Moves to increase pressure on Myanmar military gain momentum -

Yangon: The Myanmar military is making frantic efforts to crush the pro-democracy agitation going on in the country for the last one and a half months. More than 200 people have been killed so far in the actions taken by the military. But the edge of the Myanmar agitation has not blunted, and the move to increase pressure on the Myanmar military from the international level is gaining momentum. The United Nations and ASEAN are making efforts for this, and the demand for stringent sanctions against the Myanmar military also is gaining ground.

It has been revealed that the United Nations and ASEAN have initiated moves regarding the Myanmar issue. UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres stated a need for urgent and tough action by the member countries. The spokesman of Guterres informed that he has already started discussions with the member countries.

It is being said that the ASEAN stand will be decisive regarding the issue of action against the Myanmar military. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN and is connected on a big scale with the south-east Asian countries in the economic and other sectors. But the ASEAN constitution has a provision not to interfere in the internal matters of the members. Therefore, doubts are being raised on the ASEAN action.

A few days ago, senior leaders from the ASEAN countries published a letter demanding that an action should be initiated against Myanmar, setting the condition of non-interference aside. Thereafter, Indonesia, the leading country in ASEAN, demanded to call a meeting to discuss the Myanmar issue. Malaysia also has supported the demand made by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Therefore, as per indications given by sources, an ASEAN meeting could be convened in the next few days.

Along with the United Nations and ASEAN, demand has come even from groups in Myanmar that the foreign companies operating in Myanmar should adopt a firm stand against the Myanmar military. The Myanmar parliamentarians and voluntary groups have written letters to the companies operating in the fuel and garments sectors. French company EDF and Japanese company Kirin have announced withdrawal from the projects in Myanmar. It has also been revealed Lim Kaling, the Singapore entrepreneur, also announced the cancellation of the decision to invest in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, nine protestors were killed in the military action on Saturday. Local groups informed that this takes the total number of casualties in the agitation to 230. The rebel organisations from the Kachin province, demanding autonomy, have started preparations to retaliate against the military action. It has been reported that there were encounters between the military and the rebels at some places. The Kachin rebels have declared support for the democracy agitation and have warned to intensify the armed resistance.