While eight more are killed in Myanmar, Indonesia’s Widodo calls for a return to democracy
Security forces shot dead seven people In Aungban, another died in hospital from serious injuries. Yesterday one death was reported in Yangon, one in Monywa and one in Bao. So far, at least 232 people have been killed, and 2,258 activists or protesters have been arrested with 1,938 still in prison. Some 37 journalists have also been arrested.
Yangon (AsiaNews) – Security forces killed eight more people this morning in Aungban (southern Shan State) during a protest against the coup. Meanwhile, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called for a return to democracy in Myanmar and vowed to push the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take action.
In Aungban, soldiers fired tear gas followed by lethal bullets to disperse protesters. Seven people were killed outright, while another died in hospital from serious injuries. One death was reported yesterday in Yangon and two in Monywa and Bago.
According to the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP), at least 232 people have been killed in the weeks of unrest that followed the coup on 1 February, with 2,258 activists or demonstrators arrested. Of these, 1,938 are still in prison.
In a televised speech, Indonesian President Widodo called for democracy to be restored in Myanmar and for violence to be stopped. He also pledged to ask ASEAN’s current chair, the Sultan of Brunei, to hold a high-level meeting to discuss the Myanmar crisis.
Until now, ASEAN has avoided taking any clear position towards the junta, upholding the principle of "non-interference" in a country's internal affairs; however, the regional organisation has also called for an end to violence, fearing that tensions in Myanmar might spill over into its neighbours with refugees and a negative impact on the economy.
Yesterday, in a video conference with other South-East Asian defence chiefs, the head of the Indonesian Armed Forces, General Hadi Tjahjanto, expressed concern about the situation in Myanmar.
General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's Armed Forces and current leader of the military junta responsible for the coup, took part in the conference, the first of its kind held in public.
In Myanmar, activists and protesters accuse ASEAN of doing nothing and are scathing of the positions adopted by some foreign ministers (e.g., Singapore and Indonesia), who are only calling for an end to the violence, but would allow the ruling military to stay in power until fresh elections are held under the latter.
By doing so, they are de facto supporting the junta, which has refused to recognise the November 2020 elections, which saw the National League for Democracy win by a landslide.
In Myanmar itself, the military is showing increasing signs of frustration. Solders are forcing residents in some neighbourhoods to remove barricades from the streets.
In many cities, such as Mandalay, barricades have been removed and rebuilt. A few hours ago, a video was posted online showing a man forced to pick up sandbags, pushed to the ground and kicked to force him to drag away the bags.
In order to stop news and videos, the junta has blocked the internet and continues to arrest journalists. According to the UN Human Rights Office, 37 journalists were arrested this week, 19 of whom are still in prison.
Today, two more journalists were arrested in Naypyidaw, the capital. One of them is Aung Thura, of the BBC, but so far the broadcaster has not confirmed the information.
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