NAYPYITAW • Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing blasted other South-east Asian countries for demanding that his military end worsening violence at home, when he learnt about his exclusion from a big-ticket regional summit to take place later this month.
Allies of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi were driving the repeated calls, the coup leader said on state-broadcaster MRTV yesterday in his first comments on the snub by Asean.
Asean foreign ministers last Friday decided to exclude Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, instead choosing to invite a "non-political representative" for Myanmar to the virtual Oct 26-28 summit.
The junta leader said his regime had agreed to end violence in conflict-torn Myanmar months ago, but had been prevented from doing so by "more acts of violence driven by the incitement of terrorist groups".
He said: "We haven't seen anyone caring about or trying to stop such destructive acts. They keep making demands to us and we ourselves have to deal with such acts. I'd like to say that Asean needs to work on this."
The junta chief yesterday announced the release of more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup.
Asean last Saturday said the Myanmar military government had made insufficient progress on a pact struck with the bloc in April that included stopping violence.
The National Unity Government, a shadow government set up by Ms Suu Kyi's allies challenging the legitimacy of the regime, welcomed Asean's decision to instead invite a non-political representative.
"Asean must ensure the Myanmar representative can objectively represent the interest of Myanmar and its people," it said in a statement.
Since overthrowing the civilian-led administration, the junta has killed more than 1,178 protesters and arrested nearly 9,000 others, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
Ms Suu Kyi remains in prison and has gone on trial for a string of charges including breaking Covid-19 restrictions during last year's elections, as well as incitement and corruption.
Gen Min Aung Hlaing said a total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later this month, without providing details on when they would be freed. He also gave no details on who would be included in the list.
The Democratic Voice of Burma news website said three of its journalists, all held for around six months, had been freed.
Myanmar released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country in June, including journalists critical of the military government.
Those still in custody include the American journalist Danny Fenster, who has been detained since his arrest on May 24.
Ms Mya Nu, who said her daughter was arrested in April, was one of dozens waiting outside Yangon's Insein prison after the latest announcement in the hope their loved ones would be among those set free.
"I didn't get a chance to meet her yet," she told AFP. "It's only through her lawyer that I know she's in good health."
Meanwhile, responding to media queries about Myanmar and Asean, Thailand's director-general of the Information Department Tanee Sangrat said Bangkok is fully supportive of the special envoy of the Asean chair to fulfil his mandate to facilitate a sustainable peaceful settlement in Myanmar.
The regional grouping has insisted that the envoy, Brunei's Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, meets all Myanmar parties, but the junta rejected any proposed meetings with people on trial, among whom is Ms Suu Kyi.
BLOOMBERG, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
