Junta claims democracy plans making progress in Myanmar

Myanmar’s military junta, which took power in a coup d’état four months ago, has defended the way it has dealt with daily anti-coup protests and strikes that have paralyzed the nation and revived fears of a full-scale civil war.

The junta-appointed foreign minister defended the military’s plan to restore democracy at a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday, in China.

During the meeting, foreign ministers from 10 Southeast Asian nations expressed their disappointment at the “very slow” progress made by the military on its proposal for ending the turmoil.

Myanmarese junta's foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin, however, said that the military had made progress on its own five-step roadmap for the country unveiled after its seizure of power in February 1.

ASEAN calls on Myanmar military junta to halt violence against protesters, free prisoners

Southeast Asian foreign ministers urge Myanmar military junta to halt violence and free prisoners.

“The minister apprised the meeting that the only way to ensure the democratic system that is disciplined and genuine was through the five-point future program that was declared in February,” the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

He claimed that most of these points had been met including preventative COVID-19 measures and setting up a new election commission to look into alleged fraud during a November election swept by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, according to the paper.

Since ousting the government of de facto leader Suu Kyi, who is currently under arrest, the junta has killed at least 849 protesters and detained more than 4,500 people, according to a rights group,

Several members of ASEAN have called for the release of political detainees, an end to the violence and for Myanmar’s rivals to hold talks on ending the crisis.

The ASEAN itself has come under scrutiny for legitimizing the junta by inviting its leaders to its summit, while failing to include other political stakeholders, particularly the ousted government of Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’s National Unity Government, (NUG), which was formed after the coup, said on Monday that it no longer had “any faith in ASEAN’s efforts.”

The NUG’s Deputy Foreign Minister Moe Zaw Oo said ASEAN must engage with both sides in the dispute, but is currently only engaging with junta leaders.

He said that it appeared as if ASEAN “does not have a solid plan” for resolving the crisis that has engulfed the country of 53 million people.

Some ethnic armed groups, in the meantime, have been complicating the crisis by offering support to the shadow government, which has promised to “demolish” the junta rule. 

ASEAN reaches consensus on ending Myanmar crisis

The association has been under fire for legitimizing the junta leader of Myanmar by inviting him to the summit.

The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar has urged the UN Security Council to take immediate action to prevent further escalation of the crisis and warned of the risk of civil war in the country.

The post-coup economy has been seriously damaged, due to strikes, which have paralyzed economic activities.

Red Cross ramps up support for thousands of people amid poverty

Alarmed by the economic stagnation, Myanmar’s Red Cross said on Tuesday that it would step up support for 236,000 people across the nation.

The group’s secretary general, Htin Zaw Soe, said hundreds of thousands of people “are struggling to earn an income and have very limited access to basic services such as healthcare.”

Th aid group would support the people with the help of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, he said.

A United Nations report warned last month that the current crisis, coupled with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, could result in up to 25 million people – nearly half of the country’s population, living in poverty by early next year.

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