’s poorest country can afford private education while more than 98% of the students relying on the Government Schools. The opposition called for national boycott of State Schools after 2021 February coup and attacked schools with IED Improvised Explosive Devices or arson after Junta reopened the schools on 1 June 2021. Anyone in the State School campus were considered by the opposition as collaborators of the regime and on one notable incident happened at the same month in North Okkapala township of Yangon, a high school teacher was shot and killed at point blank by boycotting teenagers who are her former students while on her way to work.
The United Nations has spoken out on 2 June 2021 about the wave of attacks on schools and education staff, a day after the junta reopened public schools, saying such violence is unacceptable and a violation of children’s rights. The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Myanmar called on all parties to keep schools safe.
On 28 November 2023 morning Daw Mercy, a State High School teacher was abducted from her home in Aung Pan Chaung village, Yesagyo township, Magway division by a group of opposition PDF militia. Her corpse was found later in nearby jetty with her hand tied on back and the throat slit. Her murder is claimed responsibility by local opposition armed group on Social Media.
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