Myanmar's junta head has promised to wipe out opposition forces

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

During a speech on Armed Forces Day, Myanmar's junta commander claimed the military would not talk with "terrorist" opposition forces, vowing to annihilate them, as opponents of last year's coup promised to fight on.

 

For the second year following ousting Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government on February 1, 2021, the military, known as the Tatmadaw, celebrated with a parade of troops and weapons in the capital, Naypyidaw.

 

On Sunday morning, anti-coup demonstrators marched through Myanmar's streets, holding placards that said "uproot the fascist military."

 

In his speech, Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing opposed any dialogue with the "terrorist" opposition.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' five-point peace plan asks for negotiations on all parties, but there has been little movement so far.

"I would want to state that the Tatmadaw will no longer consider negotiations with terrorist groups and their sympathisers for the murder of innocent people... and will eradicate them to the finish," he stated.

 

In its resistance effort, the junta blames opposition militants of killing civilians and security forces, while activists claim the military has killed hundreds in crackdowns since the coup.

 

Myanmar people will take out the military and its fascist root and stem, according to the National Unity Government (NUG), the deposed administration's shadow government.

 

In a statement, NUG spokesman Dr. Sasa said, "Together with the souls of our lost soldiers, we shall fight to the bitter end."

Since the military seized power, Myanmar has been beset by violence, upending a decade of fragile democratic and economic progress.

According to the rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 1,700 people have been slain and nearly 13,000 have been jailed (AAPP).

 

The AAPP estimates, according to military officials, are overstated.

The army was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the United Nations last week.