Day: October 1, 2021

Fighting between junta forces and local defense forces in the northwestern part of Myanmar has been intensifying since the opposition National Unity Government declared a “defensive war” against the ruling junta on September 7.

Explosions have been frequent in cities, with the NUG saying September 18 there had been 101 bomb blasts in Yangon alone between September 7 and September 17. Dozens were also reported in Sagaing region in the northwest and Mandalay region in the central part of the country. Local militia groups and underground forces have targeted security forces, banks, junta assets and facilities including telecommunications towers. The junta said September 12 that 68 towers had been destroyed in the seven months since the coup.

Signs point to a worsening situation.

“The NUG has told us to be ready to take action,” 26-year-old Yangon resistance fighter Hein Zaw Latt, told VOA September 18.

“We have conducted six operations in Yangon,” he said, adding, “We are collecting information about the activities of security forces for further attacks.”

“More attacks will be conducted very soon,” said Naung Cho, a member of the opposition’s People’s Defense Force in the capital, Naypyitaw. He spoke to VOA a day after launching the fourth guerrilla attack on a police checkpoint in the city’s Lewe Township September 20, injuring three police officers.

Fighting in remote areas escalates

Clashes between the local resistance fighters and junta forces have intensified in four of the country’s divisions – the northwestern Chin state and Magway and Sagaing regions, and the eastern Kayah state. NUG defense minister Ye Mon wrote on his social media page on September 20 that the opposition People’s Defense Force had taken control of many villages and would soon take another step “toward the revolution.”

Critics of the minister’s remarks have also emerged, though.

Many small groups fighting on the ground mainly depend on makeshift weapons and hunting rifles, and they cannot counter junta airstrikes and heavy artillery attacks. Critics say the minister should focus more on getting promised weapons to the PDF than writing on Facebook.

Fighting is likely to intensify because military forces are stationed in villages, a local PDF member said.

More clashes, more victims

All of the sources told VOA the junta forces keep committing serious crimes, from arson to massacres of civilians. They say the junta also blocked internet access in some areas surrounded by heavy fighting.

Photographs and a short video have been widely circulated on social media showing houses on fire in the town of Thantlang in Chin state on the evening of September 18. At least 20 homes were burned down by military artillery strikes and a pastor of the Thantlang Baptist Church was killed.

After that incident almost all residents fled the town. Some families went to the Indian border while others stayed in makeshift camps in border villages inside Myanmar, according to a spokesman for the Thantlang Placement Affairs Committee, which helps displaced people.

The Chin Baptist Association has strongly denounced the military’s actions in Thantlang, saying it could lead to religious and ethnic clashes in the country.

“It was an insult to religion and religious community,” the statement said.

VOA was unable to obtain a military response on the case, but military spokesman General Zaw Min Tun told a local news outlet September 21 that the fighting between the army and local PDF erupted in Thantlang when the local PDF began attacking security forces. The pastor’s death is still being investigated, the spokesman said.

Another incident occurred in Myain Thar village, Gangaw township in Magway region on September 9. The NUG said 18 villagers, including 12 under the age of 18, were killed by junta forces.

Thousands of displaced civilians in makeshift camps around the country are facing food shortages and other difficulties, local charity group members told VOA.

Yangon security tightened

Security was tightened in Yangon after the NUG declaration. Security forces patrol townships, making random checks of homes, and personal belongings of people on the street are searched. Many young activists and students are reportedly arrested every day and accused of being linked to anti-regime attacks.

Nan Thandar Htway, a Yangon resident, said she is worried about her son’s security.

“My son isn’t involved in any violent attacks, but he could be taken at any time by the military if they wanted. I don’t let my son to go outside alone,” Nan Thandar Htway said. “I am terrified when I hear a knock on the door.”

Inspections and random checks have become more frequent in Mandalay after the NUG announcement, a freelance journalist told VOA. The journalist said people very rarely go outside at night for fear of arrest.

The Thai-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said that as of September 30, 1,146 people have been killed by junta and over 8,500 people had been arrested since the coup.

Source: Voice of America

On 29 September 2021, a 42-year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident, Kwok Yu, who is the director of a business consultancy service provider, Voplus Agency Pte Ltd (“Voplus Agency”), was convicted of an offence under Section 157(1) of the Companies Act read with Section 109 of the Penal Code. He had abetted by intentionally aiding another 39-year-old female Singapore citizen, Wang Yang, who had failed to exercise reasonable diligence in the discharge of her duties as a director of a Singapore registered company, Cipher Firma Pte Ltd (“Cipher Firma”). Wang Yang was also convicted for an offence under Section 157(1) of the Companies Act.

On 1 October 2021, Kwok Yu and Wang Yang were each sentenced to a fine of SGD 4,000. In addition, Wang Yang was disqualified from being a director for three years.

Wang Yang had entered into an arrangement with Voplus Agency to serve as the local resident director of Cipher Firma, which was incorporated at the request of a foreign national client of Voplus Agency. As a consequence of the arrangement, the woman failed to exercise sufficient supervision over the company’s affairs.

Between 2015 and 2018, Cipher Firma’s bank accounts received over SGD 5 million of criminal proceeds, which had been seized by the Commercial Affairs Department. Investigations revealed that Cipher Firma had no legitimate business operations in Singapore and was in fact set up as a conduit to launder criminal proceeds through Singapore.

The offence of Section 157(1) punishable under Section 157(3)(b) of the Companies Act carries a fine of up to SGD 5,000 or a jail term of up to 12 months.

The Police take a serious view of the offence and will continue to adopt tough enforcement action against offenders. Individuals should not be a director of a company when they have limited or no oversight or control, as the company may be used to facilitate illicit activities, such as the laundering of criminal proceeds.

Source: Singapore Police Force

During the three-day World Internet Conference held in Wuzhen, China, this week, the country’s biggest tech tycoons rushed to show their support for Beijing’s “common prosperity” initiative.

Their enthusiasm for the initiative comes amid a yearlong crackdown on the country’s tech industry, where several high-profile companies have faced investigations and fines. Formerly high-flying celebrity CEOs are now keeping a low profile.

Daniel Zhang, CEO at e-commerce giant Alibaba group, said his company’s donation of $15 billion to the initiative over the next five years represented its willingness to help China achieve its goal of prosperity for all.

Zhou Hongyi, billionaire entrepreneur and chairman and CEO of the country’s largest Internet security firm, Qihoo 360, said his company will donate an as yet undisclosed sum to the initiative and step up to help smaller firms thrive.

Stressing the need to develop these enterprises, Zhou said, “Our success depends on our country’s policies. … We must take the initiative to align our development with our national strategies and serve our country with science and technology.”

Lei Jun, CEO of consumer electronics manufacturer Xiaomi, said that technological development must be used to achieve social good and that tech companies should help build a good life for everyone.

Other tech giants, such as technology conglomerate Tencent, online agricultural marketplace Pinduoduo and food delivery platform Meituan, answered Beijing’s call before the Sept. 26-28 gathering, pledging financial support for social causes.

‘Common prosperity’ initiative

During his first eight years in office, Chinese President Xi Jinping occasionally mentioned the term “common prosperity.” Since February, when he declared China had eliminated poverty, “common prosperity” has become one of his favorite themes.

At a meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on Aug. 17, Xi stressed that those who are already rich need to guide and help others achieve prosperity.

“Common prosperity means prosperity for all, not just a few people,” Xi said, according to a meeting note published by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency. “We can allow some to get rich first, but we must then launch a scientific public policy to make sure every citizen can have their fair share.”

Central to achieving common prosperity is a concept known as the three distributions, first introduced by the Chinese economist Li Yining in the 1990s.

According to the explanation from China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the first distribution of wealth comes through market competition. The second is achieved through the state via taxes, subsidies and social welfare programs. The third distribution taps enterprises and individuals to redistribute their wealth through voluntary donations.

‘Third distribution’

“The target of this round of the common prosperity initiative is the wallet of wealthy domestic entrepreneurs,” said Lu Jun, founder of the influential nongovernmental organization Beijing Yirenping Center, in a phone interview with VOA Mandarin. His NGO focuses on eliminating discrimination and defending the rights of disadvantaged groups.

Wang Hsin-Hsien, a political science professor and chair of the East Asian Studies Institute at National Cheng-Chi University in Taiwan, told VOA Mandarin that businesses are essentially forced to make charity donations under the current system.

“China’s current common prosperity initiative is controlled by the party-state. That means large enterprises must make donations in order to show that they are choosing the right side. So I don’t think these donations will be voluntary,” he told VOA Mandarin via phone.

“This is not the charitable donation we see in Western countries, because eventually the money will be returned to the state for redistribution,” he added.

Meanwhile, analysts say this new wave of donation will not likely help boost China’s civil society.

NGOs under microscope

China has been tightening its grip on NGOs since 2016, demanding they provide specific funding sources and membership information or face being banned.

This year, China announced a new wave of crackdowns targeting NGOs. In May, the Ministry of Civil Affairs started to target “illegal NGOs with measures such as limiting their access to conference venues, publicity resources and manpower,” according to the state-owned news outlet China Daily.

“The moves were part of a sweeping campaign launched last month by the ministry and 21 other central agencies to clamp down on the unregistered NGOs, which have masqueraded as foundations, industrial associations and other nongovernmental groups to rake in money from the public,” China Daily said.

Lu told VOA Mandarin that the NGOs that can survive or get funding will be those that align their goals with the government’s agenda — unlike many NGOs outside China, whose views diverge from those of the government.

“I don’t think this is necessarily good news for NGOs, as I believe the money donated by private companies will go to the government-run or government-affiliated NGOs,” he said of the third distribution.

“Beijing won’t allow companies to donate to independent NGOs freely, let alone the ones they don’t like, such as NGOs working on human rights, labor rights and women’s rights.”

Source: Voice of America