Yahoo Finance Foreign Secretary condemns Myanmar regime’s brutality towards protesters
The people of Myanmar are demonstrating “huge bravery” in the face of violence from the military regime, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said.
Protesters returned to the streets on Monday despite reports security forces had killed at least 18 people around the country the previous day.
Meanwhile Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won a landslide in last year’s election before she was ousted by the junta, appeared in court via video link to face what the Foreign Secretary called “politically-motivated charges”.
The Military in #Myanmar continues to escalate its use of violence including the killing of peaceful protestors over the weekend. Today Aung San Suu Kyi again faces politically motivated charges. This brutality must end and democracy be restored https://t.co/jP08UQle9R
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) March 1, 2021
She has already been charged with possession of unregistered walkie-talkies and breaking coronavirus restrictions, and reportedly received a further charge for allegedly inciting unrest.
Mr Raab called on the generals to release all those “detained arbitrarily” since they seized power.
The Foreign Secretary said: “One month on and the military in Myanmar continues to escalate its use of violence to support its coup, including the killing of peaceful protesters over the weekend.
“The people of Myanmar want their voices heard and are showing huge bravery in response to this brutality.
“Today, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s elected leader, again faced politically-motivated charges.
“The international community must do everything it can to bring pressure to bear to halt the violence, release those detained arbitrarily and restore the elected government.”
Mr Raab told reporters he wanted more countries to stand up to the military regime.
“What we need to do is broaden, if you like, the caucus of countries who are willing to have serious conversations with the military regime,” the Foreign Secretary said.
“I think the first thing we need to see is the end to the brutality against political opponents and the journalists and dissidents, but then ultimately what we want to try and see and what we’ve got to press for and secure is a pathway back to democracy. I think that is the only positive future for Myanmar.”
