Myanmar frees hundreds of political prisoners after ASEAN pressure
Reuters Myanmar’s military government has freed hundreds of political prisoners from the notorious Insein prison, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s party spokesman and a famous comedian Zarganar, local media reported. Minutes after military ruler Min Aung Hlaing’s speech on Monday, state television announced more than 5,600 people arrested or wanted over their roles in anti-coup […]
Pastor reported killed, town abandoned in Myanmar fighting; UN warns of humanitarian catastrophe
Bangkok, ThailandAP A Baptist pastor and three other men were killed and a town of 2,000 homes all but abandoned this past weekend in fighting in Myanmar’s western Chin State that escalated after a call for a nationwide uprising against the country’s military government, a resident said Thursday. People displaced by fighting in north-western Myanmar […]
Myanmar urged to avoid violence after junta opponents declare revolt
Reuters South-East Asian and Western countries have urged all sides in Myanmar to refrain from violence and allow in humanitarian aid, after a shadow government, formed by opponents of military rule, declared a nationwide uprising against the junta. The National Unity Government said on Tuesday it was launching a “people’s defensive war” in a bid to […]
Anti-military protests in Myanmar on anniversary of 1988 uprising
Reuters Protests against Myanmar’s military government broke out across the nation on Sunday, the anniversary of the bloody suppression of a 1988 uprising against a previous army junta. At least six separate protests were documented on Facebook pages of opponents of the military, which seized power from the elected government six months ago and detained its […]
Blinken calls on South-East Asian nations to take action on Myanmar
Hanoi, VietnamReuters The United States has “deep concerns” about the military coup in Myanmar and called on South-East Asian nations to take action to end violence and restore democracy in the country, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. The Association of Southeast Nations has been leading the main diplomatic effort on member country […]
Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi goes on trial
Reuters Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi went on trial on Monday, appearing unwell as the first witnesses took the stand in cases against her of illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios and breaking coronavirus protocols, her lawyer said. Suu Kyi, 75, faces a slew of charges since being overthrown by the army in a 1st […]
UN says estimated 100,000 displaced by Myanmar violence
Reuters The United Nations said on Tuesday an estimated 100,000 people in Myanmar’s Kayah state had been displaced by fighting that included “indiscriminate attacks by security forces” in civilian areas. Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup on 1st February, with daily protests in towns and cities and fighting in borderlands between the […]
Myanmar activists deride ASEAN-junta consensus, vow to continue protests
Reuters Myanmar’s pro-democracy activists sharply criticised an agreement between the country’s junta chief and South-East Asian leaders to end a violent post-coup crisis and vowed on Sunday to continue protesting. Some scattered protests took place in Myanmar’s big cities on Sunday, a day after the meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) with […]
ASEAN calls summit on Myanmar crisis as EU imposes sanctions
Reuters South-East Asian countries will discuss the crisis in Myanmar at a summit in Jakarta on Saturday, the ASEAN bloc’s secretariat said on Tuesday, after the European Union imposed its toughest sanctions yet on the junta that seized power there on 1st February. The 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been trying to […]
Myanmar unity government says it must be part of any ASEAN bid to end crisis
Reuters Myanmar’s newly formed government of national unity urged neighbouring countries to not recognise the junta that seized power in February and to negotiate with it instead as part of any attempt to solve the crisis that began with the coup. The 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been trying to find a […]