On the first day of the traditional New Year celebrations in Myanmar, the military junta said it granted amnesty to more than 23,000 prisoners across the country. The state broadcaster MRTV reported today, citing the competent authority. The first detainees were released in the morning, with more to follow later in the day. However, it remained unclear whether these included opponents of the February 1 military coup.
Since then, there have been daily nationwide protests against which the junta acts brutally. According to estimates by the prisoners‘ aid organization AAPP, at least 728 people have been killed since the coup. As of Friday, more than 3,000 junta opponents were in custody.
Renewed protests
Meanwhile, numerous people demonstrated again today in several regions against the military regime, including in the largest city of Yangon. Many welcomed the „National Unity Government“ that opponents of the junta had proclaimed the day before. They include deputies removed by the generals, leaders of the protest movement and representatives of ethnic minorities. Democratic forces have been working for weeks to undermine the military leadership and bring about a new constitution for the former Burma.
As reported by The Irrawaddy newspaper, at least two people died in protests in the city of Mogoke, north of Mandalay, after emergency services opened fire on civilians. Other people were hit by gunfire.
The de facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, clearly won the parliamentary election in November. The military, which had secured a position of power in parliament and several ministerial posts by constitution, later spoke of electoral fraud and seized power at the beginning of February.
