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MYANMAR JUNTA KILLS 7 MORE ANTI-COUP PROTESTERS
- By The Financial District
- Mar 12, 2021
- 2 min read
Security forces in Myanmar again used live ammunition against people protesting the military coup in the country, leaving seven people dead, witnesses told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).
The Agence France-Presse (AFP) said the violence intensified after the United Nations on Wednesday condemned the junta's increasingly violent crackdown, which has seen more than 70 killed and 2,000 arrested, with even China -- a traditional Myanmar ally -- calling for "de-escalation" and dialogue.
The military, which has defended its takeover by citing voting irregularities in November elections won by Suu Kyi's party, held a rare news conference Thursday accusing Suu Kyi of corruption.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the detained chief minister of Yangon had admitted giving Suu Kyi $600,000 in cash, along with more than 11 kilograms ($680,000 worth) of gold. "We have learned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself took this $600,000 and seven visses (11.2 kilograms) of gold. The anti-corruption commission is investigating," he added, to the astonishment of journalists.
Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, detained since the February 1 putsch, is already facing several criminal charges including owning unlicensed walkie-talkies and violating coronavirus restrictions by staging a campaign event during last year's election.
On Thursday, state-run newspaper the Mirror carried an announcement that the Arakan Army (AA) -- which fights for more autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in northern Rakhine state -- was no longer considered a terrorist organization.
The AA has been locked in battle with the military for nearly two years in a conflict that has left hundreds dead and forced some 200,000 civilians to flee their homes. Herve Lemahieu, a Myanmar expert from Australia's Lowy Institute, said the move was likely because the military -- known as the Tatmadaw -- wanted to end the distraction of fighting the AA so it could focus on the protests, AFP reported.
