Myanmar leader vows to 'annihilate' opponents of army rule

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JERRY HARMER

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s leader vowed Sunday to intensify action against homegrown militia groups fighting the military-run government, saying the armed forces would “annihilate” them.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, speaking at a military parade marking Armed Forces Day, also urged ethnic minorities not to support groups opposed to army rule and ruled out negotiations with them.

The military seized power last year from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Security forces used lethal force to suppress mass nationwide protests, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,700 civilians, according to a detailed tally compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Forced to turn away from peaceful protests, many of those opposed to military rule took up arms, forming hundreds of militia groups called People’s Defense Forces — better known as PDFs. In some parts of the country, they’ve joined forces with well-organized, battle-hardened ethnic armed groups, which have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades.



Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military council, inspects officers during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 77th Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, March 27, 2022. The occasion commemorates resistance against Japanese occupiers during World War II, and is a show of strength as the military battles armed resistance to its takeover last year that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-myanmar-army-min-aung-hlaing-aung-san-suu-kyi-cc6402c492edbc1fbaefef5e6e9dbf21

[barbtries]

1. so another war.

sigh.

can't keep up.

[Igel]

5. Ongoing.

The campaign against the Karens and closely related ethnicities has been happening for a while, but picked up intensity recently.

Yes, the language and ethnicity is "Karen." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people

[GB_RN]

2. These Dictators Love Their Medals.

They always have ribbon racks that are so chock full of gold and brass, it's a wonder they can stand up without assistance. Surely those medals weren't awarded for combat in most cases?

I suppose in their eyes, those things make them look official and maybe, big and bold. I'm somewhat less than impressed by the deliberate ostentatiousness, however. Disdainful might even be an understatement.

Because Myanmar (and by extension, it's tin-pot dick-tater) doesn't have nukes or oil or anything of like value to the rest of the world, and is out of the way to where the conflict can't spill over into someone's back yard (like the breakup of Yugoslavia threatened to in Europe), no one will interfere. Words will be said in condemnation, but the slaughter will continue...

[cbabe]

3. Little brown people being slaughtered not blue eyed blondes like 'us'. Ps medals are manjewlery.

Last edited Mon Mar 28, 2022, 12:14 PM - Edit history (1)

[Mister Ed]

6. Post needs the "sarcasm" tag added...

...if intended as sarcasm.

If it were not sarcasm, of course, it would have no place on DU or anywhere else.

[cbabe]

7. Ok if I can figure it out.

[Mister Ed]

8. Thanks so much! Here's how to do the trick:

1. Click the "Edit post" link at lower right in the post.

2. Click the "Smilies" button.

3. Click the "..." button to see more emoticons.

4. Click the dripping "sarcasm" button.

5. Click the "Update my post!" button.


It's great to have this little emoticon on DU, because it's sometimes hard to convey sarcasm in print, without vocal inflection.

[cbabe]

9. True. I call it email drift.

[RussBLib]

4. they claimed fraud in the Nov 2020 elections

The people routed military-backed candidates in the Nov 2020 election. Military claimed fraud. In Jan of 2021, they staged a coup and took over again. Very close to Biden's Jan 2021 inauguration date.

They said they would stay in power only for a year. Oh, look, they lied.

https://time.com/5934896/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-detained-coup/

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

10. Over 7 decades of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Absolutely awful.