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India Urges Immediate Evacuation from Myanmar’s Rakhine State

The MEA spokesperson said that there is a lot of fighting happening there, underscoring that the security situation is not conducive at all in Rakhine State….reports Asian Lite News

Amid the deteriorating security situation in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it has told all the Indians to evacuate and move away from there.

“We had issued an advisory for the Rakhine State, where the situation there is very delicate, the security situation has deteriorated. We told all Indian nationals to evacuate themselves and move away from there and we also told our nationals who are there or otherwise from anywhere else not to travel to that part,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing on Friday.

“The situation in Myanmar remains a cause of concern because of the deterioration in the security situation,” he said.

The MEA spokesperson said that there is a lot of fighting happening there, underscoring that the security situation is not conducive at all in Rakhine State.

Asserting that India wants peace and stability in Myanmar, Jaiswal asserted by saying, “There is a lot of fighting happening there, and the security situation is not conducive, but we call upon all sides.”

“We want peace and stability in the country, we want constructive dialogue in the country, and we want inclusive federal democracy to be established through dialogue and through constructive engagement…” he went on to say.

In February, India issued an advisory for Indian citizens, advising them not to travel to the Rakhine state of Myanmar amid a deteriorating security situation.

The Ministry of External Affairs cited the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities in Rakhine State.

“In view of the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities, all Indian citizens are advised not to travel to the Rakhine State of Myanmar,” the MEA advisory had stated.

It also advised the Indian citizens who are in Rakhine State to leave the state immediately.

Notably, a fresh uptick was noticed in incidents of violence in Myanmar recently. This came after three ethnic minority forces launched a coordinated offensive last October, capturing some towns and military posts. The experts called it the ‘biggest test’ for junta since taking power in 2021.

This also led to a huge influx of people from Myanmar into the state of Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Myanmar army launched airstrikes in the bordering areas.

Myanmar marked the third anniversary of the military coup on February 1, where the military seized power in a coup three years ago. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Martial Law Imposed in Eastern Myanmar Townships

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Martial Law Imposed in Eastern Myanmar Townships

According to the media report, the council said on Wednesday in its order statement that the martial law was imposed to ensure security…reports Asian Lite News

Myanmar’s State Administration Council imposed martial law in Momeik and Mabein townships in Shan state of eastern Myanmar, media reported.

According to the media report, the council said on Wednesday in its order statement that the martial law was imposed to ensure security, uphold the rule of law, and maintain peace and stability in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Subsequently, in its separate order, the council granted administrative and judicial power for the townships to the commander of the northern command to effectively carry out the works on security, law enforcement, and peace and stability of the region, the report added.

Myanmar has remained under a state of emergency, which was initially declared in February 2021 for one year and subsequently extended five times, each for six months, until end of July this year.

ALSO READ: MHA scraps Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

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Prabowo Subianto claims victory in Indonesian polls

Despite no official declaration, Subianto holds a significant lead in preliminary tallies, positioning himself to lead the world’s third-largest democracy….reports Asian Lite News

Indonesia’s Defence Minister, Prabowo Subianto, claims victory in presidential election based on unofficial counts, sparking controversy. His opponents remain defiant, refusing to concede defeat.

Despite no official declaration, Subianto holds a significant lead in preliminary tallies, positioning himself to lead the world’s third-largest democracy.

However, his candidacy evokes memories of Indonesia’s authoritarian past, with allegations linking him to human rights abuses during his military tenure.

Despite controversies, Subianto aligns himself with the current popular President Joko Widodo, emphasizing continuity.

Criticisms persist regarding his military record, including accusations of kidnappings and human rights violations. Unofficial tallies suggest Subianto secured a substantial majority, raising concerns among his detractors.

Prabowo’s running mate, 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is also considered a “controversial” candidate, as per Al Jazeera.

Prabowo is the head of Gerindra, a nationalist, right-wing populist political party, and has the backing of a coalition of other parties including Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Although Prabowo and Gibran do not have Jokowi’s explicit endorsement, as the incumbent president is supposed to remain neutral, they are seen as the “continuity” candidates.

Prabowo has also said he plans to build three million new homes in rural, coastal and urban areas, and launch a free lunch programme for schoolchildren in a policy designed to combat stunting.

Meanwhile, Indonesians’ main concern continues to remain the cost of living and being able to provide for themselves and their families.

Economic growth slowed to 5.05 per cent in 2023 compared with 5.3 per cent the year before, mostly as a result of weak exports and lower commodity prices, Al Jazeera reported citing Statistics Indonesia.

With people under 40 making up about half the total number of registered voters, employment is a key concern.

According to Statistics Indonesia, the unemployment rate in August 2023 was 5.32 percent and the average monthly wage across Indonesia was 3.18 million rupiahs (USD 203).

As per Al Jazeera, other issues include human rights and democratic decline in Indonesia, with student protests flaring across university campuses in recent weeks as staff and students at some of Indonesia’s largest and most prominent universities including Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and Universitas Indonesia have spoken out about the need for fair and transparent elections.

The process at the polling stations was overseen by about seven million election officials and independent workers.

In a stark fact, more than 890 election workers died following the exhaustive polls in 2019.

There are more than 8,20,000 polling stations across Indonesia, an archipelago made up of some 17,000 islands, and the count starts as soon as voting closes.

Many polling stations used a “quick count” – based on a sampling method – to give an early indication of where things are headed.

Any legal complaints by any of the candidates involved, including the three sets of presidential and vice presidential hopefuls, will need to be filed within 35 days of the election.

On his previous two outings, Prabowo challenged the result through Indonesia’s Constitutional Court.

Among the voters, about 52 per cent of registered voters are under the age of 40, and about a third of the total are under the age of 30, making the “youth vote” an important one.

This year, 49.91 per cent of registered voters are male and 50.09 per cent are female.

Members of the Indonesian police and the military were banned from voting.

Presidential candidates need 50 per cent of the overall vote and at least 20 per cent of votes in each province in order to claim victory. Political parties need four per cent of the vote in order to enter parliament.

If no single candidate passes the 50 per cent threshold, the top two candidate pairs will go into a second and final round on June 26. The new president will take oath in October.

ALSO READ: ASEAN Invites India Back to RCEP

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ASEAN Invites India Back to RCEP

ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn is leading the ASEAN Secretariat delegation on a working visit to India….reports Asian Lite News

The door for India to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) remains open, said ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn on Wednesday, expressing hope that New Delhi will reconsider its participation in the world’s largest trade deal.

When asked whether ASEAN sees any willingness on India’s part to reconsider the trade deal, the ASEAN Secretary General enunciated that he does not think there is an absolute no from the Indian side on the matter and that the two sides would continue to engage with each other.

ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn is leading the ASEAN Secretariat delegation on a working visit to India.

In an interview with ANI, the secretary general shared the progress of RCEP and the discussion with India on this matter.

Signed in 2020, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

India, which took part in the initial negotiations, later decided to opt out.

“…The door remains open (for India) and we believe that there’s an opportunity to work together, of course, through bilateral FTA, between ASEAN and India on the one hand, but of course, also the opportunity to do so…And of course, we still welcome in the house and we hope India will continue to look at ourselves ourself. You know, in the long term,” Kao Kim Hourn said.

“I don’t think that India is an absolute, no matter if it is all about flexibility. It’s about practicality. It’s about mutual interest. So I think as long as we continue to engage with one another, this engagement approach is important,” he added.

The RCEP was conceived at the 2011 ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia, while negotiations were formally launched during the 2012 ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.

The RCEP Agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2022, is an ASEAN-led initiative that creates the world’s largest free trade area in terms of the parties’ combined gross domestic product (GDP), which is almost a third of the world’s GDP, and the market size, as the parties’ combined population accounts for almost one-third of the world’s population.

Moreover, RCEP comprises the ten ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. (ANI)

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Indonesia gears up for crucial polls

Along with local and parliamentary representatives, the elections on Wednesday will choose a new president and vice president….reports Asian Lite News

Tens of thousands of supporters of Indonesia’s presidential candidates have descended onto the country’s streets, including in Jakarta and other cities, to see their last-ditch campaigns before heading to the polls in the world’s biggest single-day election, according to Al Jazeera.

Popular former governors Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, as well as former special forces commander Prabowo Subianto–who has surged in opinion surveys with the president’s tacit support and the incumbent’s son as his running mate–are the contenders to head the third-largest democracy in the world.

Along with local and parliamentary representatives, the elections on Wednesday will choose a new president and vice president.

On Saturday, over 80,000 supporters of opponent Baswedan flocked to a stadium in the megalopolis of Jakarta, while about 100,000 people flocked to the main stadium in the capital city of Jakarta to demonstrate in favor of front-runner Subianto, reported Al Jazeera.

The 72-year-old former military dictator Subianto, who serves as Indonesia’s current minister of defense, is attempting to change the perception of him as a ruthless army leader with a track record of violating human rights.

With the backing of several other parties, Subianto, the leader of the right-wing Gerindra political party, has chosen the controversial 36-year-old Gibran Rakambuming Raka as his running mate.

Thousands of Subianto fans gathered at a Jakarta stadium wearing his trademark light blue clothing.

Alongside Subianto in the race is Mahfud MD, 66, a former coordinating minister for political, legal, and security matters. Both men have positioned themselves as individuals with modest backgrounds who are familiar with Indonesian culture.

The former Jakartan governor, Baswedan, is also a contender; he is running as an independent. After receiving his schooling in the US, the 54-year-old entered academics before entering politics to serve as an education minister, reported Al Jazeera.

The 57-year-old leader of the National Awakening Party, who leads Indonesia’s largest Muslim political party, Muhaimin Iskander, is his opponent.

During a grand final rally on Saturday, supporters of Baswedan crowded an 82,000-seat stadium in Jakarta while reciting Islamic prayers. To guarantee a seat to view the politician, some people spent the night.

From Sunday to election day, there will be a cooling-off period during which candidates and their running mates will attempt to become the next president of Indonesia after the outgoing leader, Joko Widodo, who has served two five-year terms and is not eligible to run again.

While voting is not required, according to the nation’s election commission, 81 per cent of Indonesia’s 270 million citizens are registered to vote, and over 204 million of them cast ballots in 2019. There are 18 national political parties in Indonesia, and candidates are able to run for 575 parliamentary seats.

Supporters also turned out in their tens of thousands for the final rallies of his rival candidates — former provincial governors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo — in the battle to lead the massive, Muslim-majority nation.

Third-time candidate Subianto, the current defense minister, is leading Baswedan and Pranowo by double digits in polls ahead of Wednesday’s vote.

“Me, my father and mother have supported Prabowo continuously since 2014,” said Novita Agustina, a 24-year-old first-time voter who traveled four hours to see the ex-general speak.

She lauded his work as defense minister and shrugged off rights groups’ concerns about his track record, saying criticism was “just attacks from opponents… I don’t want to hear anything bad.”

Others praised his tenacity in running a third time for the presidency.

The crowd at the national stadium cheered as the 72-year-old Subianto launched into a characteristically fiery address.

“We will fight to bring prosperity for all people of Indonesia,” he said. “We will continue what was already being built by previous presidents.”

Many Subianto supporters wore blue shirts, some emblazoned with an AI cartoon image of his face that has become synonymous with his campaign.

Subianto has campaigned on a pledge to eradicate extreme poverty, provide free school meals to children and milk to pregnant women, and continue President Joko Widodo’s development drive. The capital’s streets were brought to a standstill by throngs of scooters and cars heading to the rallies.

The entrances to the stadium in north Jakarta where Baswedan addressed supporters became so packed that several people fainted, according to an AFP journalist there. Many had camped overnight for the event.

“We want to witness change,” said Endang Pujiati, a retired school teacher who drove hours to attend Baswedan’s rally. “Anies is a trustworthy person, that’s why he could be a good leader.”

Pranowo was holding two events on Saturday in the cities of Semarang and Surakarta, Central Java province, which he used to govern.

More than 204 million Indonesians will choose their next president, parliamentarians and thousands of local officials on February 14.

They will cast their ballots at more than 800,000 polling booths across the volcano-dotted archipelago. After Saturday’s rallies the candidates will observe three quiet campaign days before the vote.

ALSO READ: ASEAN Secy-General Due In India

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ASEAN Secy-General Due In India

This will be the first official visit by Kao to India since assuming charge in January 2023…reports Asian Lite News

Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, will be on an official visit to India from February 11 to 15, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

This will be the first official visit by Kao to India since assuming charge in January 2023.

During the visit, Secretary-General of ASEAN is scheduled to have meetings with the External Affairs Minister and other dignitaries in Delhi. He will deliver the Sapru House Lecture organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) on the theme “The ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the Evolving Regional Architecture,” MEA also said.

At the invitation of the Government of India, Secretary-General of ASEAN will visit the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Gaya.

He is scheduled to deliver an address on “The Future of ASEAN: ASEAN’s Relevance and Resilience in the Evolving Strategic Environment” at the Nalanda University in Rajgir.

Students from ASEAN Member States pursue higher education at the University under ASEAN-India cooperation projects. The Nalanda University also leads the ASEAN-India Network of Universities (AINU), it added.

Engagement with ASEAN is an important pillar of India’s Act East Policy, which has entered into its 10th year in 2024, as well as its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. In 2022, the ASEAN-India relations were elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

India also supports the priorities set by Lao PDR in its ASEAN Chairmanship for the year 2024 under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Conectivity and Resilience,” the MEA release concluded. (ANI)

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MHA scraps Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

This comes just two days after the Home Minister’s statement that the government has chosen to erect a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer India-Myanmar border….reports Asian Lite News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced for “immediate suspension of Free Movement Regime (FMR)” between India and Myanmar to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern states bordering Myanmar.

“Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Shah said.

The Home Minister in a post on X, made the announcement, saying that the aim of abolishing the FMR between India and Myanmar is to safeguard the internal security of the nation and preserve the demographic composition of India’s North Eastern states that share borders with Myanmar.

“It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Shah said in the post.

This comes just two days after the Home Minister’s statement that the government has chosen to erect a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer India-Myanmar border.

On February 6, Shah announced that a patrol pathway will also be constructed along India-Myanmar border in order to enhance surveillance capabilities. Furthermore, the Minister had said, two pilot projects of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution, and they will fence a stretch of 1 km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

“Additionally, fence works covering approx 20 km in Manipur have also been approved, and the work will start soon,” Shah had stated further.

The fresh announcement to scrap FMR is significant in an effort of the government to curb the influx of illegal migrants and insurgents.

The plan is part of consideration to end a point of contention as local residents complain that the FMR policy has become a major subject of contention as it is often misused and facilitates “illegal immigration, drug and arms trafficking”.

Manipur government as well as other northeast states facing the issue has also raised the matter with the Central government earlier.

The 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, spanning Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, currently operates under the FMR, which permits individuals living near the India-Myanmar border to travel 16 km into each other’s territories without a visa. Initiated in 2018, the FMR policy was a component of India’s Act East policy.

As per FMR policy, those belonging to the hill tribes, being citizens of either India or Myanmar and residing within a 16 km radius on either side of the border, can cross with a border pass valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to two weeks per visit.

“We plan to terminate the FMR along the Indo-Myanmar border shortly. Our aim is to install fencing along the entire border, a project expected to be completed in the next four-and-a-half years. Individuals entering will be required to obtain a visa,” stated an official privy to the plan being prepared by the Ministry of HomeAffairs.

“The objective is not only to halt the misuse of the FMR, which insurgent groups exploit for attacks on the Indian side before escaping to Myanmar, but also to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants and disrupt networks involved in drug and gold smuggling.”

Another official shared that the process of “tendering for an advanced smart fencing system covering 300 km of the India-Myanmar border is already in progress, and the project’s implementation will commence shortly.” (ANI)

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‘Democracy Rises, Junta Falls in Myanmar’

Monday marked the third anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the civilian government …reports Asian Lite News

The democratic forces are gaining ground and the military junta is “losing”, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents the democratically-elected government overthrown in a coup three years ago, has said while appealing for effective UN Security Council action against the dictatorship.

“We the people of Myanmar are unified in opposition to the military dictatorship. And if we wish to live in a free, peaceful, inclusive, just and democratic society,” he told reporters on Monday before a closed Council meeting on the situation in that nation.

“Democratic forces are gaining ground and the military junta is losing every day,” he said.

“But we need help from the international community, coordinated concrete actions, both from the Security Council and individual member states,” he added.

Monday marked the third anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the civilian government of President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who are in detention along with scores of leaders.

Although Myanmar is now effectively ruled by the military known as the Tatmadaw, the UN recognises only the representative of the overthrown democratically-elected government.

Kyaw Moe Tun continues to speak for Myanmar at the General Assembly, the Security Council and other UN bodies as the General Assembly’s accreditation committee has refused to recognise the junta.

He said that the “significant success of Operation 1027” and other actions by the allied forces have “revealed that the military is not too big to fail after all”.

Operation 1027 was launched on October 27 last year by a rebel group, the Three Brotherhood Alliance uniting the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, has made headway against the Tatmadaw forces overrunning over 30 towns and several military command centres and outposts.

Kyaw Moe Tun warned that the military coup has a “huge impact on the region and beyond” and said that “it is high time” the Council enforced its December 2022 resolution demanding the military uphold democracy.

He asserted that under the military, organised crimes like human trafficking, drug trade and online scams were flourishing in Myanmar.

The polarisation of the Council prevents action against the Tatmadaw, which has the support of veto-wielding China and Russia.

Nine members of the Council led by Britain, demanded “an immediate end to all forms of violence and we urge restraint and de-escalation of tensions” by the junta.

“We continue to urge the Myanmar military to immediately release all arbitrarily detained prisoners,” they said in a joint statement.

“We strongly condemn the ongoing violence harming civilians, including the military’s continued use of indiscriminate air strikes,” they added.

Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland and the US joined Britain in issuing the statement that also called for creating conditions for the safe return of the Rohingyas, about a million of whom have fled the country.

ALSO READ: EU condemns human rights violations in Myanmar

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Australia sanctions 5 entities with links to Myanmar regime

Under the sanctions, two banks that enable the regime’s activities, Myanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, will be subject to targeted financial sanctions….reports Asian Lite News

Australia on Thursday imposed additional targeted sanctions on five entities with direct links to the Myanmar military regime.

The sanctions are designed to limit the regime’s access to the funds and materials that enable it to continue to commit atrocities against its own people, as per a release issued by Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong.

Under the sanctions, two banks that enable the regime’s activities, Myanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, will be subject to targeted financial sanctions.

Three entities that supply jet fuel to the Myanmar military, Asia Sun Group, Asia Sun Trading Co Ltd, and Cargo Link Petroleum Logistics Co Ltd, will also be subject to targeted financial sanctions.

Wong said the sanctions are a response to the regime’s ongoing repression of the people of Myanmar, escalating violence, and the continuing deterioration of the political, humanitarian and security situation.

“They send a clear message of Australia’s deep concern for the regime’s ongoing actions, and its continued disregard for international efforts, particularly those of ASEAN, to seek a resolution to the crisis,” the Australian Foreign Minister said.

Australia said it will continue to closely monitor the regime’s actions and look for improvements on the ground. “We will continue to use every lever at our disposal to press the regime for the cessation of violence, the release of those unjustly detained, unimpeded humanitarian access, and a return to the path of democracy,” the Australian Foreign Minister said in the official release.

“In this context, we will continue to keep our targeted sanctions towards Myanmar under review.”

“We maintain our strong support for ASEAN’s efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, including the constructive efforts of the ASEAN Chairs and Special Envoys. We call on the military regime to implement the Five-Point Consensus and engage meaningfully and positively with ASEAN representatives.”

Australia said it remains resolute in its support for the people of Myanmar. “They have demonstrated their courage and commitment to democracy, with determined resilience, in the face of unspeakable atrocities. We will continue to ensure our humanitarian and development assistance reaches the most vulnerable,” Wong said.

The US also imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military regime on Wednesday, three years after the military coup.

The country has designated four individuals and two entities linked to Myanmar’s military regime.

“We are taking this action to target the regime’s sources of revenue which support military activities against civilians. The action also targets those who provide material and support for the production of arms in Burma (Myanmar),” said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

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India Calls for Democratic Transition in Myanmar

New Delhi has long been advocating for the “complete secession” of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards “inclusive federal democracy.”…reports Asian Lite News

Expressing concern over the “deteriorating” situation in Myanmar, where the military seized power in a coup three years ago, India has urged for an early resolution to the conflict with the return of peace and stability in the country.

“We are concerned with the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, which has direct implications for usas a neighbouring country and a friend of Myanmar. We want an early resolution of the issue through dialogue,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.

The Ministry of External Affairs, in its weekly press briefing, also emphasised that New Delhi has long been advocating for the “complete secession” of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards “inclusive federal democracy.”

On February 1 2021, the military junta seized power in a coup ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate.

“India has been long advocating for the complete secession of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards inclusive federal democracy. We want an early resolution to the conflict through early dialogue, return of peace and stability in the country,” Jaiswal said.

Notably, a fresh uptick was noticed in incidents of violence in Myanmar recently. This came after three ethnic minority forces launched a coordinated offensive last October, capturing some towns and military posts. The experts called it the ‘biggest test’ for junta since taking power in 2021.

This also led to a huge influx of people from Myanmar into the state of Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Myanmar army launched airstrikes in the bordering areas.

India has expressed concern about the issue and called for the end of violence and the resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue.

“Our position on the ongoing situation in Myanmar is very clear. We want secession of the violence and the resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue. We reiterate our call for the return of peace, stability and democracy in Myanmar,” the then MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

“There has been a movement of Myanmar nationals to the Indian side. We are deeply concerned with such incidents close to our border,” Bagchi said.

Earlier today, several countries imposed sanctions against the military regime.

The US designated four individuals and two entities linked to Myanmar’s military regime. It said that the country’s military has continued to carry out a “campaign of violence and repression” against the people of Myanmar.

“We are taking this action to target the regime’s sources of revenue, which support military activities against civilians. The action also targets those who provide material and support for the production of arms in Burma (Myanmar),” said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The US reiterated its call for the Myanmar military to change course and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue towards a future democratic Myanmar.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs on behalf of the European Union also condemned sexual and gender-based violence and the restriction of fundamental freedoms by the military regime.

The joint statement reiterated their call for the Commander-in-Chief and the military to change course, immediately ceasing violence against civilians, releasing all unjustly detained political prisoners, allowing full humanitarian access, and creating space for inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders.

Australia also imposed additional targeted sanctions on five entities with direct links to the Myanmar military regime to limit the regime’s access to the funds and materials that enable it to continue to “commit atrocities against its own people”.

Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, in a statement said the sanctions are a response to the regime’s ongoing repression of the people of Myanmar, escalating violence, and the continuing deterioration of the political, humanitarian and security situation. (ANI)

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