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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 24 June 2022
U.N. expert: Myanmar’s pledge for clean polls ‘preposterous’

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia war.”
(AP) — Military-ruled Myan- The military has faced
mar’s promise of free and widespread opposition to
fair elections next year is its rule. After soldiers and
“preposterous,” a U.N. ex- police used deadly force
pert said Thursday as he to crush peaceful demon-
warned the international strations, a low-level armed
community not to fall for insurrection has emerged in
the army regime’s propa- both the cities and country-
ganda to legitimize its rule. side.
Tom Andrews, the U.N. According to Myanmar’s
special rapporteur on the Assistance Association for
situation of human rights in Political Prisoners, more
Myanmar, said the military than 2,007 protesters and
has been working hard to bystanders have been
“create an impression of killed in the junta’s crack-
legitimacy” after ousting down, though the govern-
the government of civilian ment puts the death toll at
leader Aung San Suu Kyi in about a third of that.
a February 2021 takeover. Andrews commended Ma-
“Any suggestion that there laysia for taking in Myanmar
could be any possibility of refugees, especially minor-
a free and fair election in Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Kuala ity Muslim Rohingya, but
Myanmar in 2023 is frankly Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Associated Press voiced concern over their
preposterous. You can’t treatment in the country.
have a free and fair elec- is something that we are violence and release all for engaging Myanmar’s He said refugees he spoke
tion if you locked up your very cautious about and political prisoners. He said opposition National Unity to in Malaysia cited fears
opponents. You can’t have very careful not (to) fall into ASEAN’s five-point consen- Government, which was of being sent to migration
a free and fair election if that propaganda trap,” sus plan should be stepped set up by elected lawmak- detention, insufficient edu-
you put your opponents on Andrews added. up to include clear actions ers who were denied their cation opportunities for
death row. This is outrage,” The army seized power cit- and time frames. seats in Parliament by the children and instances of
he told a news conference ing widespread fraud in the “The five-point consensus army coup. He urged other extortion by police.
during a visit to Malaysia. 2020 general election. It is meaningless if it is just sit- countries to do the same, Andrews said he was
“Their propaganda ma- appointed new members ting on a piece of paper,” calling the NUG a “legiti- deeply worried about re-
chine works around the to the election commission, he said. “Its only chance of mate entity” fighting a bru- ports that hundreds of chil-
clock and they’ll take any which said that new multi- making a difference is to tal military. dren, including victims of
shred of evidence that party polls next year would put it into meaningful ac- He said the NUG could also trafficking, may be held in
they could find to make it be free and fair. tion with a strategy, with offer resources in delivering detention facilities. The UN
appear as if the interna- Andrews said ASEAN must an action plan, with a time humanitarian aid to Myan- refugee agency has been
tional community recogniz- ratchet up pressure on the frame.” mar so the junta can’t use denied access to these fa-
es them as legitimate. That Myanmar army to halt its Andrews praised Malaysia the aid as a “weapon of cilities since 2019.q

Iran orders U.S. to pay compensation

for slain nuke scientists

atomic accord at a stand- would gain traction; there Meanwhile, Iran is enriching
still. are no American assets to uranium closer than ever
Although Tehran has confiscate in the Islamic to weapons-grade levels
blamed Israel in the past Republic. under decreasing interna-
for slayings targeting Ira- Still, the court branch, tional oversight. Earlier this
nian nuclear scientists since which is dedicated to the month, Iran removed 27
a decade ago, Iran did not review of Iranian com- surveillance cameras of the
directly accuse its arch-foe plaints against the U.S., sum- U.N.’s International Atomic
Israel in its announcement. moned 37 former American Energy Agency in what its
Iran has not recognized Is- officials, including former director warned could deal
rael since the 1979 Islamic Presidents Barack Obama a “fatal blow” to the nucle-
In this photo released by the official website of the Iranian
Defense Ministry, military personnel stand near the flag-draped Revolution that ousted the and Donald Trump, as ar accord.
coffin of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a scientist who was killed on pro-West monarchy and well as former Secretary of The families of three nucle-
Friday, during a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Nov. brought Islamists to power. State Mike Pompeo, former ar scientists who had been
30, 2020. The court mentioned Israel Iran envoy Brian Hook and killed in targeted slayings,
Associated Press only in saying the U.S. sup- former Defense Secretary along with one nuclear
By NASSER KARIMI tacks in recent years, state- ported the “Zionist regime” Ashton Carter. scientist wounded in an at-
Associated Press run media reported. in its “organized crime” President Joe Biden want- tack, filed the lawsuit in Teh-
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A court The largely symbolic ruling against the victims. ed to return to the accord, ran, the country’s state-run
in Iran on Thursday ordered underscores the escalat- It’s unclear how the court but talks have stalled in IRNA news agency report-
the United States govern- ing tensions between Iran decision, like a raft of pre- recent weeks over Amer- ed, without identifying the
ment to pay over $4 billion and the West over Tehran’s vious Iranian cases against ica’s designation of Iran’s plaintiffs. The court ordered
to the families of Iranian rapidly advancing nuclear the U.S. as the two sides paramilitary Revolutionary that the U.S. pay $4.3 billion
nuclear scientists who have program, with negotia- have engaged in a spiral- Guard as a terrorist organi- in total compensation, in-
been killed in targeted at- tions to restore the tattered ing escalation of threats, zation. cluding fines.q