China to Condemn Myanmar: USA has urged China to pressurize Myanmar after the Junta government executed four democracy activists. Beijing, on its part, says it doesn’t interfere in other countries internal affair . Myanmar one among other flashpoints in Sino-American relations. Meanwhile, US its allies and human rights organizations have all condemned the executions.
.A US state department official said China could influence Myanmar by condemning the actions of its military junta. State Department spokesman Ned Price said there could be no business as usual with the junta government. “We are calling on countries around the world to do more. We will be doing more as well”, he said.
The junta government, has recently executed four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar. It arrested them on charges that they were promoting “terrorism”.The junta then tried them in a closed trial that many condemned to be unjust. Meanwhile, the junta insists that they “deserved many death sentences”.
“ If we compare their sentence with other death penalty cases, they should have been given crimes for which they should be given death sentences many times”, it said. The four men were allowed to speak to their families, junta representative Zaw Min Tun said. Meanwhile, Beijing said it doesn’t interfere in other countries internal affairs.
US Rift with China on Myanmar Not New
The US has been a fervent critic of the Burmese Junta government ever since it came to power last year. Many democratic leaders were arrested during the coup-d-etat and US pressurized Myanmar to release them. It said it may take actions against the Burmese government unless they release their political prisoners. China , for its part, has refused any involvement in Burmese affairs. Beijing instead pitched for its resolution under the Burmese constitution.
In February last year, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke with Yang Jiechi. He called China to condemn the military coup in Burma . He also warned Beijing that US and its allies would hold China accountable for causing instability in the Taiwan strait. Yang Jiechi, on his part, said US should not interfere in Chinese affairs. Among other things , Myanmar is becoming a point of friction between US and China. As Biden seems to have restored many of the anti-China measures of his political predecessor Donald Trump, it’s likely that yesterday’s calls were not a departure in worsening Sino-American relations.
Meanwhile, in Myanmar, activist Kyau Min Yu , alias Ko Jimmy and lawmaker Pho Zeya Thaw were among those executed by the Junta government. Both of them lost their cases in June. Even less is known about other two activists, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw. The junta executed them for allegedly killing a female informer. Human Rights Organization, Amnesty International has warned that the junta government had executed many dissidents this way.
US and AlliesCondemn Burmese Actions
The International community too has criticized the executions. In a joint statement, US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada and Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea have all condemned the executions in a joint statement. They have called the junta regime to seek peace through dialogue under an agreement negotiated with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
However US ambassador to Myanmar, Scot Marciel feels that the ASEAN agreement are not enough to restore Burmese democracy. Instead, western nations should do more. The ASEAN plan was dead on arrival, he said. And ASEAN, UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet have all expressed condemnation and dismay.
“ This cruel and regressive step is an extension of the military’s ongoing repressive campaign against its own people”, Bachelet said.
China to Condemn Myanmar
(Inputs, BBC, CNBC)
