The military junta of Southeast Asia’s Myanmar carried out the executions of democracy activists it had threatened over the weekend. A representative of the ousted regime accuses outsiders of being toothless in opposing the junta.
17:31•Updated 17:32
Two of the four people executed in Myanmar over the weekend are political figures who opposed the military junta ruling the country.
They were a democracy influencer Kyaw Min Yu and a former MP and hip-hop artist Phyo Zeya Thawwhich belongs to the country’s ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to the party.
The executions were carried out by hanging and were the country’s first executions in over 30 years. According to the UN, the previous executions were carried out in 1988.
The speaker of the regime that was ousted in the military coup of February last year Linn Thant tells that the executions were carried out illegally, and that the country’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing is personally responsible for them.
– The executed were not allowed to appeal the sentences. The executions are further proof that the military leader Min Aung Hlaing commits human rights crimes, says spokesperson for the National Unity Government (NUG), founded by ousted politicians, Thant Yelle.
There are others sentenced to death in prisons
According to Linn Thant, the junta relies on violence because it has not managed to consolidate its power in the past year and a half. The soldiers seized full power in February 2021.
Soldiers have arrested thousands of protesters across Myanmar. At the moment, according to Thanti, there are more than a hundred people who have been sentenced to death for political reasons.
One of the prisoners received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi. He was captured during the hijacking and has since been sentenced to over 10 years in prison on corruption charges, among other things.
Linn Than is worried about the fate of all those sentenced to death, especially Suu Kyi.
– Suu Kyi can also be sentenced to death and executed. I fear that the international community may be late in preventing it, says Linn Thant.
77-year-old Suu Kyi is reportedly in prison near the capital Naypyidaw.
A broad sentence for executions
Several foreign countries, the UN, the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN condemned the executions in advance. But they could not be prevented.
– The executions are a very clear message to the EU, Asean, and also to the Nordic countries, that the military junta does not listen to anyone, says Linn Thant.
With Western countries boycotting dealings with Myanmar, the junta has received support from China and Russia. Myanmar’s military leader recently visited Moscow.
Many in Myanmar are saddened and shocked by the weekend’s executions.
– We are in mourning now. But we have to turn grief into strength to continue resisting military rule, says Linn Thant.
According to him, the NUG is the official ruler of Myanmar because it represents the politicians who were ousted from power in February 2021.
– Foreign countries should recognize the NUG and support the People’s Defense Force, Linn Thant insists.
A kind of home security forces, armed regional forces, were established in various parts of Myanmar after the coup, in the spring of last year.
NUG’s representatives have been in contact with several western countries, including Finland, to get support. So far, support for the shadow government has been mainly verbal, not concrete, Linn Thant admits.