Myanmar’s junta was granted a six-month extension to a state of emergency, state media reported Wednesday, likely delaying elections the military had pledged to hold by August. The country has been in turmoil since the army’s power grab in 2021, and a subsequent crackdown on dissent has sparked fighting across swathes of the nation while tanking the economy. On the second anniversary of the putsch, state media reported that the National Defence and Security Council […]
Tag: Myanmar
Myanmar streets empty in protest on coup anniversary
YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Streets emptied and shops closed in protest across Myanmar on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, with the junta hinting it may extend a state of emergency and delay new elections. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military’s power grab and bloody crackdown on dissent, which has sparked fighting across swathes of the country and tanked the economy. Western powers launched a […]
Myanmar junta hints may extend state of emergency, delay polls
Myanmar’s junta on Tuesday said the country had “not returned to normalcy” almost two years after its coup, casting doubt over plans for elections and ending a state of emergency. The Southeast Asian country has been in turmoil since the military toppled democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, alleging massive fraud during elections her party won in 2020. A junta-imposed state of emergency is due to expire at the end of January, after […]
UN says Myanmar junta elections will fuel violence
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Junta plans for elections in coup-hit Myanmar this year will “fuel greater violence”, a United Nations special envoy said on Tuesday, calling for the international community to unite in opposition. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military toppled democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government almost two years ago, alleging massive fraud during elections her party won in 2020. The junta-imposed state of emergency is due to expire at […]
Myanmar junta marks Independence Day with show of force, mass pardons
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar (AFP) — Myanmar’s junta announced an amnesty for 7,000 prisoners to mark Independence Day on Wednesday following a show of force in the capital, days after increasing democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi’s jail term to 33 years. Swaths of the Southeast Asian country have been engulfed by fighting between junta troops and anti-coup rebels since the military seized power almost two years ago. The junta, which recently wrapped up a series of […]
Incitement, gold bars, walkie talkies: the charges against Myanmar’s Suu Kyi
Yangon, Myanmar (AFP) Myanmar’s junta has thrown the book at Aung San Suu Kyi since it ousted her government last year, charging the democracy figurehead with a clutch of offences from illegally possessing walkie talkies to corruption. She has been found guilty of every charge so far in proceedings that critics and rights groups have slammed as a sham designed to banish the military’s most famous opponent from the political scene. AFP takes a […]
Ousted Myanmar leader Suu Kyi jailed for total of 33 years
Ousted Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to another seven years in jail as her long series of trials ended on Friday, with the Nobel laureate now facing more than three decades behind bars. A prisoner of the military since a coup last year, Suu Kyi, 77, has been convicted on every charge levelled against her ranging from corruption to illegally possessing walkie-talkies and flouting Covid restrictions. On Friday she was […]
Final verdicts in Suu Kyi junta trial set for Friday
Yangon, Myanmar (AFP) A Myanmar junta court will give its verdicts on five remaining charges in the 18-month trial of jailed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday, a legal source told AFP. Suu Kyi has been a prisoner since the military toppled her government in February last year, ending the Southeast Asian nation’s brief period of democracy. The Nobel laureate, 77, has already been found guilty on 14 charges ranging from corruption to […]
British, Australian and Japanese prisoners freed in Myanmar junta amnesty
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — A former British envoy, an Australian economic adviser and a Japanese journalist flew to Thailand late Thursday after being freed by Myanmar’s junta in an amnesty releasing almost 6,000 prisoners. Since a military coup last year, Myanmar has seen a bloody crackdown on dissent in which thousands of people have been jailed. Former British ambassador Vicky Bowman, Australian economic adviser Sean Turnell and Japanese journalist Toru Kubota touched down in Bangkok […]
Myanmar junta to release UK ex-ambassador, Australian and Japanese prisoners
Yangon, Myanmar (AFP) ADDS fresh quote, 200 gathered outside prison, Australian FM statement Myanmar’s military said Thursday it will release almost 6,000 prisoners, including a former British ambassador, a Japanese journalist and an Australian economics adviser, in a rare olive branch from the isolated junta. The Southeast Asian country has been in turmoil since the military’s coup last year and a bloody crackdown on dissent during which thousands have been jailed. Former British envoy Vicky […]
ASEAN agrees to talk to Myanmar opposition
Phnom Penh, Cambodia | AFP | by Damon WAKE Southeast Asian leaders agreed Friday to engage Myanmar opposition groups as they seek ways to quell the country’s escalating bloodshed which has seen thousands killed in clashes since last year’s coup. The Myanmar crisis dominated the first day of a gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc in Phnom Penh that US President Joe Biden will join on Saturday. Myanmar has […]
ASEAN leaders struggle for answers to Myanmar crisis
Phnom Penh, Cambodia | AFP | by Damon WAKE The escalating crisis in Myanmar was set to dominate summit talks Friday between Southeast Asian leaders struggling to find a way to calm the bloodshed in the junta-ruled country. Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc will discuss ways to implement a peace plan agreed with Myanmar last year which the junta has so far ignored. Myanmar has spiralled into bloody conflict […]





