Thursday, 13 April 2023
The Network for Social Democracy in Asia (SocDem Asia) condemns the latest airstrike of the Myanmar Military last April 11 targeting a village in the north-western Sagaing region of the country. More than six hundred (600) airstrikes have been conducted by the military since the coup in February 2021 according to news reports. Latest estimates fear that more than a hundred people have been killed by this airstrike.
We extend our sympathy and condolences to the families of those killed and join the people of Myanmar to demand justice for this atrocity and a multitude of others that have been perpetrated by the junta’s military forces since the junta’s power grab in 2021 and even prior to it. We reiterate our solidarity with the people of Myanmar who are steadfast in fighting the military junta and wish to see the country return down the path of democratization and peace.
The people of Myanmar have shown tremendous courage in fighting to regain democracy for the country. However, this has also been met with an equally zealous but brutal campaign of terror by the military junta targeting populated areas and civilian structures such as schools and clinics. Such actions which can be construed as war crimes should warrant a serious response from the international community. We welcome the sweeping condemnation from the international community while also urging further decisive action to bring an end to the military junta’s acts of terror against its own population. We urge the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to give serious consideration to these atrocities of the military junta alongside their continued defiance of the Five-Point Consensus agreed upon in April 21, 2021. The ASEAN must do more to stop the junta’s violent campaign in the country.
We also urge ordinary people, especially fellow progressives, to extend humanitarian, economic, and political support to the people of Myanmar in this civil conflict that has now lasted more than two years. We must remember that this coup was launched by the junta in the middle of the pandemic while the people were struggling with its effects. Now, this vicious campaign of the junta has left thousands dead and millions displaced with almost a third of the country in dire need of humanitarian aid. We must enforce a true spirit of international solidarity in ensuring that the light of democracy and peace is not extinguished in Myanmar.
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For your additional reference:
Report in ASEAN Statement of the recent airstikes
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Myanmar-Crisis/ASEAN-strongly-condemns-deadly-airstrike-in-Myanmar
Myanmar General Strike Committee Statement
https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStrikeCommittee/photos/pcb.697531559039983/697541745705631/
BBC News Coverage on the Airstrike
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65238250
Socdem Asia previous releases on the situation in Myanmar
https://socdemasia.com/latest/news/socdem-asia-statement-current-situation-myanmar
https://socdemasia.com/latest/news/socdem-asia-statement-military-coup-myanmar
https://socdemasia.com/latest/news/socdem-asia-statement-execution-pro-democracy-activists-myanmar-military-junta