Britain urges its citizens to leave Myanmar
Advice comes as violence worsens; reporters formally charged over anti-coup coverage
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Demonstrators in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw yesterday. The turmoil in the country since the Feb 1 military coup has prompted Britain to urge its citizens to get out if they can, warning that "political tension and unrest are widespread since the military takeover and levels of violence are rising".
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
YANGON • Britain advised its citizens to flee Myanmar as violence worsened and five journalists, including a photographer from the United States-based Associated Press (AP), were formally charged in court over their coverage of anti-coup protests.
Myanmar activists held more rallies against the junta yesterday as South Korea said it would suspend defence exchanges and reconsider development aid to the South-east Asian nation because of the military's harsh crackdown on the protests.
The country has been in an uproar since a Feb 1 putsch that deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power, triggering a mass uprising that has brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets to demand a return to democracy.
At least 70 people have been killed, according to the United Nations' top rights expert on the country, Mr Thomas Andrews, who said the military is likely committing "crimes against humanity" in its attempt to stay in power.
The turmoil has prompted Britain to urge its citizens to get out if they can, warning that "political tension and unrest are widespread since the military takeover and levels of violence are rising".
The military - which has defended its takeover by citing alleged voting irregularities in November elections won by Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party - held a rare news conference on Thursday accusing her of corruption.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the detained chief minister of Yangon admitted giving Ms Suu Kyi US$600,000 (S$808,000) in cash, along with more than 11kg, or US$680,000 worth, of gold.
Ms Suu Kyi's lawyer Khin Maung Zaw yesterday rejected the claims.
"This allegation against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the state counsellor, is groundless, especially regarding the dollars and gold bars - it is the most hilarious joke of all," he told Agence France-Presse.
"I've never seen such illegal mudslinging."
Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi faces other criminal charges, including owning unlicensed walkie-talkies and violating coronavirus restrictions by staging a campaign event last year.
Ms Suu Kyi - not seen in public since she was detained on Feb 1 - has a court hearing on Monday, but Mr Khin Maung Zaw complained that he has not been able to have a private meeting with her.
The junta has sought to stem the flow of news about the crackdown, throttling the country's Internet connection every night, revoking media licences and raiding independent media offices.
Five journalists, including AP photographer Thein Zaw, were formally charged yesterday over their coverage of the protests under a law against "causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee".
The four others are from Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, and Zee Kwet Online news, as well as a freelancer.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 24.
Their hearing comes at the end of a week that saw the offices of two local media outlets - Myanmar Now and Mizzima News - raided. They also had their publishing licences revoked, as did Democratic Voice of Burma, Khit Thit and 7Day News.
Yesterday, protests were held in Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, and several other towns, according to photographs posted on social media by witnesses and local news organisations, a day after a rights group said security forces killed 12 protesters in one of the deadliest days since the military took power.
Among the dead were eight people killed in the central town of Myaing when security forces fired on a protest, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said.
In Yangon, protester Chit Min Thu was killed in the North Dagon district.
His wife, Ms Aye Myat Thu, told Reuters he had insisted on joining the protests despite her appeals for him to stay home for the sake of their son.
"He said it's worth dying for," she said through her tears.
"He is worried about people not joining the protest. If so, democracy will not return to the country."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
