INSIDER
Death toll in Myanmar from Typhoon Yagi reaches 74. Dozens of other people are missing
Read full article: Death toll in Myanmar from Typhoon Yagi reaches 74. Dozens of other people are missingState-television in Myanmar says the death toll in the military-run country from flooding and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi has reached at least 74.
China's foreign minister meets with Myanmar's military boss as civil war strains their relations
Read full article: China's foreign minister meets with Myanmar's military boss as civil war strains their relationsChina’s top diplomat has visited Myanmar and met with the leader of its military government as growing instability from the neighboring country’s civil war causes concern in Beijing.
Strategically important Myanmar military HQ appears to fall to the resistance, in a blow to regime
Read full article: Strategically important Myanmar military HQ appears to fall to the resistance, in a blow to regimeMyanmar’s military regime says it has lost communications with the commanders of a strategically important army headquarters in the northeast.
Myanmar's military regime extends state of emergency by 6 months as civil war rages
Read full article: Myanmar's military regime extends state of emergency by 6 months as civil war ragesThe military regime that seized power in Myanmar 3 1/2 years ago extended a state of emergency in the civil war-wracked country for another six months, saying it needs time to prepare for long-promised elections.
Strife-torn Myanmar marks 77th anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung San
Read full article: Strife-torn Myanmar marks 77th anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung SanMyanmar’s military government has held a wreath-laying ceremony in the country’s largest city to mark the 77th anniversary of the assassination of the country’s fallen independence heroes, including Gen. Aung San, the father of the country’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ethnic guerrillas in Myanmar look set to seize an important town on the Thai border from military
Read full article: Ethnic guerrillas in Myanmar look set to seize an important town on the Thai border from militaryGuerrilla fighters from Myanmar’s Karen ethnic minority are claiming to be close to seizing control of a major trading town bordering Thailand.
Myanmar resistance group says its drones hit targets in the capital, but army says it shot them down
Read full article: Myanmar resistance group says its drones hit targets in the capital, but army says it shot them downMyanmar’s main pro-democracy resistance group says its armed wing launched drone attacks on the airport and a military headquarters in the capital, Naypyitaw.
Many in Myanmar consider fleeing to Thailand to escape conscription into an army they despise
Read full article: Many in Myanmar consider fleeing to Thailand to escape conscription into an army they despiseEver since Myanmar's military announced it is implementing conscription to fill its ranks, Thwel sees very few options.
Myanmar will start drafting 5,000 people a month into the military soon. Some think of fleeing
Read full article: Myanmar will start drafting 5,000 people a month into the military soon. Some think of fleeingMyanmar’s military government says it will draft 60,000 young men and women yearly for military service under its newly activated conscription law, with call-ups beginning after the April festival marking the country’s traditional New Year.
Myanmar resistance movement senses the tide is turning against the military 3 years after takeover
Read full article: Myanmar resistance movement senses the tide is turning against the military 3 years after takeoverWhen the army overthrew Myanmar’s elected government in 2021, it looked like a walkover that could entrench the military in power indefinitely.
Myanmar's resistance forces suggest terms for the military's eventual handover of power
Read full article: Myanmar's resistance forces suggest terms for the military's eventual handover of powerMyanmar’s leading resistance group and allied ethnic armed groups battling the military government have released a political road map to ending military rule and enabling a peaceful transition of power.
Myanmar's military is losing ground against coordinated nationwide attacks, buoying opposition hopes
Read full article: Myanmar's military is losing ground against coordinated nationwide attacks, buoying opposition hopesA major offensive against Myanmar's military-run government by an alliance of three militias of ethnic minorities has been moving at lightning speed, inspiring resistance forces around the country to attack.
Military-ruled Myanmar hosts joint naval exercise with Russia, its close ally and top arms supplier
Read full article: Military-ruled Myanmar hosts joint naval exercise with Russia, its close ally and top arms supplierState media in Myanmar says the military-run Southeast Asian nation is holding its first joint naval exercise with Russia.
Myanmar's military seeks to keep ethnic minority allies on its side with anniversary of cease-fire
Read full article: Myanmar's military seeks to keep ethnic minority allies on its side with anniversary of cease-fireMyanmar’s military government has hosted representatives from ethnic rebel groups to mark the eighth anniversary of the signing of a multilateral cease-fire agreement.
Myanmar's military-led government extends state of emergency, forcing delay in promised election
Read full article: Myanmar's military-led government extends state of emergency, forcing delay in promised electionMyanmar’s military-controlled government has extended the state of emergency it imposed when the army seized power from an elected government 2 1/2 years ago, forcing a further delay in elections it promised when it took over.
Myanmar's generals unveil giant Buddha statue as they seek to win hearts and minds during civil war
Read full article: Myanmar's generals unveil giant Buddha statue as they seek to win hearts and minds during civil warThe military-controlled government of strife-torn Myanmar has unveiled a new giant statue of a sitting Buddha that is scheduled to be consecrated on Aug. 1.
Ex-UN head Ban Ki-moon urges army to end Myanmar violence
Read full article: Ex-UN head Ban Ki-moon urges army to end Myanmar violenceFormer U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Myanmar’s ruling military to take the initiative in finding a way out of the country’s violent political crisis after a surprise meeting with the army leader who seized power two years ago.
Myanmar junta dissolves Suu Kyi's party, much of opposition
Read full article: Myanmar junta dissolves Suu Kyi's party, much of oppositionMyanmar’s military governmenttook another major step in its ongoing attempts to cripple its political opponents on Wednesday , dissolving dozens of opposition parties including that of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for failing to meet a registration deadline ahead of elections.
Myanmar extends state of emergency, delaying expected polls
Read full article: Myanmar extends state of emergency, delaying expected pollsMyanmar’s military government has announced it is extending a state of emergency it imposed when it seized power two years ago, a move that appears to set back its plans for an election that had been expected in August.
Myanmar resistance steadfast against army rule 2 years later
Read full article: Myanmar resistance steadfast against army rule 2 years laterThe prospects for peace in Myanmar, much less a return to democracy, seem dimmer than ever two years after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
How Myanmar is faring 2 years after army ousted Suu Kyi
Read full article: How Myanmar is faring 2 years after army ousted Suu KyiTwo years after Myanmar's generals ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government, thousands of people have died in civil conflict and many more have been forced from their homes in a dire humanitarian crisis.
Myanmar army leader touts election plan on Independence Day
Read full article: Myanmar army leader touts election plan on Independence DayMyanmar’s ruling military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has detailed plans for an election later this year and called for national unity in a speech as he led a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of independence from Britain.
UN envoy: Myanmar crisis deepens, taking 'catastrophic toll'
Read full article: UN envoy: Myanmar crisis deepens, taking 'catastrophic toll'The U_N_ special envoy for Myanmar is warning that the political, human rights and humanitarian crisis in the military-ruled Southeast Asian nation is deepening and taking “a catastrophic toll on the people.”.
Myanmar court convicts Suu Kyi of vote fraud, adds jail time
Read full article: Myanmar court convicts Suu Kyi of vote fraud, adds jail timeA court in Myanmar has sentenced the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to three years' imprisonment after finding her guilty of involvement in election fraud.
UN envoy tells Myanmar general: End violence, seek democracy
Read full article: UN envoy tells Myanmar general: End violence, seek democracyThe U.N. special envoy for Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, has met with the head of its military-installed government and urged him to halt all violence and support a political path back to civilian rule and democracy, Heyzer also called on Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing to allow the country’s imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi to return home and to meet with her.
Myanmar leader vows to 'annihilate' opponents of army rule
Read full article: Myanmar leader vows to 'annihilate' opponents of army ruleMyanmar’s leader has vowed to intensify action against homegrown militia groups fighting the military-run government, saying the armed forces would “annihilate” them.
Myanmar pardons celebrities jailed for anti-military views
Read full article: Myanmar pardons celebrities jailed for anti-military viewsSeveral top Myanmar celebrities who were detained for criticizing the army's seizure of power have been released from prison under pardons issued by the military government.
Myanmar says it won't attend ASEAN foreign ministers meeting
Read full article: Myanmar says it won't attend ASEAN foreign ministers meetingMyanmar says it will not participate in this week’s meetings in Cambodia of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, spurning an invitation to send a non-political representative instead of its chief diplomat.
Prominent Myanmar filmmaker arrested after a year on the run
Read full article: Prominent Myanmar filmmaker arrested after a year on the runAn award-winning film director in Myanmar has been arrested almost a year after appearing on a wanted list for encouraging government employees to join in protests against military rule.
Myanmar authorities arrest dozens ahead of planned protests
Read full article: Myanmar authorities arrest dozens ahead of planned protestsSecurity forces in Myanmar have arrested dozens of people in a preemptive move to suppress plans for a nationwide strike on Tuesday, which is the one-year anniversary of the army’s seizure of power.
No peace in Myanmar 1 year after military takeover
Read full article: No peace in Myanmar 1 year after military takeoverThe army takeover in Myanmar a year ago that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi unexpectedly aborted the ongoing restoration of representative democracy in the Southeast Asian country after decades of military rule.
Cambodia defends leader's trip to Myanmar as 'positive step'
Read full article: Cambodia defends leader's trip to Myanmar as 'positive step'Cambodia’s foreign minister has defended Prime Minister Hun Sen’s trip to Myanmar, the first by a foreign leader since the military takeover plunged the country into turmoil, though there was little evidence the mission yielded any immediate breakthrough.
Anger as Cambodia's Hun Sen meets Myanmar military leader
Read full article: Anger as Cambodia's Hun Sen meets Myanmar military leaderCambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar to revive peace efforts after last year’s military takeover is provoking an angry backlash among critics, who say he is legitimizing the army’s seizure of power.
Myanmar court postpones verdicts in 2nd case against Suu Kyi
Read full article: Myanmar court postpones verdicts in 2nd case against Suu KyiA court in military-ruled Myanmar has postponed its verdicts on two charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi in which she is accused of importing and possessing walkie-talkies without following official procedures.
Myanmar gems industry targeted in push for sanctions
Read full article: Myanmar gems industry targeted in push for sanctionsHuman rights activists are lobbying major jewelers to stop buying gems sourced in Myanmar as a way to put pressure on Myanmar's military leaders by limiting profits from the country's lucrative mining industry.
Facebook broadens ban on military-linked Myanmar companies
Read full article: Facebook broadens ban on military-linked Myanmar companiesFacebook’s parent company Meta has announced a new ban on postings linked to Myanmar’s military to include all pages, groups, and accounts representing military-controlled businesses.
Richardson adds to diplomatic wins with journalist's release
Read full article: Richardson adds to diplomatic wins with journalist's releaseBill Richardson’s success in helping secure the release of journalist Danny Fenster from a Myanmar prison is the latest demonstration of the former New Mexico governor’s knack for flying into some the most closed societies on earth and persuading those in charge to do Washington a favor.
US ex-diplomat defends private mission to troubled Myanmar
Read full article: US ex-diplomat defends private mission to troubled MyanmarFormer U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson acknowledges criticism of his humanitarian visit to Myanmar, but he tells The Associated Press he feels his trip was constructive.
Brunei says Myanmar still 'integral' to ASEAN despite rebuke
Read full article: Brunei says Myanmar still 'integral' to ASEAN despite rebukeThe sultan of Brunei says Myanmar remains an integral part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the bloc hopes its military government will work with an ASEAN envoy to defuse the political crisis triggered by its seizure of power in February.
Myanmar skips ASEAN summit after its military ruler excluded
Read full article: Myanmar skips ASEAN summit after its military ruler excludedSoutheast Asian leaders have begun their annual summit without Myanmar amid a diplomatic standoff over the exclusion of the leader of the military-ruled nation from the group’s meetings.
UN envoy: Myanmar is now in conflict, could be failed state
Read full article: UN envoy: Myanmar is now in conflict, could be failed stateThe U.N. special envoy for Myanmar is warning that February's military takeover has led to armed conflict and if power isn’t returned to the people in a democratic way the country will go in the direction of a failed state.
Official: US at turning point in dealing with Myanmar crisis
Read full article: Official: US at turning point in dealing with Myanmar crisisA senior U.S. official says the United States is at a turning point in deciding how to handle the crisis in military-ruled Myanmar, weighing further political and economic steps to pressure the government to change its behavior.
Crowds outside Myanmar's prisons greet freed detainees
Read full article: Crowds outside Myanmar's prisons greet freed detaineesCrowds have gathered for a second day outside prisons around Myanmar, waiting for at least a glimpse of friends and relatives who are being freed under an amnesty for people arrested for protesting against military rule.
Myanmar leader says ASEAN blind to opposition's violence
Read full article: Myanmar leader says ASEAN blind to opposition's violenceThe leader of Myanmar’s military-installed government says other Southeast Asian countries should share responsibility for failing to help quell the violence that has engulfed his nation since the army seized power in February.
ASEAN downgrades Myanmar presence in summit in major rebuke
Read full article: ASEAN downgrades Myanmar presence in summit in major rebukeSoutheast Asian foreign ministers have agreed to downgrade Myanmar’s participation in an upcoming summit in their sharpest rebuke yet of its leaders following a Feb. 1 military takeover.
ASEAN to exclude Myanmar's leader from summit in key rebuke
Read full article: ASEAN to exclude Myanmar's leader from summit in key rebukeA senior diplomat says Southeast Asia’s foreign ministers have decided not to invite Myanmar’s military leader to an annual summit for refusing to let an envoy meet ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Envoy aborts visit to Myanmar, straining ASEAN relations
Read full article: Envoy aborts visit to Myanmar, straining ASEAN relationsMyanmar says a special envoy appointed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations canceled his visit after the government told him he would not be able to meet with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.
ASEAN ministers pick Brunei diplomat as envoy to Myanmar
Read full article: ASEAN ministers pick Brunei diplomat as envoy to MyanmarSoutheast Asian foreign ministers have picked Brunei's second foreign minister as their special envoy to Myanmar, in a breakthrough for regional mediation aimed at ending the country’s deepening crisis.
UN calls Myanmar military actions moves away from democracy
Read full article: UN calls Myanmar military actions moves away from democracyThe United Nations is calling the Myanmar military’s extension of the state of emergency and election delay moves in the wrong direction from international calls for the restoration of democracy.
Myanmar military extends emergency, promises vote in 2 years
Read full article: Myanmar military extends emergency, promises vote in 2 yearsSix months after seizing power from the elected government, Myanmar’s military leader has declared himself prime minister and said he would lead the country under the extended state of emergency until elections are held in about two years.
Myanmar caught off guard as cases surge, oxygen dwindles
Read full article: Myanmar caught off guard as cases surge, oxygen dwindlesMyanmar is facing a a rapid rise in COVID-19 patients and a shortage of oxygen supplies, just as the country is consumed by a bitter and violent political struggle since the military seized power in February.
Myanmar's junta leader attends military conference in Moscow
Read full article: Myanmar's junta leader attends military conference in MoscowThe leader of Myanmar’s military junta has attended an international conference in Moscow, an appearance that reflects Russia’s eagerness to develop ties with the junta despite international criticism.
Myanmar military plane crash kills 12, including senior monk
Read full article: Myanmar military plane crash kills 12, including senior monkMyanmar state media say a well-known senior Buddhist monk was among at least 12 people who died when a military plane crashed in the country’s central Mandalay region.
ASEAN envoys meet Myanmar junta leader to press for dialogue
Read full article: ASEAN envoys meet Myanmar junta leader to press for dialogueRepresentatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have met with Myanmar’s junta leader six weeks after an emergency regional summit on the coup in the country drew promises of progress toward a solution but produced no tangible results.
Myanmar election chief considers dissolving Suu Kyi's party
Read full article: Myanmar election chief considers dissolving Suu Kyi's partyThe head of Myanmar’s military-appointed state election commission says his agency will consider dissolving Aung San Suu Kyi’s former ruling party for alleged involvement in electoral fraud and having its leaders charged with treason.
Election watchdog says no credible proof of Myanmar fraud
Read full article: Election watchdog says no credible proof of Myanmar fraudAn independent election monitoring organization says the results of last November’s voting in Myanmar were representative of the will of the people, rejecting the military’s allegations of massive fraud that served as its reason for seizing power.
UN report says Myanmar poverty could double from coup chaos
Read full article: UN report says Myanmar poverty could double from coup chaosA United Nations report says political turmoil and disruptions following the coup in Myanmar could undo years of progress and double the number of its people living in poverty to nearly half the population.
Myanmar protests continue after ASEAN peace initiative
Read full article: Myanmar protests continue after ASEAN peace initiativeProtesters in Myanmar’s largest city have braved potential violence by security forces to demonstrate against February’s military coup, showing their resolve to continue their resistance two days after Southeast Asian leaders met to address the country’s crisis.
ASEAN leaders tell Myanmar coup general to end killings
Read full article: ASEAN leaders tell Myanmar coup general to end killingsSoutheast Asian leaders have demanded an immediate end to killings and the release of political detainees in Myanmar during an emergency summit in Jakarta with its top general and coup leader.
Protest in Yangon ahead of regional summit on Myanmar crisis
Read full article: Protest in Yangon ahead of regional summit on Myanmar crisisProtesters against Myanmar’s military coup have returned to the streets of downtown Yangon, defiantly chanting their opposition to the army’s seizure of power as the junta chief prepared to attend a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders on the country’s crisis.
Myanmar junta pardons prisoners, to attend regional summit
Read full article: Myanmar junta pardons prisoners, to attend regional summitMyanmar’s junta has released more than 23,000 prisoners to mark the traditional new year holiday, including at least three political detainees, and the military leader behind the February coup confirmed he would attend a regional summit later this month.
Myanmar forces kill scores in deadliest day since coup
Read full article: Myanmar forces kill scores in deadliest day since coupAnti-coup protesters prepare makeshift bow and arrows to confront police in Thaketa township Yangon, Myanmar, Saturday, March 27, 2021. (AP Photo)YANGON – As Myanmar’s military celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day holiday with a parade Saturday in the country's capital, soldiers and police elsewhere killed scores of people while suppressing protests in the deadliest bloodletting since last month's coup. “We urge the Myanmar Armed Forces to cease violence and work to restore respect and credibility with the people of Myanmar that it has lost through its actions.”AdThe European Union’s delegation to Myanmar said that the 76th Myanmar Armed Forces Day “will stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonor.”“The killing of unarmed civilians, including children, are indefensible acts,” it added. Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing did not directly refer to the protest movement when he gave his nationally televised Armed Forces Day speech before thousands of soldiers in Naypyitaw. In contrast, security forces have used live ammunition for weeks against what have still been overwhelmingly unarmed and peaceful crowds.
Myanmar junta defends crackdown, accuses Suu Kyi of graft
Read full article: Myanmar junta defends crackdown, accuses Suu Kyi of graftOpposition against the Feb 1 military coup continues in Myanmar. The civil disobedience movement has used widespread boycotts, strikes and other actions to demand that power be returned to the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The allegations against Suu Kyi made by former Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein were first mentioned by the military several weeks ago. Last week the military-controlled Myawaddy TV station aired a similar video with a construction magnate who also claimed to have made large payoffs to Suu Kyi. The junta repeated its claims that civil servants, teachers and doctors joined the CDM under threat.
Deadly violence resumes in Myanmar after peaceful protests
Read full article: Deadly violence resumes in Myanmar after peaceful protests(AP Photo)YANGON – At least two people protesting last month's military coup were reported shot and killed by Myanmar security forces Tuesday after a morning of peaceful marches. Mobile data service had been used to stream live video coverage of protests, often showing security forces attacking demonstrators. So, security forces had to handle the situation very hard,” according to the account. Meanwhile, the shooting had to disperse the protesters, resulting in some security forces and protesters’ casualties.”Virtually all independent accounts blame security forces for initiating violence against unarmed protesters. “In Burma, the military is attempting to overturn the results of a democratic election and is brutally repressing peaceful protests."
Myanmar junta kills more protesters, adds Suu Kyi accusation
Read full article: Myanmar junta kills more protesters, adds Suu Kyi accusationSecurity forces have attacked previous protests with live ammunition as well, leading to the deaths of at least 60 people. On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council unanimously called for reversing the coup and strongly condemned the violence against peaceful protesters. Reports from Kachin, the northernmost state, said guerrilla forces from the Kachin ethnic minority attacked a government base on Thursday and were in turn attacked. The reports could not be independently confirmed, and ethnic guerrilla armies as well as the government often release exaggerated information. Myanmar has more than a dozen ethnic guerrilla armies, mostly in border areas, a legacy of decades-old struggles for greater autonomy from the central government.
US expands sanctions to family of Myanmar's coup leader
Read full article: US expands sanctions to family of Myanmar's coup leader(AP Photo)The United States announced sanctions Wednesday on two family members of Myanmar’s commander in chief, beefing up U.S. financial penalties in response to the military’s five-week-old coup and its deadly ongoing crackdown on protesters. The Feb. 1 coup reversed years of internationally supported progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule and international isolation. The military staged the coup the same day newly elected lawmakers were due to take office. Wednesday's were the latest in a series of penalties imposed by the U.S. over the military takeover, including new export restrictions announced earlier this month. The United States already had many of Myanmar’s military leaders under sanctions for mass killings of the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority in recent years.
Protesters adapt tactics after Myanmar police use violence
Read full article: Protesters adapt tactics after Myanmar police use violenceAnti-coup protesters hold makeshift shields during a demonstration in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, March 9, 2021. The death of Zaw Myat Lin in custody was the second in recent days. Zaw Myat Lin was arrested Monday night as he tried to escape from a police raid, the Voice of Myanmar online news service and other media reported. Maung Saungkha, an activist and friend of Zaw Myat Lin, said his family was summoned to retrieve his body on Tuesday and was not told how he died. It announced that the licenses of five local media outlets — Mizzima, DVB, Khit Thit Media, Myanmar Now and 7Day News — had been canceled.
UN envoy: Myanmar army is 'surprised' at opposition to coup
Read full article: UN envoy: Myanmar army is 'surprised' at opposition to coupFILE - In this June 15, 2018, file photo, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener arrives to meet Myanmar's Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission Shwe Mann, at the Parliament Building in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Schraner Burgener said she receives about 2,000 messages a day from people in Myanmar, many desperate to see an international response. It aims for a national cease-fire agreement with all 21 ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, which Schraner Burgener said is going to be difficult as 10 have already taken a strong stand against the coup. She said the army is surprised by the opposition, which has been led by young people. “I always felt she was on a tightrope dealing with the army,” Schraner Burgener said of Suu Kyi.
Pro-military marchers in Myanmar attack anti-coup protesters
Read full article: Pro-military marchers in Myanmar attack anti-coup protestersPhotos and videos posted on social media showed groups attacking people in downtown Yangon as police stood by without intervening. According to accounts and photos posted on social media, hundreds of people marched Thursday in support of the coup. AdMarsudi's efforts echo those of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has urged Myanmar’s military to make some concessions to help ease tensions. Several countries have levied or are considering new sanctions against the military junta, and on Thursday, Facebook announced it, too, was taking action. The junta has tried to block Facebook and other social media platforms, but its efforts have proven ineffective.
New charge filed on Suu Kyi as Myanmar crackdown intensifies
Read full article: New charge filed on Suu Kyi as Myanmar crackdown intensifiesBuddhist monks and nuns display pictures of detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo)YANGON – Police in Myanmar filed a new charge against deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said Tuesday, as the military authorities who seized power in a coup intensified their crackdown against their opponents. Suu Kyi, who was detained in the Feb. 1 military takeover, already faced a charge of illegally possessing walkie-talkies — an apparent attempt to provide a legal veneer for her house arrest. Suu Kyi’s lawyer told reporters he has not seen her since her arrest — and only arrived after an unexpected videoconference the judge said had been held with her. AdAround 3,000 demonstrators — mainly students — had returned to the streets of Mandalay, carrying posters of Suu Kyi and shouting for the return of democracy.
Myanmar security forces intensify crackdown on protesters
Read full article: Myanmar security forces intensify crackdown on protestersA man is held by police during a crackdown on anti-coup protesters holding a rally in front of the Myanmar Economic Bank in Mandalay, Myanmar on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. Security forces in Myanmar intensified their crackdown against anti-coup protesters on Monday, seeking to quell the large-scale demonstrations calling for the military junta that seized power earlier this month to reinstate the elected government. (AP Photo)YANGON – Security forces in Myanmar pointed guns toward anti-coup protesters and attacked them with sticks Monday, seeking to quell the large-scale demonstrations calling for the military junta that seized power this month to reinstate the elected government. It circulated widely on social media, as did a notice said to be from service provider Oredoo Myanmar containing the same details. “She has conveyed to the Myanmar military that the world is watching closely, and any form of heavy-handed response is likely to have severe consequences,” Haq said.
Myanmar rattled by army movements, apparent internet cutoff
Read full article: Myanmar rattled by army movements, apparent internet cutoffIn this image made from video by the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), two armored personnel carriers were seen traversing on a road in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. "We support the people of Myanmar in their quest for democracy, freedom, peace, and prosperity,” they said in a joint statement issued late Sunday night. It circulated widely on social media, as did a notice said to be from service provider Oredoo Myanmar containing the same details. People have also been rattled by police raids carried out during curfew hours to seize individuals seen as opposed to the coup. The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says 400 people have been detained since the coup, with 375 still being held.
Myanmar protests in 2nd week, with neither side backing down
Read full article: Myanmar protests in 2nd week, with neither side backing downMass street demonstrations in Myanmar have entered their second week with neither protesters nor the military government they seek to unseat showing any signs of backing off from confrontations. (AP Photos)YANGON – Mass street demonstrations in Myanmar entered their second week Saturday, with neither protesters nor the military government they seek to unseat showing any signs of backing down from confrontations. The military ousted the country’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and her government and prevented recently elected lawmakers from opening a new session of Parliament. Suu Kyi and other senior members of her government and party remain in detention. Saturday’s protests coincided with the birthday of Gen. Aung San, the country’s independence leader and father of Suu Kyi.
Myanmar coup leader: 'Join hands' with army for democracy
Read full article: Myanmar coup leader: 'Join hands' with army for democracyDemonstrators in traditional dance costumes display an upside-down begging-bowl, a form of protest symbolizing the refusal of charity from the military government, during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. Thousands of protesters, including Myanmar celebrities, demonstrated outside the Chinese Embassy in Yangon on Friday to criticize what they said was Beijing's failure to condemn the coup. AdMany of the protesters were students from local international schools and universities, and they held signs that read “We don’t want dictatorship,” “Stop helping the military coup” and “Free our leader." AdThe move will prevent the generals from accessing more than $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the United States. It remains to be seen what, if any, impact the U.S. action will have on Myanmar’s military regime.
Ethnic minorities protest Myanmar coup, as opposition grows
Read full article: Ethnic minorities protest Myanmar coup, as opposition growsEthnic Entha fishermen display placards during a protest against the military coup on Inle Lake, Taunggyi, Myanmar Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Aung Ko San)YANGON – Members of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities marched through streets in traditional dress and floated on wooden long boats in a scenic lake Thursday to protest last week’s coup, a sign of the broad and growing resistance to the military takeover. This is not Zoom meeting.”Min Aung Hlaing indirectly acknowledged the widespread opposition to his government in a televised speech Thursday. The junta leader also touched on the issue of civil servants joining the protests. It remains to be seen what, if any, impact the U.S. action will have on Myanmar’s military regime.
Myanmar protesters back on streets despite police violence
Read full article: Myanmar protesters back on streets despite police violenceProtesters continued to gather Wednesdayin Mandalay breaching Myanmar's new military rulers' decrees that effectively banned peaceful public protests in the country's two biggest cities. Witnesses estimated that tens of thousands of protesters, if not more, turned out in Yangon and Mandalay, the country’s biggest cities. The protesters are demanding that power be restored to Suu Kyi’s deposed civilian government. Others marched through the city, chanting and waving flags of Suu Kyi’s party. In Naypyitaw and Mandalay on Tuesday, police sprayed water cannons and fired warning shots to try to clear away protesters.
Myanmar junta cracks down on crowds defying protest ban
Read full article: Myanmar junta cracks down on crowds defying protest banPolice use water cannon to disperse demonstrators during a protest in Mandalay, Myanmar, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. Police were cracking down on the demonstrators against Myanmars military takeover who took to the streets in defiance of new protest bans. “The use of disproportionate force against demonstrators is unacceptable,” said Ola Almgren, the U.N. resident coordinator in Myanmar. AdPolice also used water cannons in the capital, Natpyitaw, for a second day and fired shots into the air. The military used deadly force to quash a massive 1988 uprising against military dictatorship and a 2007 revolt led by Buddhist monks.
Myanmar junta imposes curfew, meeting bans as protests swell
Read full article: Myanmar junta imposes curfew, meeting bans as protests swellProtesters are sprayed with water fired from a police truck's water cannon in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021. They say they were issued in response to people carrying out unlawful actions that harm the rule of law, a reference to the protests. AdState media for the first time on Monday made reference to the protests, claiming they were endangering the country’s stability. AdThe growing protests recall previous movements in the Southeast Asian country’s long and bloody struggle for democracy. Aside from a few officers, soldiers have not been in the streets at protests this past week.
Resistance to coup grows despite Myanmar's block of Facebook
Read full article: Resistance to coup grows despite Myanmar's block of FacebookPeople clap to make noise as they participate in a civil disobedience action to protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2021. (AP Photo)YANGON – Myanmar’s new military government blocked access to Facebook as resistance to Monday's coup surged amid calls for civil disobedience to protest the ousting of the elected government and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The military seized power shortly before a new session of Parliament was to convene on Monday and detained Suu Kyi and other top politicians. AdBut Suu Kyi, the daughter of an independence hero and a pro-democracy activist for more than three decades, remains the country's most popular politician. AdIn 2018, Facebook removed several accounts linked to Myanmar’s military, including that of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the new government's leader, because their content appeared to fuel hatred toward the Muslim Rohingya minority.
Myanmar charges Suu Kyi, giving legal basis to detain her
Read full article: Myanmar charges Suu Kyi, giving legal basis to detain herIn the early hours of Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, the Myanmar army took over the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup over allegations of fraud in November's elections. The military announced Monday that it would take power for one year — accusing Suu Kyi's government of not investigating allegations of voter fraud in recent elections. Suu Kyi's party swept that vote, and the military-backed party did poorly. National League for Democracy spokesman Kyi Toe confirmed the charge against Suu Kyi that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Ad___This story has been updated to correct that the charge against Suu Kyi carries a maximum sentence of three years, not two.
People in Myanmar honk horns, bang on pots to protest coup
Read full article: People in Myanmar honk horns, bang on pots to protest coupShouts could be heard wishing detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi good health and calling for freedom. A senior politician and close confidante of Suu Kyi also urged citizens to defy the military through civil disobedience. Ad“The curse of the coup is rooted in our country, and this is the reason why our country still remains poor. He said Suu Kyi was in good health at a separate location where she was being held and would stay there for the time being. Suu Kyi had been a fierce critic of the army during her years in detention.
A decade after junta's end, Myanmar military back in control
Read full article: A decade after junta's end, Myanmar military back in controlMyanmar military television said Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 that the military was taking control of the country for one year, while reports said many of the countrys senior politicians including Suu Kyi had been detained. Immediately after he was named president, Myint Swe handed power to the country’s top military commander, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. Min Aung Hliang, 64, has been commander of the armed forces since 2011 and is due to retire soon. AdIn 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department froze Min Aung Hliang's U.S.-based assets and banned doing business with him and three other Myanmar military leaders. Soon afterward, Myint Swe assumed command of the former military regime’s sprawling military intelligence apparatus.
EXPLAINER: Why is the military taking control in Myanmar?
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Why is the military taking control in Myanmar?Myanmar military television said Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 that the military was taking control of the country for one year, while reports said many of the countrys senior politicians including Suu Kyi had been detained. “There’s internal military politics around that, which is very opaque,” said Kim Jolliffe, a researcher on Myanmar civilian and military relations. AdMyanmar's military leaders “must immediately free the democratic leaders of Myanmar and remove themselves from government,” said Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “If not, the United States and other countries should impose strict economic sanctions, as well as other measures” against the military and military leaders, he said. He also questioned Suu Kyi's ability to lead given her defense of the military's actions against ethnic Rohingya Muslims.
The Latest: UN Security Council to meet about Myanmar coup
Read full article: The Latest: UN Security Council to meet about Myanmar coupEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Charles Michel joined the criticism after Myanmar military television said the military was taking control of the country for one year. ___4:17 p.m.Italy strongly condemned the military takeover in Myanmar and demanded that Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders be released. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I condemn the coup and unlawful imprisonment of civilians, including Aung San Suu Kyi, in Myanmar. ___11:10 a.m.Human rights groups are calling for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders in Myanmar. ___7:15 a.m.Reports says a military coup has taken place in Myanmar and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained under house arrest.
Myanmar's military takes power in coup, detains Suu Kyi
Read full article: Myanmar's military takes power in coup, detains Suu KyiFILE - In this May 6, 2016, file photo, Aung San Suu Kyi, left, Myanmar's foreign minister, walks with senior General Min Aung Hlaing, right, Myanmar military's commander-in-chief, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. While Suu Kyi had been a fierce antagonist of the army while under house arrest, since her release and return to politics, she has had to work with the country's generals, who never fully gave up power. The first signs that the military was planning to seize power were reports that Suu Kyi and Win Myint, the country’s president, had been detained before dawn. By midday, people were removing the bright red flags of Suu Kyi’s party that once adorned their homes and businesses. AdIn November polls, Suu Kyi's party captured 396 out of 476 seats up for actual election in the lower and upper houses of Parliament.
Myanmar military denies coup threats over vote fraud claims
Read full article: Myanmar military denies coup threats over vote fraud claimsA cyclist bikes past a signboard with an image of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in Yangon, Myanmar Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)NAYPYITAW – Myanmar’s military on Saturday denied its chief was threatening to stage a coup over complaints of election fraud, saying the media had misinterpreted his words. The military has publicly complained several times of electoral fraud and called on the government and the Union Election Commission to review the results. The military ran Myanmar for some 50 years before beginning a transitioning to democracy in 2010. Ad___Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw in Yangon, Myanmar, contributed to this report.
Myanmar election commission rejects military’s fraud claims
Read full article: Myanmar election commission rejects military’s fraud claimsMyanmar's election commission rejected allegations by the military that fraud played a significant role in determining the outcome of November's elections, which delivered a landslide victory to Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)NAYPYITAW – Myanmar’s election commission rejected allegations by the military that fraud played a significant role in determining the outcome of November’s elections, which delivered a landslide victory to Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling party. The military has been calling on the government and the Union Election Commission to review the results. It says it has found 8.6 million irregularities in voter lists in 314 townships that could have let voters cast multiple ballots or commit other "voting malpractice,” but the election commission said there was no evidence to support these claims. The party of Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace prize laureate, won the previous elections in 2015 also in a landslide.