Military trying to stop protest movement and cover up repression
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Despite killings, arrests and beatings overnight and fewer demonstrators in the streets, protests continue in Myanmar. Speaking to a foreign radio station, some monks said they had formed a "united front" of clergy, students and activists to continue the struggle whilst unconfirmed reports indicate some dissent in the military. In the meantime a plethora of statements are being issued by foreign governments and international organisations albeit with different points view. The junta’s friends, above all China and India, have expressed some criticism but remain cautious.
In Yangon an estimated 10,000 people gathered at midday near the Sule Pagoda, a flashpoint for the past 10 days. After police issued a verbal warning and fired warning shots, the crowd scattered. But the military government seems as concerned about foreign coverage of the events and the dissemination of images as it is about stopping protests. It is also worried about the rare cases of disobedience by soldiers who refuse to beat or shoot at people.
Sources told AsiaNews that troops are trying to force young people into the army, offering them money. Others have mentioned seeing troops under the influence of drugs.
In an attempt to stop news from getting out all internet points have been shut down; official reason: faulty undersea cables. This way, officials can justify cutting off private internet access.
All this, plus a crackdown on journalists, is raising fears of an even greater campaign of repression.
Still the military did make a small concession by granting UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari a visa to enter the country and look at the situation.
His trip comes after a mild rebuke by the Security Council, where China and Russia blocked stronger diplomatic censure, and a more strongly worded and unexpected statement from ASEAN.
The European Union said it was working on "targeted" sanctions against the military junta as the United States enacted measures against 14 top officials in the Myanmese ruling military regime.
Other Western governments have also issued warnings against the generals and in many countries demonstrations have taken place in front of Myanmese embassies.
Significantly, the number two of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Thich Quang Do, appealed to the United Nations and to the world to “take urgent action” and put to a stop the attacks, arrests and violence that the Myanmese government is inflicting on peaceful demonstrators.
Only China and India, who are heavily involved economically in the country, can really lean on the military junta
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said that Beijing was concerned about what is happening, and expressed hope that the parties exercise some moderation. But in its Chinese edition the Xinhua new agency stated that “the authorities of Myanmar are using moderation against protesting monks and have not used force against demonstrators.”
For its part India has cautiously called for “national reconciliation” and “political reforms” justifying its reticence by alluding to European and US sanctions.
In 1988, India was one of the staunchest supporters of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement when it was put down by a bloody crackdown. But this stance gave China an edge over India allowing Beijing to sign deals with Myanmese over natural gas and other raw materials. This time instead India’s Oil Minister Murli Deora was in Myanmar when the first hints of a popular movement against the generals began to appear.
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31/05/2021 11:25
07/05/2021 15:43
