Min Aung Hlaing paid an unannounced visit to Putao in northernmost Kachin State, where he met briefly with some business people and members of the Kachin Culture Association before flying back to the capital Naypyidaw on a military plane on Wednesday. The regime leader said the area was important for tourism, animal husbandry and agriculture, and that the environment needed to be protected.
That day, he visited the Kawng Muu Loung Pagoda and Rawang National Museum but snubbed a breakfast meeting at the town hall.
A local source who requested anonymity said it was not open to the public. “Some officials organised a meeting with him, but finally, it was cancelled.”
The man said it was originally planned for Min Aung Hlaing to meet members of the Putao government and some others the previous evening when he first landed in the town, but it was postponed until 8am the next day. “They waited for him the whole morning and could not have breakfast. Some people were quite upset.”
Locals wanted to ask regime chief to stop the mining of precious metals such as gold and support agriculture sectors as well as providing more electricity for the entire Putao District.
Prior to arriving to Putao, Min Aung Hlaing visited Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.