The Inle Women's Union (IWU) has made a plea for the boycott of hotels associated with the Military Council in the Inle region, located in Nyaung Shwe Township, Southern Shan State.
Ma Kyoe Kyar, the secretary of IWU, explained that this request was made to bring attention to the visitors attending the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival, set to commence on October 15 in the Inle region.
"Now that the military has seized power, we do not endorse the military, and we will oppose anyone associated with the military regime. This is why we are taking a stand against hotels owned by military-affiliated families and those that support the military. Additionally, we believe that the hotel fees paid by festival attendees will indirectly contribute to the procurement of weapons and ammunition by the military, hence we consider it 'blood money,'" stated Ma Kyoe Kyar, the secretary of IWU.
The Inle Women's Union (IWU) highlighted that the hotels connected to the military council include Anata Inla, Paramount Inle Resort, Amazing Nyaung Shwe, Amazing Innlay (owned by U Aung Myo Min Din), Aureum Palace, and Myanmar Treasure (owned by U Tay Za), KMA INLE Hotel (owned by U Khin Maung Aye), GIC 1+2 (owned by Pa-O National Organization - PNO), Shwe Inn Tha, and Ann Heritage Lodge (owned by Inn National League Party Chairman Daw Tin Yi).
The list also includes Pristine Lotus Resort, which is under the ownership of Daw Nandar Aye, the daughter of former Vice Senior General U Maung Aye, and Inle Garden Hotel, owned by the former intelligence officer Daw Tin Mar Myint. Ostello Bello Nyaung Shwe is in the possession of former Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission U Htin Kyaw, and 81 Hotel belongs to MRTV 4 shareholder U Than Aung. Royal Nyaung Shwe is owned by the daughter of former Information Minister U Kyaw San, Daw Thin Kyi San, while Good Will is the property of Inn National League Party founder U Tin Aung Kyaw. Lastly, Myat Mingalar is under the ownership of the daughter of the former military dictator, U Than Shwe.
The IWU encourages visitors to consider staying at alternative hotels rather than the specified 18 hotels.
The festival scheduled for October 15 in the Inle region is not organized by the local community, but rather by a group affiliated with supporters of the Military Council. In light of this, the IWU has requested that people refrain from actively participating in the event.
"Regarding the Pagoda Festival, if the local people say that they should do the Pagoda Festival because it has not been held for a long time, they should do it calmly according to their own traditions. We do not want this kind of festival to be led by the Military Council. At a time when the entire country is enduring the hardships of war and suffering due to Min Aung Hlaing's actions, if the Inle region goes ahead with the festival on its own, it may give the impression that the region is aligning with the Military Council,” stated Ma Kyoe Kyar.
Amid plans by the Military Council and its supporters to organize the Inle Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival, residents and local resistance forces, such as the Inle People's Defense Force (IPDF), have made a recent request in the final week of September for the festival to be conducted only according to a minimal and brief format. due to the prevailing political circumstances.
According to the trustees, the Inle Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival is set to commence its journey to 21 locations within the Inle region on October 15. It will subsequently conclude its 17-day expedition, returning to the Phaung Daw U Monastery on November 1.
