Myanmar’s shadow government urges ‘revolt against the rule of military terrorists’

Myanmar’s military toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, triggering a wave of protests by pro-democracy supporters

The country’s shadow government has urged members of security forces to join them and for ethnic forces in border areas to attack the ruling junta

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Myanmar’s military ruler Min Aung Hlaing last month took on the role of prime minister and pledged to hold new elections by 2023. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:15pm, 7 Sep 2021Updated: 7:50pm, 7 Sep 2021

Myanmar’s shadow government, formed by opponents of military rule, called for a revolt against the junta on Tuesday, setting out a strategy that included action by armed militias and ethnic forces and urging bureaucrats to leave their posts.

Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), said the shadow government was launching a “people’s defensive war”, signalling in a speech what appeared to be a bid for greater coordination of armed militias and ethnic forces after months of fighting the military.

Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun dismissed the NUG’s call for revolt. It was an attempt to gain international attention and recognition from the United Nations General Assembly later this month and would not succeed, he said.

Myanmar’s military toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, triggering a wave of protests by pro-democracy supporters, and hundreds of deaths as security forces tried to quell the demonstrations.

Some opponents of military rule have formed armed groups, under the banner of the People’s Defence Forces, and have forged alliances with some ethnic militias that have long seen Myanmar’s army as their enemy.

Declaring a state of emergency, Duwa Lashi La called for a “revolt against the rule of the military terrorists led by Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country”.

Myanmar’s military ruler Min Aung Hlaing last month took on the role of prime minister in a newly formed caretaker government and pledged to hold new elections by 2023.

The junta has itself branded the NUG – made up of members in exile or in hiding – and People’s Defence Forces as terrorist groups.

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