Myanmar army Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends a ceremony during the 77th anniversary of the founding of its national army, formed during World War II to fight against the Japanese invasion, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar March 27, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVESThe leader of the Burmese military junta, General Min Aung Hlaing, warned on Sunday that the army in power since the coup d’état a year ago will “annihilate” the opposition forces, which he described as “terrorists”, during a speech on the occasion of the Burmese Armed Forces Day.” Our army must punish internal insurgency and terrorism. We will not meet or negotiate with terrorist groups that are killing civilians (…). We will annihilate them until peace and order are restored,” General Hlaing warned, according to the transcript of the Eleven Myanmar portal.The Army, known as the Tatmadaw, celebrated with a grand parade the 73rd anniversary of its formation as thousands of people demonstrated today in the streets across the country against the military regime established after the coup of February 1, 2021, which resulted in the imprisonment of political leaders such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi , in prison since then.The Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners in Burma estimates that since the uprising Burmese security forces have taken the lives of 1,707 people, while 12,970 have been arbitrarily arrested. Reuters/StringerFaced with the army’s accusations that opposition activists to the regime have killed civilians, the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners in Burma estimates that since the uprising Burmese security forces have taken the lives of 1,707 people, while 12,970 have been arbitrarily arrested. The European Union, the US and other powers such as Canada, the United Kingdom, among others, today called in a joint statement that the Army “cease its violence and restore Burma’s path to democracy.”In the statement they remember all the victims of the military junta’s violence in the almost 14 months since the coup, including the hundred people killed a year ago, when the security forces suppressed protests against the regime in blood and fire throughout the country while the military parade was taking place.Military vehicles are seen as Myanmar’s military government commemorates the 77th anniversary of the founding of its national army during World War II to fight the Japanese invasion, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Reuters/StringerThe text was published a day after the US, Canada and the United Kingdom announced new economic sanctions against military leaders and businessmen linked to the Burmese army. In addition, the signatories of the communiqué sent a message to “some countries that continue to provide lethal assistance to the Burmese military regime”, calling on them “to support the Burmese population by stopping their sale or sending of weapons and military equipment”, referring to China and Russia, whom it did not name.The possible presence in the parade of the Russian Deputy Minister of Defense, Alexander Fomin, who attended the parade a year ago, had created expectation, but he eventually did not attend.Myanmar’s army chief, General in Chief Min Aung Hlaing, attends a ceremony during the 77th anniversary of the founding of his national army, formed during World War II to fight the Japanese invasion, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Reuters/StringerBurma has been mired in a profound social, political and humanitarian crisis since the coup d’état that ended democratic rule and imposed a regime of violent repression on dissent that has exacerbated the armed conflict in the country.The Army justifies the coup for alleged fraud during the November 2020 general elections, the result of which has been annulled and in which the NLD swept, as it did in 2015, with the endorsement of international observers. (with information from EFE)KEEP READING:Burma: After the December 24 massacre, the US called for an end to arms sales to the military juntaInfographic: The dictators of the world who were personally sanctioned
