2020 November Covid-19 Newsletter

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has been monitoring and documenting cases related to COVID-19 Pandemic since April and releasing a monthly COVID Newsletter. According to our documentation in October, a total of (32) people have been charged and convicted in Burma during the pandemic.

As of 16 August, COVID-19 infected cases have reappeared in Rakhine State; the outbreaks have also been reported in Yangon and other states and regions. The second wave of COVID hit Yangon most, and townships in Yangon Region are now ordered to stay at home due to the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths increase highly. Up to November 30, a total of 90,731 people had been infected and 1,941 had died.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic is currently increasing in Myanmar. COVID-19 found in prisons is a difficult and uncontrollable situation. On 5 November 2020, 4 detainees were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Buthidaung Prison, Rakhine or Arakan State and a policewoman and a woman prisoner were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Kyaukse Township Police Station on 24 November 2020 and 3 detainees were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Aye Mya Thar Yar Police Custody, Oakpo Township, Tharyarwady District, Bago Division on 28 November 2020. This is a concern for inmates in prisons and labor camps, and the overcrowding in prisons could make it difficult to control the spread of the disease if one prisoner got infected. Therefore, authorities must stop unwanted arrests for the time being. Also, we suggest authorities need to be transparent about the real prison situation (for example: How many inmates are infected?  How are authorities trying to prevent infection? Etc…).

The detailed information is shown below:

(32) Persons have been charged under Section 25, 26, 29 and 30 (a)  of the Natural Disaster Management Law for contravening the specified orders.

The quarantined and quarantines centers of each state and region of Myanmar

http://mohs.gov.mm/su/jyqs4294JY

Infected with COVID19 in prisons and cells

4 detainees found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Buthidaung Prison

On 6 November 2020, 4 detainees were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Buthidaung Prison, Rakhine State. Those 4 detainees are now being held in solitary confinement. There is apparently no need to worry because if new detainees/prisoners arrive during the COVID-19 period, they have a SWAB test taken and if the result is positive, the prison does not accept and if the result is negative, the prison accepts.

(7 November 2020 – Narinjara/Burmese)

Policewoman and female prisoner infected with COVID-19 in Kyaukse Township Police Station

According to a statement from the Kyaukse Township Public Hospital on the night of 24 November 2020, a policewoman and female prisoner were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Kyaukse Township Police Station.

A woman who was imprisoned was tested when transferring to Obo Prison from Kyaukse Township Police Station and the test result found positive. Therefore, people who came into contact with her were tested and a policewoman was found infected with the COVID-19 virus.

At present, the infected prisoner is being detained in a private cell at the Minsu Police Station, and the policewoman is being treated at Kyaukse General Hospital, said a doctor who is a member of the Kyaukse Township COVID-19 Committee.

(25 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

4 people including three detainees infected with COVID-19 in Oakpo, Bago

According to a statement from the Oakpo Township Health Department on the night of 28 November 2020, three detainees from Aye Mya Thar Yar Police Custody and another person were found infected with the COVID-19 virus in Oakpo Township, Tharyarwady District, Bago Division.

A member of police from the Aye Mya Thar Yar Police Station, Oakpo Township was found infected with the COVID-19 virus so the police station went into lockdown on November 19 and all members of police and detainees were tested and three detainees were found infected with the COVID-19 virus, said a staff of health department.

(29 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

Kachin

Three men charged for illegally entering Hpakant Township

Hpakant Township COVID1-19 Committee charged Kyaw Min Tun, Khin Zaw Lin, and U Saw Maung under the Natural Disaster Management Law for  illegally entering Hpakant Township to avoid the Lal Pyin checkpoint, Hpakant Township, Mohnyin District, Kachin State, according to the Hpakant Township Generation Administration Department.

Those three men arrived in Hpakant by bus from Mandalay on 22 November 2020 at around 5 pm. The three men were arrested by the respective police station.

(23 November 2020 – VOM/Burmese)

Kayah

Person charged for contravening COVID Committee orders

On 4 November 2020, Police Officer Kyaw Lin Htun from Loikaw Myoma Police Station, Kayah State charged Sai Wanna who lives in Pyin Oo Lwin Township, Mandalay Division under section 30(a) of the Natural Disaster Management Law for failing to comply with the orders of the Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

On 15 September 2020, Sai Wunna, who was riding a motorbike along Phekone Township Road, Shan State from Mandalay arrived at the four-mile San Pya Village in Demawso Township without being checked at the Pikin Kokku Health Checkpoint so he was charged at Loikaw Myoma Police Station, according to the social media of the Kayah State Police Chief’s Office.

Sai Wunna did not take a medical examination and was kept at the quarantine center after being found out and had to stay home quarantine again. The authorities then charged him after his quarantine period, said Loikaw Township General Administrator U Yan Naing Win and also Chairman of the COVID-19 Control and Emergency Response Committee.

(5 November 2020 – Mizzima/Burmese)

(5 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

Rakhine (or) Arakan

U San Maung charged under section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law for attending a ceremony of fallen cadets of the Arakan army

On 23 November 2020, U San Maung was arrested for attending the 6th-anniversary ceremony of 8 fallen cadets, and charged under section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law.

November 19 was the 6th-anniversary of the death of 8 cadets from the Arakan Army, 30 youths commemorated Memorial Day at Korean Port, Strand Road, Sittwe Township on 19 November 2020.

U San Maung lives in Gaut Chii Street, Aung Mingalar Ward, Sittwe Township was arrested later that day by the police force.

(23 November 2020 – BNI News/Burmese)

Shan

Three people arrested for smuggling passenger to avoid Lashio Township checkpoint

On 27 November 2020, three people were arrested for smuggling a local passenger to avoid the checkpoint at Lashio Township, they were then charged under the Natural Disaster Management Law.

On the night of 27 November 2020, one motorcycle taxi driver and two drivers were arrested for smuggling the passengers who wanted to enter Lashio Township but avoiding the Mal Han health checkpoint, said Police Officer U Kyaw Myint from Lashio Township Police Station No. 1.

Those three drivers and five passengers were kept at the quarantine center of Education College. On 28 November 2020, authorities would test them and if their result is negative, three drivers will be charged under Natural Disaster Management Law, said Police Officer U Myint Kyaw.

(28 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

Man commits suicide in a quarantine center from Ywar Ngan Township

According to the Zay Tan Quarter administration office, a man committed suicide at a quarantine center in the Department of Urban and Housing Development staff housing, Zay Tan Quarter, Ywar Ngan Township, Danu Self-administered zone, Shan State on the evening of 4 November 2020.

The man who committed suicide was Nay Myo Oo, 35-years-old, who lived in Myaing Village, Ywar Ngan Township, and came back from Kyaukpadaung Township on 30 October 2020 so he was kept in a quarantine center at the Basic Education High School of the Myaing Township. While he was in the quarantine center, he failed to comply with rules, therefore he was transferred to the quarantine center of the staff housing owned by the Department of Urban and Housing Development from Zay Tan Quarter, Ywar Ngan Township.

According to the Zay Tan Quarter administration office, he committed suicide by using a Longyi (traditional clothes for men) near the toilet basin.

The Ywar Ngan Police Station has opened a case, number 9/2020, regarding the death.

(5 November 2020 – VOM/Burmese)

Woman in quarantine raped in Taunggyi Township

On 29 November 2020, an unidentified man raped a 33-years-old woman who was entering quarantine at Nan Waddy Women Ward, quarantine center of Taunggyi University, Taunggyi Township, Shan State.

While she was worshiping, a man entered the room and pointed at her neck with a knife and raped her. Moreover, he intimidated her “if you shout, I would kill you”. Then the man fled from the room.

U Than Min Soe, in-charge of the quarantine center at  Taunggyi University, said that the case is true and it has been filed now. “We are not sure yet as we are still investigating who committed it”.

At present, the woman who was raped has been taken to the hospital and the unidentified man who raped her was filed under section 376 of the Penal Code by the Taunggyi Myoma Police Station.

(30 November 2020 – VOM/Burmese)

Yangon

NLD MP files case against administrator in Seikgyi Kha Naung To Township

On 22 November, Township Administrator was charged under Natural Disaster Management Law by the Member of Parliament U Than Swe at Seikgyi Kha Naung To Township Police Station.

The reason for the complaint was that on 21 November 220, a family donated an ambulance for Seikyi Kha Naung To Township, and township authorities held a donation ceremony for receiving the ambulance with more than the regulated 30 people.

General Administrator Zaw Thein who was charged, said the ceremony was held in accordance with the rules and regulations issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports. 

(24 November 2020 – DVB/Brumese)

 Mandalay

Owner of private clinic charged under Natural Disaster Management Law in Nahtogyi Township

According to the Nahtogyi Myoma Police Station, an owner of the Pitauk War private clinic from No. 8 Ward, Nahtogyi Township, Mandalay Division was charged under section 30(a) of the Natural Disaster Management Law on 17 November 2020.

Dr. Kyaw Ko Ko who is the owner of the clinic and a nurse treated a woman who was found with COVID-19 from 21 October to 27 October 2020. Therefore, the authorities ordered them not to open the clinic and stay quarantined until 2 November 2020. But, they opened the clinic and treated patients without obeying the authorities’ restrictions so Nahtogyi Township Committee on Natural Disaster Management charged Dr. Kyaw Ko Ko on 17 November 2020.

(19 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

Man who withheld truth about trip was charged under Natural Disaster Management Law in Myingyan Township

On 17 November 2020, COVID-19 patient No. 788, was charged under section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law at Myingyan Myoma Police Station for lying about his travel history in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Division.

Even though he traveled to Yangon, he did not tell the truth about his trip, and some people got infected with COVID-19 from him. Therefore, the Health Department of Myingyan Township charged him on 17 November 2020. According to the Ministry of Health and Sports, he was tested and the result was COVID-19 positive on August 31, and further 57 people became infected from him.

(20 November 2020 – DVB/Burmese)

Illegal massage parlor charged for failing to comply with specified orders in Mandalay

According to sources, Maung Soe, 46-years-old, was operating an illegal massage parlor in his home from the corner of Ka Naung Min Thar Gyi street and 63rd street, (Nya) ward, Pyi Gyi Tagon Township, Mandalay Region. Therefore, some members of the police force and some members of the respective department went to Maung Soe’s house on 27 November 2020 at 10 pm and searched around the house.

They found Maung Soe (Manager), three men (staff), 12 women ( masseur), 6 men (customer), a Huawei phone, and 67,500 MMK. The case is being investigated under Section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law.

(1 December 2020 – Social Media of Mandalay Police/Burmese)

For more information:

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)

Aung Myo Kyaw In-Charge of AAPP Yangon Office +95 (0) 428117348

Zaw Moe In-Charge of Documentation and Research Department

Deputy of Foreign Affair   +95 (0) 979 588 1016