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The article discusses the complex situation in Myanmar's central Dry Zone, focusing on the village of Saing Nai Gyi controlled by the National Unity Government's grassroots organs. It highlights instances of internecine fighting, abuses, and tensions among various resistance groups, including the Pa-Thone-Lone and People's Defense Forces. The text also addresses allegations of abuse, factionalism, and the challenges faced by the NUG in addressing grievances while emphasizing the importance of strengthening the NUG to uphold democratic ideals amidst the ongoing conflict. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the allegations, denials, and silence surrounding the burning of Buthidaung in Myanmar's Rakhine State. The Arakan Army (AA) captured the town, and Rohingya activists accused the AA of arson and forced displacement. The AA denied the allegations and blamed the fires on regime air strikes. The article highlights the complex dynamics and reactions from different groups, including resistance organizations and netizens, and emphasizes the need for impartial investigations to address the allegations and prevent further sectarian violence. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the current situation in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State in Myanmar, as resistance forces approach the city. Many residents are seeking to leave due to the ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military. The AA has captured most of northern and central Rakhine, leading to an exodus of people from Sittwe. The military has imposed a blockade, cutting off food, medicine, and fuel supplies to the region. The article also mentions the displacement of Rohingya and other ethnic communities, as well as allegations of collaboration between the military and Rohingya militant groups. [Extracted from the article]

NUG supporters also allege that the junta is deliberately exacerbating the economic crisis to stifle domestic resistance, with donations to anti-regime channels having dried up across the board. February 1 marked two years since Myanmar's military, the Tatmadaw, launched a disastrous putsch that has plunged the country into broader strife and economic meltdown. There is little public faith in the SAC being able to put the brakes on Myanmar's economic meltdown and regime opponents expect that a Sri Lanka-style debt crisis is just a matter of time, despite optimistic regime statements. [Extracted from the article]

Thus, while junta mouthpieces incessantly cover seizures of contraband substances and put up a show of cracking down on illegal trade, merchants allege that security checkpoints up and down major routes are making handsome profits from smugglers and criminal enterprises. The junta has deployed many patrols and checkpoints across major cities and imposed martial law in six Yangon townships but has done little to tackle crime. [Extracted from the article]

There is also a deep-rooted lack of trust toward ASEAN, as activists have long accused the grouping of shielding the military's abuses and member states of benefiting from Myanmar's misfortunes. Post-coup Myanmar has become something of a "Brahma's head" for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). [Extracted from the article]

Netizens have also lampooned the U.N. and Western countries for their inaction on Myanmar and perceived difference in responding to the crises in Ukraine and Myanmar. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent humanitarian catastrophe have become major topics of interest for Burmese netizens. Those involved in resistance efforts against the State Administration Council (SAC), as Myanmar's junta styles itself, have portrayed Ukraine as being intimately linked to their own country's political struggle. [Extracted from the article]

As crowds began amassing across Myanmar's towns and cities a year ago to protest the military's brazen power grab on February 1, 2021, there was a widely shared sense of enthusiastic defiance. Firebrand anti-junta voices have called for a complete cessation of all activities, including health and livelihood projects, in order to deny the junta any opportunity to claim a return to normalcy. As most anti-junta platforms including the NUG's media arms are hosted online, the junta has moved to choke the country's internet access through internet shutdowns, firewalls, and fee hikes. Health workers walked out of public hospitals and COVID-19 centers to launch the widespread Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), echoing the view that military rule was the root of all of Myanmar's ills. [Extracted from the article]