Myanmar's Military Junta Shows Strength And Announces Pardon Of Hundreds Of Political Prisoners

The leader of Myanmar's military junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Myanmar junta staged a show of military force during a parade in the capital Naypyidaw on Saturday 12 February 2022, and announced that hundreds of prisoners would be pardoned. The parade was held to celebrate Myanmar's Unity Day, which marks the country's independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said last year's coup was necessary to protect Myanmar from enemies at home and abroad. The junta said it would pardon 814 prisoners. Amnesties are often granted on national holidays. It is not clear whether Australian Sean Turnell, who has been detained for more than a year, is among those who will be granted amnesty. Turnell is an economic adviser to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The union began with the termination of mobile internet services from 04.00 local time (04.30 WIB). A parade of army units and civil servants was then held in the morning. The parade was also attended by delegates from the states of Karen, Chin and Kayah, areas where conflicts involving local residents and armed anti-military forces took place. Min Aung Hlaing criticized "Violence in Myanmar causes chaos and people suffer," he said in a televised event, as quoted by Antara. The junta spent at least five million US dollars (Rp. 71.7 billion) for the event. , said a local media.

One opposing group, the General Strike Committee of Nationalities, said on Facebook that political prisoners now held in Insein prison started a hunger strike on Saturday. lasted for a decade, vanished when a coup occurred on February 1, 2021. Min Aung Hlaing reiterated the junta's statement that it seized power because it believed Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had rigged the 2020 elections. Suu Kyi's Party, National League for Democracy (NLD) , said they won democratically. The junta has arrested thousands of people, including Suu Kyi, who is still being held in a secret location and is facing lawsuits carrying a prison term of 150 years or more. Security forces have killed at least 1,547 coup opponents, according to Aid Association data. for Political Prisoners (AAPP). The Myanmar junta says AAPP data on exaggerated and soldiers also died in battle.