Weekly Press Release (8/2021)

16 July 2021

1. The Privatization Commission under the terrorist military junta is planning to sell off 23 state-owned properties by open tender. The NUG Ministry of Planning, Finance and Investment is advising no one to buy them as such action is not lawful. In its statement (5/2021)¹ of 9 July 2021, the Ministry has warned that it will nationalize those properties.
2. On 10 July 2021, the NUG Ministry of Electricity and Energy has announced (Statement 5/2021)² that it is cancelling various fees for petroleum and petroleum products.
3. The NUG Ministry of Health has now launched its COVID-19 Knowledge Centre, a Facebook page that will provide correct and beneficial information regarding COVID-19 for the public. All advice on prevention and control of the disease will be posted on this page.

The Ministry will answer questions related to COVID-19 submitted by the public between 9.00 am and 7.00 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays on the next working days, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Ministry of Health has also started TeleHealth (https://facebook.com/telehealthmm) , an online clinic that provides health care services for the public, including COVID-19 cases. The clinic is open daily from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. General practitioners and specialists have been treating up to 12 specialist cases.

Five Telegram channels will also be available from 16 July 2021 for exclusive COVID-19 consultations and treatments for the public. The ministry will launch COVID-19 Awareness Week (12 – 18 July 2021) under the theme of ‘Look after each other and beat COVID-19’ to respond to the fast-spreading coronavirus across the country. The campaign will ensure increased awareness of the guidelines published by the NUG Ministry of Health, observance and sharing of the information. It also promotes homemade fabric/cloth masks as it is increasingly difficult to buy surgical masks which are rising in price.

COVID-19 related posters and videos of the Ministry of Health are available on http://tinyurl.com/c19mohnug.

Meetings between the Ministry of Health and EHO teams, as well as political and social organisations, for the prevention, control and treatment of coronavirus disease have been held. A campaign, ‘Let me breathe freely’ is now organized and will begin soon.

This campaign will focus on denouncing the thuggish junta’s prohibition of refilling oxygen cylinders. COVID-19 patients need these urgently.

The ministry is also running a COVID-19 webinar series for health care works on three days a week. This is accessible at http://facebook.com/MoHNUGMyanmar.

The ministry also advises the public to stay at home for two weeks except for emergencies and follow the guidelines. 

4. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) has approved U Toe Aung’s nomination by the National Unity Government as Union Auditor General.

5. The NUG Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has announced that it has blacklisted (11) employees with statement(3/2021)³, (32) employees with statement(4/2021)⁴, (9) employees with statement(6/2021)⁵, (10) employees with statement(7/2021)⁷, (9) employees with statement(8/2021)⁸,who have been threatening those taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). The blacklisted employees also include those who are loyal to the military junta and continue working under the junta. Resolution no. 7 of the meeting held on 10 July 2021 agreed to take appropriate actions against these individuals based on their activities. On 12 July 2021, the NUG Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation submitted a report⁵ on the Nationally Determined Contributions – NDC programme regarding Myanmar’s efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

6. The Ministries of the NUG met civil society organizations on 12 July and obtained recommendations as to the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights.    

7. The National Commission on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) of the NUG has released announcement (1/2021)⁹ on 13 July and has warned the military junta about COVID-19 infections and deaths in prisons.

8. The NUG Ministry of Human Rights has issued a statement¹⁰ regarding measures in response to the third wave of COVID-19.

It states that people in Myanmar are deprived of their right to health, such as (1) the right to health without discrimination, (2) the right of everyone to obtain necessities for prevention of disease and health risks, (3) the right to access health products (4) health programmes that are community-based and accepted by the public (5) quality of health care services.

Such denial of the rights to health by the military junta constitutes a further violation of crimes against humanity. The ministry warns the regime to stop harassing health care organisations immediately and ensure that health care services are delivered to the people.

9. The NUG Ministry of Electricity and Energy has released announcement (6/2021)¹¹ on 14 July that it has dismissed nine employees who have been loyal to the junta. These individuals have oppressed, threatened, and sacked the employees participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. They also evicted these CDM participants from staff accommodation and coerced them to repay a salary advance for two months.

For further information

1. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/145212184366088

2. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/145863500967623

3. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/147099670844006

4. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/147819244105382

5. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/148482904039016

6. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/148681640685809

7. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/149418967278743

8. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/149378983949408

9. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/147877507432889

10. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/147933740760599

11. https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/148603070693666