Myanmar junta releases over 23,000 prisoners to mark Burmese New Year

Myanmar’s military junta leader on Friday pardoned at least 23,047 prisoners, whom he released from the detention cells, including 137 foreigners now waiting to be deported, Myanmar’s State broadcaster MRTV reported. It, however, remains unclear if all 23, 047 prisoners are the anti-coup protesters that were arrested by the armed forces as a part of the anti-dissent crackdown. The prisoners were freed as a ‘goodwill gesture’ as Myanmar marks the Burmese New Year.

The pro-democracy protesters, on the other hand, maintained low-key civil disobedience against the military junta through the Buddhist New Year as they celebrated the five-day Thingyan or ‘Water Festival’ holiday, which the citizens typically observe with exchanging feasts, throwing pots of water at each other, and gifting buddha sculptures. However, this year, due to the ongoing Myanmar coup situation, the civilians decided to forego the traditional festivities and instead mark Thingyan “only with revolutionary chants,” Mandalay resident Kyaw Gyi told Myanmar Now. 

[Anti-coup protesters extinguish fires during a protest in Thaketa township Yangon. Credit: AP]

In order to show defiance to the military’s oppressive regime, and to express solidarity with lives lost in the protests, demonstrators marched holding earthen pots containing flowers and that is traditionally associated with Thingyan. As they rallied against the military’s unlawful seizure of power and its regime, other protesters threw Eugenia bushes on the march. A few weeks ago, the protesters similarly had launched a nationwide ‘Blood Strike' as they sprayed red paints on the roadways and smeared several cities in remembrance of victims shot at by Myanmar Junta. To honour the fallen 'pro-democracy heroes' that succumbed to the gunshot wounds of the soldiers, civilians daubed bus stations, billboards, and highways with bright red paint in the second populous city of Yangon. The civil disobedience movement also marked two long months of lethal violence and military killings. 

[Military vehicles parade during the national Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Credit: AP]

Junta chief MAH to attend ASEAN summit 

As the neighbouring countries ramped up pressure to encourage talks between the democratically elected government, currently under Junta’s detention, and Myanmar’s armed forces, reports emerged that Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing will attend the ASEAN leaders’ summit in Jakarta on April 24. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat told a news conference that leaders of several countries will attend the meeting, including Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing [MAH]. The announcement caused a backlash within Myanmar among the supporters of Myanmar’s state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who said that ASEAN would lose credibility by offering a seat to “murderer in chief.” 

(Image Credit: AP/Twitter/@Bay22595368)