Information Team of State Administration Council holds press conference 3/2021
Nay Pyi Taw March 23
Information Team of the State Administration Council held its press conference 3/2021 at the Ministry of Information this afternoon. Leader of the team Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, member of Union Election Commission U Khin Maung Oo and representatives of the departmental information teams answered thequestions of the media.
Before the start of the press conference, official made health and spacing arrangements. At the press conference, leader of the team Brig-Gen Zaw MinTun explained the assumption of the duties of the State by the State Administration Council due to the electoral fraud and vote rigging in the 2020 election in the whole country, the ignorance of the Tatmadaw’s calls for solving the problem in accord with the law and finding an answer through negotiations in accord with the democratic practices, and the coming out of the request to solve the problemthrough negotiations at the timeonly when the situation reaches the current level. He said peaceful demonstrations in some cities tuned into riots, then into anarchic mobs, and then into rebels. The armed vandals destroyed six public offices,30 police stations, 12 police posts and five buildings in 30 townships and committed school torching for three time, bridge burning for one time, destroyed ATMs and banks for two times, communication tower forone time, fire station for one time, cars for four times, torched homes for two times, destroyed shops for two times and rail tracks for two times. As railways are important transport links of the country, destroying them is so harmful to the nation.
Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun said mobs also burned down 10 garment factories, two factories manufacturing machines for garment factories, one electronic apparatus factory, one fertilizer factory, one bag factory, one penang bag factory, one cock factory, totaling 17 in Yangon Region from 14 to 19 March. Tensof thousands of people including workers of the factories and theirdependents lost jobs or face troubles.
In addition to destroying or looting the factories which are important production forces of the countryset up with local and foreign investments, they also tried to blockthe fire engines.
Five policemen lost their lives and 163 were wounded and foursoldiers and one family memberalso fell due to violent attacks. There was cyber bullying, and 33 men and two women living peacefully were alleged as informants andbrutally killed. A total of 44 werekilled and 163 were injured. Thealleged police informers were shaved, hung a poster around the neck or tattooed the face to shame them permanently. Mobs also shot at security forces, launched violent attacks against police stations, and tried to destroy all evidence,which were intentional acts. Lethal weapons and tools used during the violent attacks could be exposed at various places. There were death and injuries due to violent attacks andinnocent patients died because of the lack of treatment caused by thefailures to abide by the ethnic and serve the duties, he said.
He quoted Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander- in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in his meeting with officers, other ranks and their families from Myeik and Kyunsu townships of Taninthayi Region and Cocogyun Township in Yangon Region over the past week as saying that the duties of the Tatmadaw are being carrying out in accord with the law. “Democracy is exercised in accord with the will of the majority of people. But thewish of the majority should be a genuine and sincere politics. If it is insincere, it is difficulty to call such politics as democracy.” “Thereare behind-the-scene instigationsthat encourage young people to commit acts harming their own race, language, religion and culture and create riots and chaos. And such acts are detrimental to the State.”He then clarified the need for the youth to beware of the politicians’ tricks and incitements and to know their aims and future.
He also explained some media’s instigations and intentional spreading of fake news although they need to write impartially and avoid publishing any news harming State peace and tranquility and rule of law, their attempt to hide news coverage about incidents such as protesters’ arson attacks, burning those with car tyres around their bodies by branding them as decoys, piercing their eyes and killing them and torturing and killing a woman earning her livelihood in an honest way and their publishing of one-sided news. As the CRPH has been declared by the Ministry of Home Affairs as an unlawful association, the media’s broadcasting and publishing of news with intent to aid and abet this association will be an offence under Section 17(1) of the unlawful association law, he said.
He then clarified losses the State is suffering as the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation uses State-owned land without paying appropriate rent, construction of a home with the useof foundation funds that goes against its original aims such as promotionof public health, education and social life, ongoing detailed investigation into its monetary affairs. Next, he explained presentation of video clip in which Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein himself testified that he gave US$-600,000 and seven viss (11.431 kilograms) of gold academy brand to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
He continued to explain ongoing investigation into the bribery cases and malpractices committed by some members of union and region/ state level organizations, the Anti- Corruption Commission’s ongoing investigations into corruption casescommitted by former Chief Ministers such as Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint, U Win Thein, U Nyi Pu and NayPyi Taw Council Chairman Dr MyoAung and activities carried out bysome administrators from NLD and their hardcore members regardingvoting fraud. The explanation wasmade with the help of PowerPointpresentations and video clips.
Afterwards, Member of the UEC U Khin Maung Oo explained the tasks carried out by the UEC, voting irregularities before and after the2020 election, incidents of coercionthat led to voting irregularities, finding of the probes into voter’slists and video clips and evidencerevealed by victims of coercionwho were forced to be involved in voting irregularities during theelection.
Then, Member of the UEC U KhinMaung Oo, Leader of the InformationTeam of the SAC Brig-GenZaw Min Tun and representativesof the information teams of relevantdepartments responded to questionsraised by reporters who attended the press conference. Then the press conference came to an end.
Information and facts about the press conference, activitiesof the current UEC, evidence and findings of the probes into voter’s lists and home-made weapons andequipment used in violent protests were displayed at the press conferencefor reporters who may need them tomake references in news reporting.
Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun conducted the attendees to the press conferenceround the conference hall. Present at the press conferencewere members of the InformationTeam of the State AdministrationCouncil, representatives from the relevant ministries, officials of theTatmadaw Information Team, invited guests, reporters from local news agencies, dailies and television channels and local-based foreign news agencies.
Details of the Question & Answer session of the press conference will be released later.