Myanmar's shadow government receives a high-ranking US diplomat

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

The US National Security Adviser met with NUG representatives, vowing support for democracy restoration.

 

A senior US official met virtually with two representatives of Myanmar's National Unity Government (NUG), a government formed by opponents of the February 1 military coup that threw the country into disarray.

The White House said in a statement that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with NUG members Duwa Lashi La and Zin Mar Aung in a virtual meeting on Monday.

 

In the aftermath of the military's power grab, Sullivan emphasised "continuing US support for the pro-democracy movement" in Myanmar and acknowledged ongoing attempts to restore democracy.
He also expressed alarm over "military brutality" and promised that the US would "continue to promote responsibility for the coup."

Since the armed forces, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, seized control from Aung San Suu Kyi's democratic government and her National League for Democracy party nine months ago, more than 1,000 people have been slain.
Since then, Aung San Suu Kyi has been jailed and is facing various court cases that could land her in prison for years.

 

According to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, which has been documenting the post-coup crackdown, tens of thousands of people have been arrested for opposing military government.

After being detained in a nighttime raid on Sunday, Kyaw Min Yu, better known as Ko Jimmy, who rose to notoriety during Myanmar's 1988 student movement, became the latest to be arrested.

Sullivan stated that the US would continue to demand his and everyone else's release who had been "unjustly held."

 

With the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' annual summit starting on Tuesday, there was also talk on regional and international engagement.

[RafPinto]

The Chinese won't like that.