Myanmar junta strips shadow gov’t members of citizenship

By: 3 years ago

In this file photo taken on March 13, 2021, protesters watch as a video showing Dr Sasa is projected on a screen during a night-time demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. AFP

YANGON — Myanmar’s junta has revoked the citizenship of several members of an opposition government dominated by Aung San Suu Kyi’s toppled administration, it said Saturday.

Ousted lawmakers formed the “National Unity Government” weeks after the military’s power-grab last year, and have vowed to overturn the coup.

The NUG has since been declared a “terrorist” organisation by the junta.

Those stripped of citizenship include spokesman Sasa — who goes by one name — minister for foreign affairs Zin Mar Aung, home minister Lwin Ko Latt and human rights minister Aung Myo Min.

The group had “violated the existing laws of the State and… found to be committing acts that could harm the interests of Myanmar,” according to a junta notice in state newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar.

Writer Ei Pencilo and prominent activists Min Ko Naing and Ei Thinzar Maung had also had their citizenship revoked, it said.

“Similar perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted,” the notice from the military added.

The NUG holds no territory and has not been recognised by any foreign government with many of its members in hiding or exile.

Suu Kyi — nominated as its head — has been detained since the coup and faces a barrage of charges that could jail her for more than 150 years.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup and a subsequent military crackdown on dissent that a local monitoring group says has killed more than 1,600 people.