Witnesses to Bago killings describe relentless military onslaught against Myanmar civilian population

CNN

Paula Hancocks and Salai TZ, 
April 16, 2021

Eyewitnesses recount bloody crackdown in Bago, Myanmar 03:39

(CNN)The shooting started in the city of Bago, Myanmar at 5 a.m. on April 9.

By the early hours of the next morning, at least 82 people were dead, according to advocacy group AAPP.

One pro-democracy protester, an 18-year-old member of the so-called Defense Team tasked with protecting the neighborhood from the military, says he believes the death toll is closer to 100.

A message from Myanmar

Trending Globally: Politics & Policy
The Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs
Brown University

Trending Globally: Politics & Policy · A Message from Myanmar

In February, a colleague at the Watson Institute forwarded the team at Trending Globally an email from a former student. The subject line read: “I write to you in desperation and with my life at risk.”

The email was sent from Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. The man who sent it was not exaggerating.

Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a U.S. Co-Hosted UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting on Burma

U.S. Embassy in Burma

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield

U.S. Representative to the United Nations

New York, New York

April 9, 2021

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Barbara. And let me just start by expressing – adding our voices, as others have, to expressing condolences on the passing of Prince Philip. And we send our sympathies to the Royal Family and to the people of the United Kingdom. Let me thank you, also, for calling today’s meeting. And thank you to all of the briefers for your comments and your insights today. They were particularly poignant, given the situation there.

Rohingya Refugee Camps Are Being Set On Fire

VICE

By Jaishree Kumar

ROHINGYA REFUGEES SEARCH FOR VALUABLES AMID THE DEBRIS DAYS AFTER A FIRE BURNT THEIR HOME AT A REFUGEE CAMP IN COX'S BAZAR ON MARCH 25, 2021.

PHOTO: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN / AFP

Several small fires have engulfed dozens of make-shift homes in Rohingya refugee camps in India and Bangladesh in the last two weeks and it is unclear who is causing them.

These incidents follow a large fire that broke out on March 22 in Bangladesh at Cox’s Bazar. The fire ravaged through 10,000 make-shift homes, killing at least 15 people and displacing 45,000. Investigations into the cause of that fire are still underway. The UN allocated $14 million dollars to help rehabilitate the refugees left homeless by the fire in the world’s largest refugee camp.

UK stresses Sundarbans’ protection, assures support over Rohingya repatriation

Financial Express

FE Online Report 

Published: April 14, 2021

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, British state minister for Foreign Affairs for South Asia and the Commonwealth, has underscored the importance of protecting the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, from the adverse impacts of climate change.

He made the observation during a discussion with Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The Crisis in Myanmar: Repression, Resistance, Repercussions

New York Southeast Asia Network

Speaker(s)

David I. Steinberg, Distinguished Professor of Asian Studies Emeritus, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Moe Thuzar, Fellow and Co-coordinator, Myanmar Studies Programme, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

John Ciorciari, Director, Weiser Diplomacy Center, University of Michigan

Donald K. Emmerson, Director, Southeast Asia Program, Stanford University

Date and Time                                                                        Availability     
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A deeper resolve

The Journal Gazatte

Ye Win Latt

Thursday, April 15, 2021 

Anti-coup protesters march carrying slogans on pots with flowers as they mark the new year in Yangon, Myanmar, on Tuesday. Activists boycotted the official celebration of Thingyan, the country’s traditional New Year, usually a time for family reunions and merry-making. AP

The Feb. 1 military coup in Myanmar certainly overturned the progress toward democracy, yet it encountered grander challenges.

Frustrated Myanmar nationals came together in a rare occasion of coalescence despite escalating violence instigated by Myanmar's armed forces. Unity among different ethnic and religious groups became visible – a sign of a greater hope for a brighter future.

During the past decade of Myanmar's transition to democracy, the military gained legitimacy in politics to an extent largely criticized. Another five years of National League for Democracy party-led government would have been a continuation of the previous power-sharing arrangement between the party and the military.

Burma bloodbath is a lesson Britain must learn from

DECLASSIFIED UK

By Phil Miller and Matt Kennard• 

14 April 2021

The terrible scenes of young people being gunned down by Burma’s military junta should make British diplomats think hard about why their policy of aiding and trading with the regime went so wrong.

It was not long ago that General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the recent military coup in Burma (also known as Myanmar), was being fêted by the UK.

In 2013, he met General Sir David Richards, the then head of Britain’s armed forces, who praised Burma’s “remarkable progress” in moving towards democracy and described Hlaing as “highly intelligent and well-intentioned”.

After decades of dictatorship, Burma’s military had freed its most high profile political prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi, and was finally letting her run the country in league with the army.

UN Rights Chief Warns Myanmar Heading Toward Syria-like Civil War

VOA

By Lisa Schlein
April 13, 2021

FILE - Protesters take part in a demonstration against the Myanmar military coup in Inle lake, Shan state, Myanmar, Feb. 11, 2021.

GENEVA - The U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Michele Bachelet, warns Myanmar could be headed toward a bloody civil war like Syria unless the violence is brought under control.

Bachelet is calling on all states with influence, especially Myanmar's neighbors, to apply concerted pressure on the ruling military junta to end its campaign of repression and slaughter of its people.

Rohingya crisis: Bangladesh hopes Malaysia will play instrumental role in ASEAN summit

The Daily Star

Star Digital Report

April 13, 2021

Bangladesh hopes Malaysia will play an instrumental role to move the issue of Rohingya refugees forward within ASEAN and help achieve a durable solution to the crisis.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Golam Sarwar said Malaysia was one of the countries that immediately responded to Bangladesh's call for assistance during the early weeks of the Rohingya crisis in 2017, reports Malaysian news agency Bernama.

Turkey provides food packages to Rohingya in Bangladesh

yenisafak.

News Service
April 13, 2021
AA

Total of 15,000 food packages have been distributed among Rohingya and host community, says charity group official

File photo

A Turkish charity on Monday distributed 15,000 food packets to Rohingya refugees and their hosts in Bangladesh for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan set to begin this week, said officials of the group, which is tied to Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate or Diyanet.

“For the 2021 Ramadan program we distributed 11,800 food packets for the Rohingya community. But we didn't forget the host community. We distributed 3,200 food packages for our Bangladeshi brothers and sisters,” Oguzhan Adsiz, the Bangladesh coordinator for Turkey’s Diyanet Foundation (TDF), told Anadolu Agency on Monday night.

UN rights chief fears Myanmar heading to 'full blown conflict' with echoes of Syria

CNN
By Helen Regan,
April 14, 2021

Myanmar special envoy: It is time for the world to stop another genocide 05:27

(CNN)The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, has warned Myanmar is heading toward a "full blown conflict" with "clear echoes" of Syria in 2011, unless the international community steps in to stop the violence.

In a statement Tuesday, Bachelet urged states to take "immediate, decisive and impactful measures to push Myanmar's military leadership into halting its campaign of repression and slaughter of its people."

UN rights chief warns of 'full-blown' Myanmar conflict

AA

Peter Kenny
GENEVA
13.04.2021

Michelle Bachelet urges states to take immediate, decisive measure to halt Myanmar's junta slaughter of its people

The UN human rights chief said Tuesday she fears Myanmar is heading to a "full-blown Syrian-type conflict" as she urged immediate and decisive international steps to halt the military junta's slaughter of its people.

"We have witnessed yet another weekend of coordinated bloodshed in many parts of the country, including the reported mass killing of at least 82 people in [the southern city of] Bago between Friday and Saturday," said Michelle Bachelet in a statement read by rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.

What message did we get from Kerry about Myanmar

M Sakhawat Hossain
Published: 13 Apr 2021,

Obama government's former secretary of state Kerry is now climate change affairs special envoy to US president Joe Biden. He is at state guest house Padma in Dhaka on 9 April.File photo

John Kerry came to Dhaka for a few hours. The Obama government's former secretary of state Kerry is now the climate change affairs special envoy to US president Joe Biden. He had earlier visited Dhaka as secretary of state. He is fully aware of Bangladesh's leadership, politics and diplomacy.

He came to Dhaka to invite prime minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the climate change summit. Joe Biden is returning to the climate deal through this summit of world leaders. Former president Donald Trump withdrew from the deal. John Kerry said an initiative has been taken to create a fund of USD 100 billion to assist the countries affected by the climate change and to reduce the pollution worldwide. He also mentioned that his trip will strengthen ties between two countries.

Yangon, protests and prayers in the Burmese New Year (VIDEO)

ASIANEWS.It
Francis Khoo Thwe
04/13/2021,

Starting today Thingyan is celebrated for five days. Flowers and potted plants, typical of the festival, used for events. In Tamu, near the border with India, security forces threaten doctors and nurses with guns. For the New Year, the resistance organizes funeral wakes for the heroes killed. Last night a prayer vigil for the fallen in the “Spring Revolution” held close to Pathein cathedral.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - From today until April 18, Myanmar is celebrating the Thingyan, the Burmese New Year, which is the most important annual holiday. The groups resisting the recent military coup have promised to continue protests instead of celebrations even in this period.

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis Explained

The Knights News

BY ALIYAH ALI 

APRIL 14, 2021

The Rohingyas are a group of people who originated from Myanmar and have since fled to their neighboring Bangladesh for refuge. The Rohingyas, have been subject to an ethnic genocide in the predominantly Buddhist nation of Myanmar. They hail from the Rakhine state and are mostly Muslim. For many years, Rohingyas were left out of major elections, censuses, and unable to vote for several years prior. According to CNN, 87,000 Rohingyas left for Bangladesh on October 6, 2016, the first wave of the migration. This was sparked when a group of Rohingya men killed nine policemen at the Rakhine border, and the Myanmar military retaliated on the community.

SENATOR MARKEY AND COLLEAGUES REINTRODUCE LEGISLATION DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO ISSUE A ROHINGYA GENOCIDE DETERMINATION

PRESS RELEASE

APRIL 14, 2021

Washington (April 14, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) today introduced legislation requiring the Secretary of State to determine whether attacks by Burmese military and security forces against the Rohingya minority constitute genocide. Since August 25, 2017, around 740,000 Rohingya have fled Burma (also known as Myanmar) to neighboring Bangladesh to escape a brutal campaign of atrocities by Burma’s military and security forces, including systematic murder and sexual and gender-based violence. On February 1, 2021 the Burmese military carried out a coup against the democratically elected, civilian-led government and has since killed more than 700 civilians during widespread peaceful protests and strikes in opposition to the coup.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and other State Department officials have committed to Senator Markey that there will be an interagency process to determine whether the atrocities committed against the Rohingya in Burma constitute genocide, but have not indicated a timeline for that decision to be announced.

Myanmar coup: The people shot dead since the protests began

B B C 

April 12' 2021

More than 700 people have been killed by security forces since Myanmar's military grabbed power in a coup on 1 February, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). The BBC has spoken to loved ones of three people who have died.

As Myanmar's coup violence continues to spiral, so has the number of its victims as a crackdown on protesters intensifies.

More Bloodshed in Myanmar as Crackdown on Coup Protests Continues

The New York Times

By Richard C. Paddock
April 11, 2021

The death toll has passed 700, with more than 80 killed on Friday in one city alone, a rights group said.

University students marching against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on Sunday.Credit...The New York Times

The Myanmar military’s bloody crackdown on the nationwide resistance to its rule showed no sign of easing on Sunday, with a human rights group reporting that the death toll across the country had passed 700.

The security forces killed 82 people in a single city on Friday, according to the group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has been documenting the bloodshed since the military’s Feb. 1 coup. Soldiers used machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades to attack an organized group of protesters who had set up barricades to defend part of that city, Bago.

MALAYSIA KENA KECAM FOR MEETING OFFICIALS IN MYANMAR. BUT WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

Cil!sos

Badd
Posted on 13/04/2021

When it comes to foreign relations, Malaysia seems to be throwing itself into drama a lot recently. There’s that crapstorm when our Foreign Minister Hishamuddin Hussein allegedly referred to China as ‘big brother’ earlier this month, although he had later clarified that he was referring to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi personally. While that whole drama was going on, another sorta faux pas had happened right after that, and it kind of flew under the radar.