Myanmar Unity Government Confirms ASEAN, No Talk Until Prisoners At Liberty
Myanmar’s pro-democracy unity government that includes the members of the parliament ousted by the military coup has reportedly told Southeast Asia’s regional bloc that it shall not engage in any sort of talk until the junta releases all the political prisoners.
The 10-member Association of the Southeast Asian Nations has been trying to find a path to pull Myanmar out of a bloody crisis that had been triggered by the February 1 coup and it has also called for an end to violence and talks between all sides.
In response, both the junta has declined to accept proposals to resolve the crisis that emerged from an ASEAN summit held last weekend that was attended by Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, but included on-one from the civilian side.
Formed this month by the opponents of the military, the pro-democracy National Unity Government said that ASEAN should be engaging with it as the legitimate representative of the people.
NUG prime Minister, Minister Mahn Winn KhaingThann said that before any constructive dialogue would take place, there must be an unconditional release of the political prisoners including President U Win Myint and the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi and Win Myint have been detained since the coup, which the military reportedly launched as Suu Kyi’s government was preparing for a second term after sweeping the November election.
The military stated that it had to seize the power because its complaints of fraud in the election were not being properly addressed by the election commission that deemed the voting fair.
Since the coup, pro-democracy protests have taken place in various towns and cities across the country. Moreover, the military has cracked down with lethal force on the protestors, killing over 750 people, as stated by an activist group.
Reuters is unable to confirm the causalities as the junta has clamped down on media freedom and the journalists are among the many people who have so far been detained.
Due to the turmoil in one of its members, the ASEAN had held a meeting on Saturday in the Indonesian capital with the leader of the junta held in a bid to press him to finish the crisis.
However, the junta stated later that it would give careful consideration to ASEAN’s suggestions which included appointing an envoy to visit Myanmar when the situation gets stable and also provided that the ASEAN’s recommendations facilitated the junta’s roadmap and served the interest of the country.
The activists had earlier criticized the plan saying that it had helped to legitimize the junta and fell far from their stated demands.
As of now, fighting has flared between the army and Karen insurgents near the Thai border, and also between the Kachin insurgents and the army, near the border with China.
Clashes have also broken out in the Chin state which lies on the border with India, between the anti-coup activists and the security forces.
