Women wear flower pots while participating in a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on April 13, 2021. REUTERS / Stringer
Opponents of the Myanmar junta on Friday announced a government of national unity, which included ousted members of parliament and leaders of protests against the coup and ethnic minorities, saying its goal was to end the military government and restore democracy.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the February 1 coup that ousted a civilian government led by the champion of democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, who had held power for five years and began his second term later. of a high-profile electoral victory in November.
People have taken to the streets day after day to demand the restoration of democracy, defying repression by security forces in which more than 700 people have died, according to a surveillance group.
At the same time, political leaders, including expelled members of parliament from Suu Kyi’s party, have been trying to organize to show the country and the outside world that they and not the generals are the legitimate political authority.
“Please welcome the popular government,” Min Ko Naing, a veteran democracy activist, said in a ten-minute video speech announcing the formation of the National Unity Government.
While establishing few positions, Min Ko Naing said the will of the people was the priority of the unity government, although he acknowledged the breadth of the current task.
“We’re trying to get this out of the roots, so we have to sacrifice a lot,” he said in reference to the board.
A board spokesman could not be reached for comment.
The generals justified their takeover with allegations of fraud in the November election won by Suu Kyi’s party, although the election commission dismissed the objections.
One of the main goals of the unity government will be to gain international support and recognition.
Its Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Sasa told reporters that the United States and Britain had recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of that country.
“We are the democratically elected leaders in Myanmar,” said Sasa, who has a name. “So if the free and democratic world rejects us that means they reject democracy.”
International pressure has also increased on Myanmar’s army, especially from Western governments that have imposed limited sanctions, although generals have a long history of ruling out what they consider external interference. Read more
The unity government published a list of incumbents including members of ethnic minorities and protest leaders, emphasizing the unity of purpose between the pro-democracy movement and minority communities seeking autonomy, some of which have fought against the central government for decades.
Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the coup, was listed as a state councilor, a position she held in government.
The only known communication he has had with the outside world since the coup has been overseeing video calls with his lawyers. A spokesman for the Democratic politicians said that although they could not inform her of the unity government, she was sure she was aware of what was happening.
SILENT WAVE
Sasa told Reuters that the goal was to end the violence, restore democracy and build a “federal democratic union.” The military, while playing on the idea of federalism, has long seen itself as the central power that holds the country together.
Unitary government leaders said they intended to form a federal army and were in talks with ethnic minority forces.
The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, a group of international experts, including former United Nations officials, hailed that the creation of the NUG was historic and said it was legitimate government.
As politicians announced the unity government, other opponents of the military government observed a “silent strike” that stayed at home to mourn the dead or those wearing black in small marches in half a dozen cities and towns, they reported. the media.
The streets of Yangon’s main city were largely deserted, residents said.
There were no immediate reports of violence in the protests on Friday, but six people were killed in a shootout between soldiers and a “local group” in the central city of Kani the day before, Myanmar Now news agency reported. .
The military has also been gathering criticism. Two prominent protest organizers were arrested on Thursday.
The turmoil and the prospect of growing conflict have alarmed Myanmar’s neighbors in Southeast Asia, who have tried to encourage talks between rival parties.
Leaders of the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Myanmar, will meet in Indonesia on April 24 to discuss the situation, Thai and Indonesian media reported.
Senior General of the Board, Min Aung Hlaing, was scheduled to attend, a Thai station said, but the Jakarta Post said it had not been confirmed whether the summit would include representatives of the board or the former government. .
Sasa said ASEAN should not invite “the killer in chief” Min Aung Hlaing.
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