Myanmar minister flies to Thailand for crisis talks

[webfact]

Myanmar minister flies to Thailand for crisis talks

 

FILE PHOTO: A slogan is written on a street as a protest after the coup in Yangon, Myanmar February 21, 2021. Picture taken with iPhone panoramic mode. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Myanmar's military-appointed foreign minister flew into Thailand on Wednesday, a Thai government source said, as Myanmar's neighbours intensified efforts to resolve a crisis that began when its army seized power in a Feb. 1 coup.

 

The minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, arrived for talks on diplomatic efforts by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Thai source said, as opponents of the coup again took to the streets in Myanmar.

 

Indonesia has taken the lead in efforts steer a path out of the crisis with the help of fellow ASEAN members but its plans appeared to falter earlier on Wednesday with the scrapping of a proposed trip to Myanmar by its foreign minister.

 

This week has seen huge rallies and a general strike to denounce the coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, despite a warning from authorities that confrontation could get people killed.

 

Protesters from ethnic minorities rallied on Wednesday, together with staff from the energy ministry, as concern mounted about the economic impact of the protests and an associated civil disobedience campaign of strikes.

 

"The economy isn't doing well, it's in a slump," said Yangon electronics shop owner Win Thein, 56.

 

"It will only get back to normal when the military returns power to the winning party that we sincerely voted for."

 

The crisis has restored Myanmar's reputation as the problem member of the 10-country ASEAN.

 

Indonesia had this week proposed a plan centred on ASEAN members sending monitors to ensure the generals stick to their promise to hold fair elections, sources said.

 

The military has not given a time frame for a new election but it imposed a one-year state of emergency when it seized power so it would likely be after that.

 

'NOT IDEAL'

But Suu Kyi's party, which swept a Nov. 8 election that the military says was marred by fraud, and its supporters want its victory recognised.

 

Indonesia's foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, who is in Thailand, had been expected to fly to Myanmar but the trip was off, her ministry said.

 

"After taking into account current developments and the input of other ASEAN countries, this is not the ideal time to conduct a visit," Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, told a briefing in Jakarta.

 

On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Indonesia's embassy in Yangon to oppose a new election, demanding that the votes they cast in November be recognised.

 

The army seized power after alleging fraud in the November elections, detaining Suu Kyi and much of the party leadership. The electoral commission dismissed the fraud complaints.

 

The Future Nation Alliance, a Myanmar-based activist group, said earlier in a statement a visit by Retno would be “tantamount to recognising the military junta”.

 

The group demanded foreign officials meet Htin Lin Aung, a member of a committee representing ousted members of parliament - known by the initials CRPH - who has been appointed the “sole responsible official for foreign relations”.

 

Protesters in the second city of Mandalay marched on Wednesday holding up signs of support for the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, or parliament.

 

A procession of elephants also marched in Mandalay, media reported.

 

'HELD TO ACCOUNT'

Efforts by Myanmar's neighbours to help it resolve the crisis comes as international concern is growing.

 

The Group of Seven (G7) rich nations on Tuesday condemned intimidation and oppression of those opposing the coup. "Anyone responding to peaceful protests with violence must be held to account," group foreign ministers said in a statement.

 

Western nations sought to increase pressure on the junta this week with the European Union warning it was considering sanctions that would target businesses owned by the army.

 

The United States imposed sanctions on two more members of the junta and warned it could take more action.

 

China, which has traditionally taken a softer line, said international action should contribute to stability, promote reconciliation and avoid complicating the situation, media reported.

 

Military chief General Min Aung Hlaing has called for state spending and imports to be cut and exports increased to revive what he called an ailing economy.

 

He did not link the protests to economic problems but said the authorities were following a democratic path in dealing with them and police were using minimal force, such as rubber bullets, state media reported.

 

Security forces have shown more restraint compared with earlier crackdowns against people who had pushed for democracy during almost half a century of direct military rule.

 

Even so, three protesters have been shot and killed. The army has said one policeman died of injuries sustained during the protests.

 

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Ed Davies and Robert Birsel; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-24

 

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[Tropicalevo]

So did the minister do his 14 days quarantine?

I guess not.

[nobodysfriend]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

China said international action should avoid complicating the situation...

That is what oppressive , totalitarian regimes say when they want to continue their actions against the basic rights of people without wanting to be disturbed by critical opinions of ( foreign ) media .

[spiekerjozef]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Myanmar's military-appointed foreign minister flew into Thailand on Wednesday

To collect his immigrant worker pass/card ?

[spiekerjozef]

Why do the brainwashed soldiers themselves not stand up for their country instead of defending that pillock ?

[nobodysfriend]

3 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Why do the brainwashed soldiers themselves not stand up for their country instead of defending that pillock ?

The burmese army is the main provider of jobs in that country . Many families depend on the income provided by their soldier sons ...

[polpott]

9 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

The burmese army is the main provider of jobs in that country . Many families depend on the income provided by their soldier sons ...

I'm sorry but that's really no excuse for backing a military coup and destroying democracy in your own country.

[Srikcir]

14 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

The burmese army is the main provider of jobs in that country . Many families depend on the income provided by their soldier sons ...

Ironically, the 500,000+ military includes the People's Militia. 

[mikebell]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

The army seized power after alleging fraud in the November elections,

The Thai Government can't see any problem with this.

[spiekerjozef]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

The army seized power after alleging fraud in the November elections

They've done a better job then trumpet then...

[Disparate Dan]

15 minutes ago, mikebell said:

The Thai Government can't see any problem with this.

Obviously they have been comparing notes - you wonder who is learning from whom..... after all these years I still sometimes gasp at how Thailand gets away with it in the eyes of the rest of the world while (eg) Burma doesn't.

 

There again, Europe and the US haven't exactly done anything about Tatmadaw either, beyond a stiff (no, limp) finger-wagging. Nor will they.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Disparate Dan

[spidermike007]

The minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, likely said the opposition captured at least 397 parliamentary seats out of 476, according to official results released. They won with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy. How are the Burmese generals going to maintain their stranglehold over mining, timber, gem smuggling, and opium trading, with those guys and gals in power, and controlling with such a huge majority? We had to do this, to protect the hundreds of billions of dollars we are stealing from the people. You surely understand, right?

 

That is even better than its landslide victory in 2015, when the party began a power-sharing arrangement with Myanmar’s military, which had ruled the country for about 50 years. So, as usual it is all about money and power. Never about the people. But, now the people are more restless. The youth are maturing into reasoning, rational beings, unwilling to let the greedy dinosaurs take whatever they can plunder. Much change and reform is needed in this rather politically desperate region of the world. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/world/asia/myanmar-election-aung-san-suu-kyi-results.html

Edited February 25, 2021 by spidermike007

[chilli42]

There is much the Thai people can learn from their Burmese neighbors about how to deal with military dictatorships.  Freedom and democracy are not a right, it has to be earned .... looking at history, usually the hard way

[nobodysfriend]

2 hours ago, polpott said:

I'm sorry but that's really no excuse for backing a military coup and destroying democracy in your own country.

Of course not .

But your post is out of context .

I was answering the following question : " Why do the brainwashed soldiers themselves not stand up for their country instead of defending that pillock ? "

[natway09]

Because any soldiers who stood up fot the "people" would be shot.

Does that answer your question?

[RocketDog]

4 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

They've done a better job then trumpet then...

True enough, but he came frighteningly close in a country generally hailed as a 'bastion of democracy'. There is no doubt that his ambitions for power were, and still are, precisely the same as the General's.

 

America is still struggling with the fallout from his failed coup and will do so for years to come. The morbid stench of his personality cult still pervades state, local and federal governments, the military/law enforcement, and countless public and private businesses like a pernicious social disease for which there is no cure or remedy short of prosecution (and dare I say persecution?) and incarceration of his vile acolytes. The cost to America is immeasurable by any standard. 

 

It's enough to make me weep for my home country. 

[bangon04]

15 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

Why do the brainwashed soldiers themselves not stand up for their country instead of defending that pillock ?

sorry.... which of the 2 countries are you referring to?

[sammieuk1]

Bet the phoney minister feels right at home meeting a phoney PM for some how the hell did you get away with that talks ????