Naypyidaw, Mar 20,2021: A total of 235 people were killed in Myanmar in violent crackdowns on demonstrators during 44 days of anti-coup protests, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a civil rights group in Myanmar, said.
As of Thursday, the death toll stood at 224. The rights group noted that this was the number of casualties recorded and verified by the group, adding that the actual toll is likely to be much higher.
“From February 1 to until now, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has compiled (235) who have died during the spring revolution,” the AAPP wrote on Facebook.
The rights group added that as many as 2,330 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in relation to the attempted military coup.
“Of them, (15) convicted, (87) have been charged with a warrant and are evading arrest, (350) were released. A total of (1980) are still under detention or have outstanding charges/evading arrest, including the (15) sentenced,” the association added.
On February 1, Myanmar’s military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency.
The coup triggered mass protests that continue for already the sixth week in Myanmar. Over 70 percent of government employees have now joined the civil disobedience movement.
Tensions between the protesters and the police appear to be rising as the latter turn to more brutal tactics to suppress the demonstrations. Aside from tear gas and water cannons, the police began using combat weapons in late February.
Seoul [South Korea], March 19,2021: North Korea on Friday said that it will sever diplomatic relations with Malaysia for extraditing one of its nationals to the United States to face money laundering charges.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the North Korean businessman living in Malaysia is accused of supplying prohibited luxury items from Singapore to Pyongyang, in violation of UN sanctions.
Malaysia’s top court ruled that the businessman can be extradited to the US, rejecting his appeal challenging the extradition request.
“This world-startling incident is an out-and-out product of anti-DPRK conspiracy created from the heinous policy of hostility by the United States aimed at isolating and suffocating our country and the pro-US subservience by the Malaysian authority,” the official Korean Central News Agency said, using the North’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
“With regard to the grave situation that has prevailed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK hereby announces total severance of the diplomatic relations with Malaysia which committed a super-large hostile act against the DPRK in subservience to the US pressure,” it added.
The news agency also claimed that the businessman was engaged in ‘legitimate external trade activities’, warning that the Malaysian authority will bear full responsibility for any consequences that occur between both countries.
North Korea also warned that the US will ‘pay a due price’, accusing it of being the “backstage manipulator and the main culprit of this incident”.
New Delhi, Mar 17,2021: The Opposition Congress on Wednesday alleged that the central government was more focused towards export of Covid vaccines instead of vaccinating its own people as only 0.045 per cent of the population have been inoculated so far while over five crore doses been exported.
Initiating a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2021-22, Congress member Manish Tewari alleged, ‘the government is giving more importance to vaccine diplomacy by playing with the lives of the people.’Mr Tiwari claimed that neither the vaccination programme is clear and nor it is commencing properly.
He said the government is paying less attention to the health mission. Compared to last year’s budget, less amount has been allocated for the scheme this year, Mr Tiwari claimed.
Janata Dal (United) member Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan) said Covid-19 is a pandemic and should be kept away from politics.
He said on January 30 last year, the first case of COVID-19 case surfaced in the country and the government took immediate steps without any delay.
The JD(U) member stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented the nationwide lockdown on March 25 last year and spread awareness among people about the virus, due to which, the impact of the pandemic was reduced.
He said it is the responsibility of all political parties not to instill fear in people about Covid-19, but to educate people about the virus and prevent its transmission.
Niamey (Niger), Mar 17,2021: At least 58 people were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on four vehicles carrying passengers who were returning from a weekly market in the Tillabéri region, Niger government said on Tuesday.
So far, no group has claimed the responsibility, which reportedly occurred on Monday.
The Niger government, in its statement read out on public television, said: “The assailants, still unidentified individuals intercepted the vehicles ferrying passengers back from the weekly market of Banibangou to the villages of Chinedogar and Darey-Daye.”
Fifty-eight people were killed and one was injured in the attack, the government added.
The African country has announced three days of national mourning.
In January this year, in Tillaberi region, around 100 civilians were killed in attacks after the first round of presidential elections.
Some militants belonging to the Islamic State are reportedly active in this region.
The country is part of the larger Sahel region in West Africa, which has witnessed frequent militants attack. In 2014, France launched the 5,000-strong Operation Barkhane to check the terrorist threat in the region. In addition to the French forces, the operation involves the troops of the G5-Sahel member states — Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania.
Washington [US], March 16,2021: In a strong condemnation of the Myanmar military’s brutal crackdown on demonstrators since the February 1 coup, the US Department of State on Monday said that the junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in the country with bullets.
Speaking at a Department press briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said: “…Burmese security forces brutally attacked their own people, killing dozens throughout the country. The military junta’s violence against the people of Burma is immoral and indefensible.”
“The junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets,” she added.
Porter stressed that the military’s hostile takeover does not represent the will of the people and said that the US continues to call on all countries to take concrete actions to oppose the coup and its escalating violence.
“…We are deeply concerned and saddened by the reports and strongly condemn the use of violence in Burma security forces against their people,” she later said.
Earlier, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, informed that at least 138 peaceful protesters, including women and children, have been killed in Myanmar since the coup.
“This includes 38 people who were killed yesterday, the majority in the Hlaing Thayer area of Yangon, while 18 people were killed on Saturday,” he said.
Despite increasing international pressure to restore the democratically-elected government, the Myanmar junta has ignored the condemnation and has continued to violently suppress the protests against its unlawful takeover of the country. Several ousted lawmakers have even designated the military as a terrorist organisation.
Naypyidaw, Mar 16,2021: Twenty people died and over 60 injured in Myanmar on Monday as security forces cracked down on unceasing anti-coup demonstrations across the country, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.
The deaths were confirmed in the cities of Yangon, Mandalay, Bago, Monywa and others, Sputnik reported, citing the statement of AAPP.
According to the watchdog, a total of 183 people have died in clashes with the security forces as of Monday.
“As of confirmed AAPP documentation 20 civilians have already been shot and further confirmation of the fallen heroes across Burma is continuing. AAPP has also documented the killing of ordinary people not even participating in the protests,” AAPP said in the statement.
Meanwhile, the number of arrested is said to exceed 2,100 people, which is the number of those who have been officially charged, meaning the actual number of arrested is may be much larger, according to the AAPP.
The watchdog also updated its death toll for Sunday, from 38 to 74 fatalities.
On February 1, Myanmar’s military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The military arrested State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint over electoral fraud, and later on charges of violating COVID-19 restrictions.
Mass protests against the military rule continue for already the sixth week in Myanmar. Over 70 per cent of government employees have now joined the civil disobedience movement.
Tensions between the protesters and the police appear to be rising as officers turn to more brutal tactics. Aside from tear gas and water cannons, the police began using combat weapons in late February.