Myanmar's military leaders stepped up pressure on monks who spearheaded pro-democracy rallies, saying yesterday that weapons had been seized from Buddhist monasteries and threatening to punish all violators of the law.
The government also announced dozens of new arrests, defying global outrage and new sanctions, although the state press trumpeted the release of monks and demonstrators ahead of a UN Security Council meeting to discuss how to handle the junta following its crackdown on street protests.
Security Council members -- under pressure to condemn the military regime after 13 people were killed in its drive to end the escalating pro-democracy rallies -- were to meet today to debate a draft statement on Myanmar.
PHOTO: AFP
The New Light of Myanmar newspaper -- a mouthpiece of the junta -- said yesterday that more than half of the 2,171 people arrested after the biggest anti-government protests in nearly two decades had been released, repeating figures given late on Saturday on state TV.
Authorities also took in 533 monks for questioning "to differentiate between real monks and bogus monks," the paper wrote.
"Out of those taken, 398 monks have been sent back to their respective monasteries," it said.
PHOTO: AP
"Monks must adhere to the laws of God and the government," the paper wrote. "If they violate those laws, action could be taken against them."
The paper also said recent raids on monasteries had turned up guns, knives and ammunition, though it was not yet clear to whom they belonged.
In addition, 78 more people suspected of involvement in the rallies were being questioned by investigators, it said.
Security eased in Yangon yesterday. Some roadblocks were removed and visitors began trickling back to the heavily guarded Shwedagon and Sule pagodas. Uniformed troops were keeping a low profile on the streets.
Malaysia yesterday urged the regime to quickly hold unconditional talks with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi before the world pushes harder for political change.
The comments by Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar followed a warning from the US that it would push for UN sanctions against Myanmar if it fails to move toward democracy.
The junta's propaganda machine, meanwhile, continued to claim massive rallies across the country, allegedly in support of the government. The New Light of Myanmar said demonstrators denounced the recent protests "instigated" by some monks and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's party. It reported four rallies in central and northwestern Myanmar, attended by 7,500, 19,000, 20,000 and 30,000 people.
Such rallies are widely believed to be stage-managed by the government, with every family in the district forced to contribute members.
Also see story:
Pakistan and Myanmar: A tale of two military dictatorships
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Friday expressed concern over the rate at which China is diversifying its military exercises, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Saturday. “The rates of change on the depth and breadth of their exercises is the one non-linear effect that I’ve seen in the last year that wakes me up at night or keeps me up at night,” Paparo was quoted by FT as saying while attending the annual Sedona Forum at the McCain Institute in Arizona. Paparo also expressed concern over the speed with which China was expanding its military. While the US
‘FALLACY’: Xi’s assertions that Taiwan was given to the PRC after WWII confused right and wrong, and were contrary to the facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) claim that China historically has sovereignty over Taiwan “deceptive” and “contrary to the facts.” In an article published on Wednesday in the Russian state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Xi said that this year not only marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the founding of the UN, but also “Taiwan’s restoration to China.” “A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Declaration have affirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan,” Xi wrote. “The historical and legal fact” of these documents, as well
RSS