A Myanmar junta court on Monday has convicted Aung San Suu Kyi of three criminal charges, sentencing her to four years in prison in a slew of cases against the ousted civilian leader. The 76-year-old leader of ousted civilian government and National League for Democracy was reportedly found guilty of two charges related to illegally importing and owning walkie-talkies and breaking corona virus rules. The Nobel Laureate has been detained since February 1 when her government was forced out in an early morning coup, ending Myanmar’s short-lived experiment with democracy. The Generals’ power grab triggered widespread dissent and an armed disobedient movement which security forces sought to quell with mass detentions and bloody crackdowns killing so far at least 1,400 civilians. Junta leaders said Suu Kyi would remain under house arrest while other cases against her will proceed on.
We would say such trial of civilian leaders in military court is clearly politically motivated to break the will of the leaders spearheading democracy movement. The military junta is appeasing the ousted democracy leaders to come to term in one hand and holding trial in fake cases for having absolute power on the other to make its rule absolute. A section of ousted democracy leaders has set up a government in exile to win international recognition and it has fiercely irritated the military. We are appalled by the reckless oppression of the military on democracy loving Myanmar people and call on the international community to bring in effective sanction on the junta to return the country to civilian rule. People with gun power are exercising absolute power on civilians. The support of China and Russia behind the Myanmar junta has made it arrogant. They are also prolonging the Rohingya crisis.
We are appalled to say that military court or special court in undemocratic countries has become instrumental to block the rule of law and allow undemocratic forces to continue in power. We would ask the USA or the European Union to help rescue democracy for the struggling people. The US must be bold in defence of democracy. Russia did not worry to send troops to Kazakhstan to protect dictatorship.
