Myanmar protests: BBC journalist Aung Thura held

BBC: Fri, March 19, 2021, 4:49 PM

A reporter with the BBC Burmese service has been detained in Myanmar as clashes continue between security forces and protesters.

Aung Thura was taken away by men in plain clothes while reporting outside a court in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.

The BBC said in a statement that it was extremely concerned and called on the authorities to help locate him.

At least eight people are reported to have died in the most recent protests, which took place in several cities.

Aung Thura was taken away with another reporter, Than Htike Aung, who works for the local news organisation Mizzima. Mizzima's operating licence was revoked by the military government earlier this month.

The men who detained the journalists arrived in an unmarked van at around midday local time (05:30 GMT) on Friday and demanded to see them. The BBC has been unable to contact Aung Thura since.

"The BBC takes the safety of all its staff in Myanmar very seriously and we are doing everything we can to find Aung Thura," the corporation said in a statement

.

"We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe. Aung Thura is an accredited BBC journalist with many years of reporting experience covering events in Nay Pyi Taw."

Forty journalists have been arrested since a military coup on 1 February, which saw the detention of elected civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi. Sixteen are still in custody, and the military has revoked the licences of five media companies.

The eight people killed on Friday were shot dead by security forces in the central town of Aungban, according to a funeral director and local media.

"Security forces came to remove barriers but the people resisted and they fired shots," a witness told Reuters news agency.

Reports from Yangon say the streets have been congested as many people try to flee violence in the country's main city. Police there are also said to be forcing people to remove barricades put up by protesters.

Post-coup violence has claimed the lives of at least 232 Burmese, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group says. One of the bloodiest days was 14 March when 38 were killed.

A joint statement by European Union embassies and those of the US and the UK condemned "the brutal violence against unarmed civilians by security forces".

The statement called on the military to lift martial law, release detainees, end the state of emergency and restore democracy.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has meanwhile criticised the use of lethal force by the military and called for "a path towards peaceful solutions".

He echoed a call by the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to hold a summit on the situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar profile Myanmar became independent from Britain in 1948. For much of its modern history, it has been under military rule Restrictions began loosening from 2010 onwards, leading to free elections in 2015 and the installation of a government led by veteran opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi the following year In 2017, Myanmar's army responded to attacks on police by Rohingya militants with a deadly crackdown, driving more than half a million Rohingya Muslims across the border into Bangladesh in what the UN later called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing"

Protests & funeral follow shootings in Myanmar

“Stop the genocide. Stop using lethal weapons," said protester Min Htet Naing.

Feb. 21, 2021, 10:46 AM GMT

By The Associated Press

YANGON, Myanmar — Protesters gathered again Sunday all over Myanmar, a day after security forces shot dead two people at a demonstration in the country’s second biggest city. A funeral was also held for a young woman killed earlier by police.

Mya Thwet Thwet Khine was the first confirmed death among the many thousands who have taken to the streets to protest the Feb. 1 coup that toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The woman was shot on Feb. 9, two days before her 20th birthday, at a protest in the capital Nayptitaw, and died Friday

.

About 1,000 people in cars and bikes gathered Sunday morning at the hospital where her body was held amid tight security, with even the victim’s grandparents who had traveled from Yangon, five hours away, denied entry. When her body was released, a long motorized procession began a drive to the cemetery.

In Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, about 1,000 demonstrators honored the woman under an elevated roadway.

“I want to say through the media to the dictator and his associates, we are peaceful demonstrators,” said protester Min Htet Naing. “Stop the genocide. Stop using lethal weapons.”

Another large protest took place in Mandalay, where police shot dead two people on Saturday near a dockyard as security forces were trying to force workers to load a boat. The workers, like railway workers and truckers and many civil servants, have been taking part in a civil disobedience campaign against the junta.

Shooting broke out after neighborhood residents rushed to the Yadanabon dock to try to assist the workers in their resistance. One of the victims, described as a teenage boy, was shot in the head and died immediately, while another was shot in the chest and died en route to a hospital.

Several other serious injuries were also reported. Witness accounts and photos of bullet casings indicated that the security forces used live ammunition, in addition to rubber bullets, water cannons and slingshots.

The new deaths drew quick and strong reaction from the international community.

“The shooting of peaceful protesters in is beyond the pale,” said British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Twitter. “We will consider further action, with our international partners, against those crushing democracy & choking dissent.”

Britain last week froze assets of and imposed travel bans on three top Myanmar generals, adding to already existing targeted sanctions.

Singapore, which together with Myanmar is part of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, issued a statement condemning the use of lethal force as “inexcusable.”

Urging “utmost restraint” on the part of security forces, it warned that “if the situation continues to escalate, there will be serious adverse consequences for Myanmar and the region.”

Another shooting death took place Saturday night in Yangon in unclear circumstances. According to several accounts on social media, including a live broadcast that showed the body, the victim was a man who was acting as a volunteer guard for a neighborhood watch group. Such groups were established because of fears that authorities were using criminals released from prison to spread panic and fear by setting fires and committing violent acts.

The junta took power after detaining Suu Kyi and preventing Parliament from convening, saying elections last November were tainted by voting irregularities. The election outcome, in which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won by a landslide, was affirmed by an election commission that has since been replaced by the military. The junta says it will hold new elections in a year’s time.

The coup was a major setback to Myanmar’s transition to democracy after 50 years of army rule that began with a 1962 coup. Suu Kyi came to power after her party won a 2015 election, but the generals retained substantial power under the constitution, which was adopted under a military regime.

*************************************************************

Appeal for Rohingya in Myanmar

Dear Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and Ambassador Sir Tim Barrow,


I am appalled at the apparent lack of political pressure, to date, from the
UN over the treatment of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar over a long period
of time. This has obviously been seen as a 'green light' to the military
leaders in that country to commit even greater atrocities.
It is not a sign of weakness to admit our training and arming of Myanmar
forces was wrong, as indeed is our selling of arms to Saudi Arabia to be used against civilians in Yemen.  I quote, hopefully correctly, David Davis MP, 'A democracy that cannot change its mind ceases to be a democracy'.
Please send a clear message to the UN that the situation in Myanmar is
ethnic cleansing and the UN has an obligation to take strong action on this
matter. It is pleasing that the UK has shown the way by suspending training
of the military in Myanmar, but more needs to be done.


--
John Wilkins (BOLD: Building Our Local Democracy)
[United Kingdom]

Stop Rohingya Massacre in Burma

from John Wilkins:

Thanks for signing to stop another genocide.

Now forward this to friends and family -- let's build a massive one-million person call before the UN summit begins:

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/rohingya_crackdown_73/?tfSMhib&v=500348176&cl=13114816663&_checksum=9f6fd5b335d25988f21d8948917ed478cadfdfc6d9d39ffb70461008f2de4b45 

-------
Dear friends,

In the last week, Myanmar’s army has hacked hundreds to death, beheaded children, and driven thousands of families from their homes -- just because they’re Rohingya, a hated indigenous minority.

The man responsible, General Hlaing, doesn’t face any consequences -- in fact, this murderer gets red carpet treatment and millions in military aid from countries from the UK to Russia, Israel to Germany!

This army can’t survive without our governments' support, so let’s build a global outcry now, as media attention has put the Rohingya crisis on leaders’ agenda -- and roll back the red carpet for the murderer. Add your name:

Click to stop the Rohingya massacre

Governments around the world have engaged with Burma’s military -- hoping to prevent massacres like we’re seeing right now. It’s now clear that policy has failed, but they have massive leverage by breaking ties with these butchers!

The Rohingya are a peaceful, poverty stricken community who are denied citizenship of Burma, because of their darker skin and different religion. They’ve been persecuted for years -- but this is the worst crisis they have ever faced.

Burma’s generals don’t care about human rights, but they do care about their army. They rely on aid and alliances with other governments -- and if these countries start cutting ties they’ll stop the slaughter to save their future. Add your name now to demand our leaders stop supporting Burma!

Click to stop the Rohingya massacre

We’ve helped the Rohingya before -- when thousands fled a previous crackdown and were stranded at sea, our global community donated to support rescue missions to save them. Now they need us again -- more than ever. Let’s rise to their call.

With hope,

Bert, Rewan, Ana Sofia, Danny, and the entire Avaaz team

More information:

Rohingya: "Even a baby was not spared by the military" (Al Jazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/rohingya-babies-spared-army-170827192311109.html 

UN reports "devastating cruelty" against Rohingya (UN)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56103 

UN official says 'crimes against humanity' could be unfolding in Myanmar (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/21/asia/myanmar-un-crimes-against-humanity/index.html