Josh Sheehan 🪷🌳🏳️‍⚧️🎸🐕🧡

(I know this seems trivial to some with the headline seemingly being updated quickly, but circulations of this original embed could still mislead those not aware of the situation.

also inb4 the junta at some point cites Reuters echoing of this as corroboration of their claim)

ugh… while I see it’s been updated now, here’s another case of a major outlet initially using a dangerously misleading headline that simply parrots junta claims, leaving out that there’s no evidence of their claims (& evidence in fact contrary to the regime’s response to the UN).

I am pleased to announce that my book on the Vietnamese military is finally out. It's been a long road. Thanks to all who have helped and encouraged me along the way for what was originally written as an in-house primer for my
National War College students.
www.rienner.com/title/The_Vi...

YouTube video by Mongabay Young activists risk all to defend Cambodia’s environment

CAMBODIA: beautiful doc from @mongabay.com to mark one year since 5 Mother Nature Cambodia activists were imprisoned.

the scene towards the end of Ly & Phuon playing, laughing, & joking together about scenarios of (again) being imprisoned somehow manages to be equally dark & heartwarming...

MYANMAR: amidst reports of localized clashing between CNDF & CDF-Hualngoram over old territorial disputes, both Chin Brotherhood & Chinland Council have put out statements requesting peaceful resolution, condemning the use of violence to resolve their disputes, & advising no one else participate.

MYANMAR: Unfortunately, as KNDF was able to capture Hpasawng in South Karenni (below post), reports indicate that the junta has meanwhile retaken control (after 9 months of efforts) of Moebye -- located near the Shan/Karenni border & on the road to Karenni's largest city, Loikaw.

MYANMAR/CHINA: Reps of junta-partnered PNO (Pa'O National Org) are in China on apparent invite of the CPC, despite that their armed wing PNA seems guilty of more heinous war crimes than any other in Myanmar except the junta.

Arakan Front & Karen People's Party reps also visiting China.

“Although this was the first time female comrades fought in an offensive on a junta position, women have also participated in other guerrilla-style battles. But this was a bigger battle, and more wome... An interview with PLA General Secretary Comrade Ni Ni Kyaw on the hard-fought capture of Kan Daunt Police Station in Pale Township The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and allied resistance groups captu...

MYANMAR: an English transcription of a recent interview (by The Shanni Voice) with PLA's press secretary.

when asked about collaboration with other allies: "we understand each other’s perspectives, and there’s a shared understanding that we must fight this common enemy together..." (more in reply)

MYANMAR: I had forgotten, for obvious reasons, that both the junta & TNLA were, by declaration, in ceasefire until July 1.

Convenient that junta strikes escalated the past week alongside a renewed offensive on Nawnghkio...

also no joint talks reportedly until August, leaving much opening in July.

. @interpol.int reports of increasing globalization of "scam centres", with operations continuing to expand to the Middle East, West Africa, & Central America: www.interpol.int/en/News-and-...

they also note an increasing use of AI by scam operations.

Cambodia: Stellar article as usual here from Sarah!

"In wet markets teeming with live birds, slaughterhouses butchering pigs and even limestone caves home to millions of bats, scientists are deploying air samplers to capture a snapshot of the pathogens lurking in the atmosphere..."

Thailand raises river pollution and call centre gangs at RBC meeting Thailand raised the issues of toxic contamination in the Kok and Sai rivers, as well as transnational call centre gangs, during the 37th Thai-Myanmar Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting in Chiang ...

Thailand/Myanmar: a "37th Thai-Myanmar Regional Border Committee" is being held July 2-4 to discuss "contamination of the Kok & Sai rivers [occurring from activity upstream in Myanmar]" & also discuss the matter of "cross-border call centre gangs".

www.nationthailand.com/news/general...

Myanmar opposes Timor Leste’s ASEAN membership Myanmar has officially informed Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, that it will not support Timor Leste’s accession in October, according to informed sources.

"According to the sources, the State Administration Council (SAC) urged Timor Leste to “refrain” from engaging with entities that are explicitly opposed to or in conflict with the positions of ASEAN member states."

world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/myanm...

The war from the sky: How drone warfare is shaping the conflict in Myanmar

The resistances use of drones in Myanmar has been widespread & given them capabilities that they have been key to some of their successes.
The junta have also ramped up their use of drones in recent years...
Good piece from Su Mon on the drone war in Myanmar

tacking on KNDF’s statement on the incident, where they claim to have “shot down” the plane (a Chinese-made FTC-2000G) & found two pilots dead within the wreckage.

no apparent specification on how it was “shot down”.

Just to be clear, there is zero chance of credible elections in Myanmar. If any govt or agency is waiting to see what happens in the junta’s sham “election,” stop. No decision should be based on that.

YouTube video by FRANCE 24 English China's love for jade: Coveted gemstones smuggled out of Myanmar • FRANCE 24 English

MYANMAR/CHINA: a short peek at the very lucrative (for some) jade industry.

"According to Chinese media, a third of Ruili's population works in the jade industry."

"up to 90 percent of global supply of the precious stone is mined in the country's northern Kachin state"

MYANMAR: to any who still expect "political solution" between the junta & NUG:

junta-"neutral" CNI argues the regime cannot negotiate with NUG on account of "NUG has demanded that the Tatmadaw must not participate in politics": cnimyanmar.com/index.php/en...

a point which NUG today reiterated:

meanwhile, junta-allied SNA posted days ago about holding a vaccination clinic in their territory, with one picture clearly showing a batch of polio vaccines.

(note: of course it's good vaccines are being administered here, but it insinuates possibility/likelihood of vaccines being weaponized)

CAMBODIA: b... but Samdech... what of this bomb which certainly remains at your feet (even if he thinks he's deflected it)?: www.amnesty.org/en/documents...

One Year On, Mother Nature Cambodia Activists Remain Behind Bars as Families and NGOs Demand Their Release | CamboJA News One year after five Mother Nature Cambodia activists were imprisoned, civil society groups and families are calling for their immediate release. To mark the anniversary of their detention, rights grou...

for more background, see the below piece from CamboJA (Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association)

"It has been one year since 5 youth activists from Mother Nature Cambodia ... were arrested on July 2, 2024, & sentenced between 6 & 8 years in prison for “plotting” & “insulting the King""...

YouTube video by Mongabay Young activists risk all to defend Cambodia’s environment

CAMBODIA: beautiful doc from @mongabay.com to mark one year since 5 Mother Nature Cambodia activists were imprisoned.

the scene towards the end of Ly & Phuon playing, laughing, & joking together about scenarios of (again) being imprisoned somehow manages to be equally dark & heartwarming...

MYANMAR: amidst reports of localized clashing between CNDF & CDF-Hualngoram over old territorial disputes, both Chin Brotherhood & Chinland Council have put out statements requesting peaceful resolution, condemning the use of violence to resolve their disputes, & advising no one else participate.

Fresh encroachment in Jorhat's Dissoi forest: Student body warns of economic blockade Assam govt’s inaction draws flak; union threatens economic blockade over unresolved Nagaland border issue

INDIA: sad to see apparent further dispossession & neglect of Assam's Tai Ahom people -- distantly related to those referred to as "Shan" in Myanmar (both of Tai descent).

“The situation is worsening every day. We've kept the authorities informed, but there’s been no action..."

MYANMAR: Unfortunately, as KNDF was able to capture Hpasawng in South Karenni (below post), reports indicate that the junta has meanwhile retaken control (after 9 months of efforts) of Moebye -- located near the Shan/Karenni border & on the road to Karenni's largest city, Loikaw.

KNU posted this image where they have been reportedly training defectors from the Junta's Aung Zeya column counteroffensive against the KNU on the Asia Highway 1

How Foreign Scammers Use U.S. Banks to Fleece Americans Asian crime syndicates’ online scams have reached industrial proportions, cheating victims around the world out of more than $44 billion a year. U.S. banks have been unable to stop them.

There are “no real standards as to what a bank has to do for detecting fraud or money laundering,” said Lester Joseph, a financial compliance consultant who used to oversee money laundering cases at the DOJ and later worked at Wells Fargo.

MYANMAR: "It is the first known polio case in Myanmar since 2019."

"those on the ground said the protracted conflict may make it difficult to trace the virus"

"The worst part of the situation is that these are absolutely vaccine preventable"

MYANMAR/CHINA: Reps of junta-partnered PNO (Pa'O National Org) are in China on apparent invite of the CPC, despite that their armed wing PNA seems guilty of more heinous war crimes than any other in Myanmar except the junta.

Arakan Front & Karen People's Party reps also visiting China.

Our newest @channelnewsasia.bsky.social report: Thailand's new cabinet was sworn in today, with only a caretaker PM and no Defense Minister in the middle of a political crisis and seemingly no parliamentary stability either - as it tries to navigate some choppy political waters.