Myanmar shadow government urges revolt
WAR has been declared in Myanmar.
The ousted democratic government of Myanmar has declared war on the military regime that illegally deposed it in February.
Yesterday, the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), made up of members in exile or in hiding, declared a state of emergency and called on the citizens of Myanmar to overthrow the militaryled coup.
In a video broadcast, the NUG’s acting president, Duwa Lashi La, urged citizens to ‘‘revolt against the rule of military terrorists led by [coup leader] Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country’’.
The sevenminute broadcast, which is being widely shared on social media in Myanmar, condemned the months of violence and killings committed by the military. It called on the informal People’s Defence Forces to wrest control from the junta, to obey instructions that would be issued and to protect people’s lives and property. Citizens were told to avoid unnecessary travel and to do what they could to aid the People’s Defence
Forces, including reporting regime troop movements.
The country’s armed ethnic militias were directed to immediately attack junta positions and to ‘‘fully control your lands’’.
‘‘Attack and abolish the dictatorship and military administration with people power,’’
Duwa Lashi La said.
He also called on Myanmar army personnel and police officers to defect and fight for the people of Myanmar.
University of Otago international affairs specialist Prof Robert Patman said the NUG had probably calculated this was the last good opportunity to try to defeat the regime.
‘‘It is an extraordinary declaration,’’ he said.
‘‘With Chinese and Russian military support [for the junta] rapidly coming on stream . . . there may be a nowornever component to it.’’
The call for ethnic militias to attack raised the possibility a deal had been offered by the NUG, Prof Patman said.
‘‘It suggests a deal has been done, that if civilian government is restored these ethnic states will get the autonomy for which they have been fighting for decades.’’