NUG vows to block revived Myitsone Dam, warning project sacrifices Myanmar’s "lifeblood" to China

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Mizzima The National Unity Government (NUG) has issued a stern warning against the military junta’s attempts to restart the long-suspended Myitsone Dam project , characterized by NUG spokesperson U Nay Phone Latt as a desperate move to trade the nation’s “heart and lifeblood” for Chinese backing. Speaking on the “ Reporting to the Public and International Community ” program on 6 January 2026, U Nay Phone Latt declared that any international agreements signed by the “terrorist military junta” are legally void and that investors will be held solely responsible for any subsequent financial losses. The spokesperson detailed catastrophic environmental risks, noting that blocking the natural flow of silt would lead to severe soil degradation across the Ayeyarwady Region and allow seawater intrusion to destroy the agricultural viability of the Delta . Furthermore, the NUG highlighted the lethal threat posed by the dam’s location near the Sagaing Fault ; experts warn that a structural failu...
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ARSA detains Maungdaw residents and guides near Myanmar-Bangladesh border

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Mizzima

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) abducted six residents from Maungdaw and three local guides on 4 January 2026, while they were traveling toward the Rakhine–Bangladesh border for medical treatment. According to the Global Arakan Network (GAN), the group was intercepted near Border Post 42 on the Bangladesh side of the border.

While five of the detainees – the three Bangladeshi guides and two Maungdaw men – managed to escape or were released that same night, two women and a nine-year-old child remain in ARSA custody.

“There is only ARSA operating in this area. Five men, including three Bangladeshi guides, have been released, but it appears they are unable to secure the release of the remaining detainees. We are trying to establish contact,” a source familiar with the incident told Mizzima on 6 January.

Released detainee Ko Yan Naung Soe reported that the men were subjected to beatings during their time in captivity. While the women and child were not physically harmed, ARSA members reportedly robbed the group of their gold and silver valuables.

The missing residents have been identified as Daw Thandar Soe, Daw Soe Soe Khaing, and her son, Maung Wai Yan Lin. This abduction occurs amid heightening tensions in northern Rakhine State, where ARSA continues to clash with the Arakan Army (AA) along the border following the AA’s complete capture of Maungdaw in late 2025.

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