April 19, 2023

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Violence in Myanmar has been escalating. The Myanmar Army on April 11 conducted an airstrike on a village in the northern Sagain region, killing more than 160 people. The Myanmar military said it bombed an office of the resistance group National Unity Government (NUG). However, it was actually an indiscriminate bombardment as the casualties included unarmed innocent citizens.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces. ASEAN issued a chairman's statement demanding that military actions against civilians be immediately stopped.

According to a report submitted in March by UN Special Rapporteur Thomas Andrews to the UN Human Rights Council, for the past two years, 58,000 houses and private facilities have been burned down; more than 1.3 million people have had to flee from their homes; and more than 3,000 civilians have been killed. In addition, more than 16,000 people are currently in jail due to crackdowns on the pro-democracy movement.

The Myanmar Armed Forces after the coup made a "5-item agreement" with ASEAN. The items include an immediate halt to violence, dialogue toward peaceful settlement among all parties concerned, and intermediation by special ASEAN envoys. The Myanmar military should immediately stop its violent oppression and start holding dialogue in line with the 5-item agreement.