NEARLY 250,000 DISPLACED IN MYANMAR DUE TO ATTACKS, AIRSTRIKES: UN

Wed 21 April 2021:

The United Nations rights envoy on Wednesday drew attention to the fact that almost a quarter of a million people have been displaced by the military junta in Myanmar as the country’s new leaders for months have continued a brutal crackdown on anti-coup protesters killing, beating and torturing them.

The military has stepped up its use of lethal force to quash mass demonstrations against a Feb. 1 coup that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. At least 738 people have been killed and 3,300 are languishing in jails as political prisoners, according to a local monitoring group.

“Horrified to learn that… the junta’s attacks have already left nearly a quarter (of a) million Myanmar people displaced, according to sources,” U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews tweeted on Wednesday. “The world must act immediately to address this humanitarian catastrophe.”

Free Burma Rangers, a Christian aid group, estimated last week at least 24,000 people were displaced in northern Karen state amid military ground attacks and airstrikes earlier in the month. Karen National Union 5th Brigade Spokesperson Padoh Mann Mann said Wednesday that more than 2,000 Karen people have now crossed Myanmar’s border into Thailand and that thousands more are internally displaced.

Overnight, authorities released freelance video journalist Ko Latt, who had been held in custody for a month in the capital Naypyidaw. At least 70 reporters have been arrested since the coup and 38 are in detention, according to Reporting ASEAN.

Last week, pro-democracy politicians, including ousted members of parliament, announced the formation of NUG that nominally includes Suu Kyi, who has been in detention since the coup, as well as leaders of the protests and ethnic minorities.

The NUG says it is the legitimate authority in Myanmar and has requested international recognition and an invitation to the Jakarta meeting. A grouping of ASEAN lawmakers also said the NUG should be invited.

“ASEAN cannot adequately discuss the situation in Myanmar without hearing from and speaking to the National Unity Government,” ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights said in a statement.

On the invitation to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, it said: “ASEAN must make it abundantly clear that he is not there as a representative of the Myanmar people, who totally reject his barbaric junta.”