India Keeping Close Watch On Myanmar Post-Coup

India is keeping a close eye on the current situation of a military coup in Myanmar, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday.

Speaking at a virtual briefing, Anurag Srivastava, MEA spokesperson, reiterated India’s call for peaceful resolve within the country.
“We are keeping a close eye on the situation in Myanmar. We are in talks with our partner countries on this. We have said that the issue must be resolved peacefully,” Srivastava said.

This comes a day after the military fired upon the pro-democracy protesters, thus killing 38 people.

The demonstration against the Myanmar Army, which ousted the democratically elected government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has entered its fourth week.

Security forces have begun a violent crackdown on protestors in towns and cities across the country. At least 18 people were killed and more than 30 injured in Myanmar on Sunday, as police and military forces “confronted peaceful demonstrations,” the UN Human Rights Office said.

The reported casualties marked Sunday as the deadliest day since the military seized power on February 1.

Meanwhile, a Myanmar-based human rights group says at least 15 reporters and camera crew have been detained while covering the protests as of Tuesday, reported NHK World.

Despite increasing international pressure to restore the democratically-elected government, the Myanmar junta have ignored the condemnation and has continued to violently suppress the protests against its unlawful takeover of the country. Several ousted lawmakers have even designated the military as a terrorist organisation.

Moreover, Myanmar’s ousted civilian leader Suu Kyi, who was detained following the coup, said that two more charges have been added to those filed against her since the military takeover.

Hundreds of people have been arrested since the coup, according to activists, the latest being a journalist for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), who live-streamed security forces outside his apartment on Monday in the coastal town of Myeik. DVB confirmed the arrest, Bangkok Post reported.

The military coup of February 1 halted Myanmar’s tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule and has drawn condemnation and sanctions from the United States and other Western countries, amid growing concern among its neighbours.

According to media reports, at least 19 policemen from the Southeast Asian nation crossed over into Mizoram to seek refuge.

Srivastava responded, “As of now, we are ascertaining the facts. We will revert once we have more details on this.” (ANI)