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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 2 OctOber 2024
Myanmar’s military government launches a census seen as a way

to gather information about opponents

By GRANT PECK tary government personnel
Associated Press who participate in the sur-
BANGKOK (AP) — Myan- vey.
mar’s military government Such guerrilla groups,
launched a nationwide which frequently target
census Tuesday, saying it people associated with
will be used to compile vot- the military, carried out at-
er lists for a general elec- tacks during a three-week
tion promised for next year, survey to compile voter
even though much of the lists in January 2023, when
country is engulfed in civil elections were still expect-
war. ed later that year. About
The census is widely seen a dozen people including
as an effort to gather infor- two police officers and lo-
mation to closely monitor cal officials were killed and
opponents of military rule four military personnel were
even more. captured during the at-
Census enumerators, most- tacks.
ly schoolteachers and lo- The military government
cal administrative workers, is widely viewed as hop-
went door-to-door in the ing the polls will legitimize
capital, Naypyitaw, ac- its rule, which began after
companied by soldiers and it seized power from the
police. A census enumerator, right, asks questions to a family in Naypyitaw, Myanmar Tuesday, Oct. 1, elected government of
State television MRTV re- 2024 as the country holds a national census to compile voter lists for a general election and to Aung San Suu Kyi in Febru-
ported Tuesday evening analyze population and socioeconomic trends. Associated Press ary 2021.
the census had been car- In a televised speech in ear-
ried out in all 14 of the tion” in complying with the say that all those who co- formation will face reprisals. ly September, Senior Gen.
country’s regions and survey. operate with the military The Chin Brotherhood Alli- Min Aung Hlaing, the head
states, and the initial col- “Whether they are doing council will be punished ance, which comprises five of the military government,
lected data is hoped to be it for the fake elections or according to the law be- ethnic Chin militias from the said the census information
released by the end of this census, they are doing it cause their action is similar northwestern Chin state, being gathered from Oct. 1
year. to terrorize the people, to encouraging and coop- and the Dawei Defense to Oct. 15 is crucial for com-
A group that leads the so don’t collaborate with erating with the military’s Team, a group from the piling voter lists for a gen-
struggle against military them in these matters,” said terrorist activities.” southern Tanintharyi region, eral election, but did not
rule, the shadow National Kyaw Zaw, a spokesperson Pro-democracy guerril- warned in statements last specify a date for the polls.
Unity Government, has ad- for the National Unity Gov- las have also warned that month that they will take He previously pledged to
vised people to use “cau- ernment. “I would like to those who help collect in- strong action against mili- hold an election in 2025.q

Rebel group in Congo generates $300,000 monthly in seized

mining area, UN official says

By MARK BANCHEREAU its control of a mining area ya mining area in eastern edge of “blood minerals” They staged a large offen-
Associated Press in the east of the country, a Congo, which holds de- being smuggled in its sup- sive in 2012 and took over
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A U.N. official said. posits of a key mineral used ply chain. the provincial capital of
rebel group in Congo gen- In April, the M23 a rebel in the production of smart- The decadeslong conflict Goma near the border with
erates around $300,000 a group with alleged links to phones and computers. in eastern Congo has pro- Rwanda, the same city
month in revenue through Rwanda seized the Ruba- Over 15% of the world’s duced one of the world’s they are threatening again.
supply of tantalum, a rare worst humanitarian crises, Congo alleges that Rwan-
metal extracted from with more than 120 armed da has been involved in
coltan, comes from Ruba- groups fighting for power, war crimes in the east and
ya, Bintou Keita, head of land and valuable mineral U.S. and U.N. experts ac-
the U.N. mission in Congo, resources while others try to cuse it of giving military
told the Security Council on defend their communities. backing to M23. Rwanda
Monday. Some armed groups have denies the claim, but in Feb-
“Unless international sanc- been accused of mass kill- ruary admitted that it has
tions are imposed on those ings, rapes and other hu- troops and missile systems
benefiting from this criminal man rights violations. The in eastern Congo to safe-
trade, peace will remain violence has displaced guard its security, pointing
elusive and civilians will some 6 million people in to a buildup of Congolese
continue to suffer,” Keita the country’s east. forces near the border.
said. M23, or the March 23 In July, U.N. experts estimat-
Tantalum is among the min- Movement, is a rebel mili- ed that between 3,000 and
erals that were identified tary group mainly made up 4,000 Rwandan govern-
M23, rebels, who control Rubaya, a mining town in eastern
Congo since May 2024 known for producing a key mineral earlier this year in a letter of ethnic Tutsis that broke ment forces are deployed
used in smartphones, stand with their weapons in Kibumba, in from Congo’s government away from the Congolese in eastern Congo along-
the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022. questioning Apple about army just over a decade side M23, which has been
Associated Press the tech company’s knowl- ago. making major advances.q