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Myanmar Brings More Charges Against Suu Kyi, Protests Continue

Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared at a court hearing using video conferencing on Monday.

Her supporters, however, marched in several towns and cities. They ignored a crackdown following the deadliest day since February 1, the day that the military seized power in the country.

Suu Kyi appeared to be in good health during her appearance before a court in the capital Naypyidaw, one of her lawyers said. Two more charges were added to those already brought against her after the military takeover, she said.

"I saw Amay on the video, she looks healthy," lawyer Min Min Soe told Reuters. She used the respectful word for "mother" to describe Suu Kyi, as many people in the country do.

Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize-winner. She also leads the National League for Democracy (NLD). She has not been seen in public since the military dismissed parliament. She was detained along with other party leaders at that time.

At first, she was charged with importing six illegal communications devices. Later, the charge of violating coronavirus restriction¹ laws was added.

On Monday, two more charges were added. The first was illegally publishing information that may "cause fear or alarm." A lawyer said the other charge was under a telecommunications law that requires special permission for some equipment.

The next hearing will be on March 15. Critics of the military's seizure² of power say the charges were false.

‘Severe action'

Police fired tear gas and noise makers³ to break up hundreds of protesters in the main city of Yangon on Monday, witnesses said. They later searched streets firing rubber bullets. Local media reported that least one person was hurt.

Demonstrators also marched on Monday in the northwestern town of Kale holding up pictures of Suu Kyi. A live video stream on Facebook showed protestors in the northeastern city of Lashio. Police and soldiers later raided a Christian⁴ religious center in the town and detained 11 people, a Christian group said in a statement.

There have been protests in Myanmar every day since the military took power after claiming that the November election, won by the NLD, was unfair. The protests are becoming increasingly violent as police and the military try to stop them.

On Sunday, police fired on protestors in several places killing⁵ 18 people, the United Nations human rights office said.

"We have to continue the protest no matter what," Thar Nge said after police forced him and others to leave a Yangon street.

"This is my neighborhood. It's a lovely neighborhood but now we're hearing gunfire and we don't feel safe," he added.

The military has not commented on Sunday's violence. Police and military spokesmen did not answer requests for comment. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper warned that "severe action will inevitably⁶ be taken" against protestors.

The military's takeover brought an end to Myanmar's small steps toward democracy that followed nearly 50 years of military rule. The action has been condemned⁷ by Western countries and concern is growing among Myanmar's neighbors.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to discuss the situation on Tuesday during a video meeting. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN.

The organization will listen "to the representative of the Myanmar military," Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, told parliament. Balakrishnan called for the security forces to stop using deadly force, for Suu Kyi to be released, and for talks to find a way back to democracy.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced what he called "abhorrent⁸ violence" by security forces. Canada's foreign minister, Marc Garneau, called the use of deadly force "appalling⁹."

U.N. special rapporteur Tom Andrews said the international community had to answer Myanmar's military because it will continue to use deadly force. He suggested an arms embargo¹⁰, more sanctions on military businesses and sending cases to the International Criminal Court.

"We must act," Andrews said in a statement.

Words in This Story

crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something this is not permitted; a sudden increased effort to enforce the rule of law

inevitably –adv. in a way that is sure to happen

abhorrent – adj. causing or deserving strong dislike or hatred¹¹

appalling – adj. very bad, in a way that causes fear or shock

rapporteur – n. (foreign) a person whose job is to do research and present official reports on a subject

sanctions – n.(pl.) actions taken to force a country to obey international law by limiting or stopping trade or cutting economic aid

1 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

2 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 abhorrent   

adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• He is so abhorrent,saying such bullshit to confuse people.他这样乱说，妖言惑众，真是太可恶了。
• The idea of killing animals for food is abhorrent to many people.许多人想到杀生取食就感到憎恶。

9 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

10 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

11 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。