Last week in the East Asia Pacific region, the Myanmar military clashed with the Chin National Organization/Chin National Defense Force (CNO/CNDF) in Chin state and the Cobra Column in Kayin state. In the Philippines, fighting between the communist New People’s Army (NPA) and state forces increased. In Thailand, violence continued in the Deep South, while protesters demonstrated against a violent police crackdown on anti-government demonstrators during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit the week prior. In China, violent clashes broke out between workers and security forces at the Foxconn iPhone factory in Henan province over local coronavirus restrictions and poor working conditions at the factory.
In Myanmar, fighting between the military and resistance groups was reported in Kachin, Chin, Kayin, and Mon states, and Sagaing, Bago, Magway, and Mandalay regions last week. In Kayin state, local resistance groups, under the command of the Cobra Column, attacked the military in Ba Lel Do village on 22 November, reportedly killing eight military soldiers and injuring 15 others (Irrawaddy, 24 November 2022). The attack came after an ambush by the military that same day resulted in the reported deaths of three members of the Cobra Column (Myanmar Now, 23 November 2022). The military also fired artillery and conducted airstrikes with Mi-35s in the area, injuring a Ba Lel Do villager. Clashes have been reported in the area since 20 November as the military advanced in an attempt to reoccupy the Thay Baw Boe military camp located on the Myawaddy-Wawlay-Thay Baw Boe road near the village (Myanmar Now, 25 November 2022). The camp was previously occupied by combined Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) and Cobra Column forces in May this year.
In Chin state, fighting continued between the military and the CNO/CNDF last week after the CNO/CNDF attempted to occupy the Tibual military camp in Falam township the week prior (Myanmar Now, 21 November 2022). Fighting intensified between the two actors on 22 and 23 November, reportedly leaving one soldier dead and two injured (Democratic Voice of Burma, 24 November 2022). Violence in Chin state is both common and highly volatile; it is considered an area of ‘extreme risk’ by ACLED’s Volatility and Risk Predictability Index. These trends contribute to the 177% increase in violent events in Chin state over the past week relative to the weekly average for the preceding month, as flagged by ACLED’s Subnational Surge Tracker.
Last week in the Philippines, fighting between NPA rebels and state forces increased, leading to at least 17 reported fatalities, including an alleged NPA executive committee member (Rappler, 23 November 2022). Both the military and the NPA allegedly attacked civilians during the fighting. In Guihulngan City, the military allegedly executed a red-tagged farmer, while the NPA reportedly shot dead a former Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team member it accused of being a military asset in Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental province. These trends contribute to the 125% increase in average weekly violent events in Soccsksargen in the past month relative to the weekly average for the preceding year flagged by ACLED’s Subnational Threat Tracker. The Subnational Tracker also warned of increased violence in Soccsksargen during the preceding four weeks.
Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris staged a visit to the Philippines from 21 to 22 November to discuss regional security, announcing a new maritime law enforcement assistance package. Harris asserted US military commitments to the Philippines and said that the US would defend the Philippines if attacked, particularly over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) (Manila Bulletin, 21 November 2022). Harris also visited Palawan Island, marking the highest-level US official visit to the area, which is the closest island to territorial waters disputed by the Philippines and China (Philippine Star, 22 November 2022). In response to Harris’s visit, leftist groups, including Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other allied organizations, held demonstrations in opposition to military agreements between the US and the Philippines, such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
In Thailand, several groups staged protests last week to denounce the Royal Thai Police for firing rubber bullets at anti-government, anti-APEC demonstrators the week prior. Led by Thalufah, a pro-democracy group, the protesters marched to several APEC members’ embassies and the United Nations (UN) in Bangkok on 22 November to submit a letter demanding international action over the violent intervention. Conversely, royalist protesters gathered to demand that Minister of Interior General Anupong Paochind investigate Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt for allowing anti-government activists to hold protests outside Bangkok City Hall during the APEC summit.
Meanwhile, in the Deep South, violent and destructive activities continued in Narathiwat province last week. On 19 November, rangers clashed with Malay Muslim Separatists during an operation in Chanae district, reportedly killing one separatist. On 22 November, suspected Malay Muslim separatists detonated a car bomb at a police flat complex in Mueang Narathiwat district, reportedly killing one officer and injuring 45 other officers and civilians.
In China, workers at Foxconn’s iPhone factory in Zhenghou, Henan province, demonstrated against poor living conditions and strict coronavirus policies requiring staff to live and work in a “closed-loop” system at the factory. During the demonstration, workers damaged Foxconn property and clashed with police. State forces dispersed the crowds with tear gas and water cannons while health officials in hazmat suits beat workers trying to leave the factory campus. Injuries occurred on both sides, and around 40 people were arrested (Mingpao, 24 November 2022). Shortly after the violent clash, the city of Zhengzhou put on a five-day lockdown (RFA, 23 November 2022).
Note: This dashboard automatically updates to cover the latest four weeks of data released by ACLED. Use the date filters to view data for the one-week period covered by this Regional Overview.
