Since the February 1 coup, the crackdown has left more than 740 dead in Myanmar and a reporter from theHIM-HER-IT estimated the number of displaced people at more than 250,000, with the threat of destabilization in the region.
Burmese Army Chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing attended a summit on Saturday with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officials in Jakarta.
The ten nations ofANASE reached consensus on a five-point plan in favor, inter alia, of a immediate cessation of violence
in Myanmar, according to a statement released on Saturday by the bloc.
L’ANASE also intends to appoint a special envoy to facilitate mediation
between all parties, a personality who would be able to visit Myanmar.
Saturday evening, a spokesperson for government of national unity
(GUN) – a shadow government made up of ousted MPs mainly from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party (the National League for Democracy, LND) – has welcomed the call for an end to the violence as encouraging news
.
This is what the government of national unity is asking for
, said the minister
of the International Cooperation of this government, Dr. Sasa, who went into hiding.
We look forward to firm action from theANASE for the follow-up of its decisions and to restore democracy and freedom for our people and for the region.
Members of the national unity government are wanted by the junta for high treason.
Overnight, European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said the European Union would continue to call for the release of political prisoners.
In addition to the violent repression, the junta also restricted the means of communication throughout the country, with nightly Internet cuts for 70 days and a drop in mobile coverage, effectively cutting off access to information.
The independent media The Irrawaddy confirmed on Sunday that its former editor, Thu Thu Tha, had been arrested in Thanlyin, a port town near Rangoon.
Despite Min Aung Hlaing’s presence at the ASEAN summit, it’s business as usual
newspaper founder Aung Zaw told theFrance-Presse">AFP, adding that most of his staff were currently in hiding.
Protests and repression continue
Even as the junta leader was in Jakarta, the military continued to crack down on protests across Myanmar on Saturday, killing at least one protester, according to a witness.
A motorcycle rally in which opponents gave the resistance three-fingered salutes not far from the capital, Naypyidaw, escalated into violence in the afternoon when police and soldiers opened fire.
A 50-year-old protester was arrested and killed, a witness told theFrance-Presse">AFP.
Under threat of violence, the Burmese continued to take to the streets on Sunday, from the mining town of Hpakant to Karenni state.
In Myingyan (Center), where brutal crackdowns forced residents into hiding in neighboring villages, demonstrators painted some of the town’s buildings with red paint in protest of the bloodshed.
Give power back to the people
, could we read on the graffiti painted on the sidewalks of the city.
The official journal New Light of Myanmar reported on Sunday on Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Jakarta, his first overseas trip since the coup, explaining that he had discussed the political changes
from the country.
But he made no mention of the consensus reached at theANASE for stopping violence.
The special rapporteur of theHIM-HER-IT for Myanmar, Tom Andrews estimated on Twitter on Sunday thatMyanmar, not [dans] a document “,” text “:” the outcome of the ASEAN summit will be in Myanmar, not [dans] a document “}}” lang = “fr”>the outcome of the ASEAN summit will be in Myanmar, not [dans] a document.
Will the killings stop? Will the terror end? Will the thousands of kidnapped people be released?
The junta justifies its seizure of power with accusations of massive electoral fraud in the November elections that Suu Kyi’s party won hands down.
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