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A6 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 5 February 2022
Myanmar piles on 11th corruption charge against Suu Kyi

By GRANT PECK Her health elicited a state-
Associated Press ment of concern from the
BANGKOK (AP) — Police group ASEAN Parliamentar-
in Myanmar have filed an ians for Human Rights.
11th corruption charge “It’s a matter of interna-
against Aung San Suu tional concern that Aung
Kyi, the country’s elected San Suu Kyi is reportedly
leader who was ousted too ill to attend her court
from power by a military hearing, the second time
takeover a year ago, state- this has happened,” said
controlled media reported a statement from it’s chair-
Friday. person, Malaysian lawmak-
The Global New Light of er Charles Santiago.
Myanmar newspaper re- “She has been impris-
ported that Suu Kyi was oned without just cause
being charged under the for more than a year now,
Anti-Corruption Law cover- with access to her heavily
ing bribery, which carries a restricted, apart from her
maximum prison term of 15 lawyers who are reportedly
years. banned from speaking to
Suu Kyi has faced a raft the media, raising serious
of charges since she was concerns regarding her ac-
taken into custody when cess to adequate medical
the military seized power In this Dec. 11, 2019, file photo, Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi waits to address judges of the care.”
on Feb. 1 last year. Her International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. Santiago said the situation
supporters and human Associated Press made it urgent that Cam-
rights groups say the cases ing convicted of illegally who was her advisor, is a proceedings, speaking on bodian Foreign Minister
against her are baseless, importing and possessing co-defendant. condition of anonymity Prak Sokhonn, the special
and have been contrived walkie-talkies and violating A court session in the capi- because the hearings are envoy to Myanmar ap-
to bar her return to poli- coronavirus restrictions. tal Naypyitaw in the secrets closed. pointed by the Association
tics and participation in a She is also being tried on case was postponed Thurs- But she was back in court of Southeast Asian Nations,
new election the army has the charge of violating the day because the 76-year- Friday when hearings be- make arrangements to
promised by 2023. Official Secrets Act, which old Suu Kyi was suffering gan on five corruption visit her. Myanmar’s mili-
Suu Kyi has already been carries a maximum sen- from low blood pressure, charges related to granting tary government has so far
sentenced to six years’ tence of 14 years. Austra- causing dizziness, said a permission to rent and buy barred anyone from visiting
imprisonment after be- lian economist Sean Turnell, person familiar with the a helicopter. her.q

EU slaps sanctions on 5 top Mali officials, including PM

weren’t linked to the expul- tion of the political transi- al.
sion. tion of Mali.” But the expulsion of
Others hit by the EU’s asset In December, the EU also France’s envoy is raising
freezes and travel bans in- slapped sanctions on questions about the viabil-
clude members of the inner eight people and three oil ity of the mission, as well as
circle of Col. Assimi Goita, companies linked to the the future of the Europe-
who put himself in charge Wagner Group of Russian an-led military task force
last year after dismissing mercenaries, which is cur- known as Takuba.
the civilian leaders of Mali’s rently operating in Mali and Last week, the Malian gov-
transitional government. EU stands accused of rights ernment ordered Danish
citizens and companies are abuses in the Central Af- soldiers out of the country
forbidden to grant the five rican Republic, Libya and just as they arrived to join
access to funds. Syria. the task force.
Tensions escalated fur- Mali has struggled to con- Norway has since reversed
ther, notably with the EU tain an extremist insurgen- a decision to take part, and
and other international cy since 2012. Rebels were Germany is debating what
Col. Assimi Goita, who declared himself the leader of the partners, when Goita post- forced from power in north- to do about its contingent.
National Committee for the Salvation of the People, arrives to poned the next presiden- ern cities with the help of a Tense ties with the junta in
meet with a regional delegation at the Ministry of Defense in the
capital Bamako, Mali, Aug. 14, 2020. tial vote by four years, un- French-led military opera- Mali are posing France one
Associated Press til 2026. The West African tion, but they regrouped of its toughest challenges in
regional group ECOWAS in the desert and began Africa in years. Thousands
By LORNE COOK rule. imposed tough economic attacking the Malian army of French troops are sta-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- The move comes days after sanctions in response, and and its allies. tioned there, and make
ropean Union on Friday Mali coup leaders ordered the Europeans are follow- Insecurity has worsened up the core of a major in-
imposed sanctions on five France’s ambassador to ing suit. with attacks on civilians ternational anti-terrorism
senior members of Mali’s leave in what was the lat- Maiga is said by the EU to and United Nations peace- operation in the increas-
transitional government, est episode in a growing be “directly responsible for keepers. The EU has been ingly restive Sahel region; a
including Prime Minister diplomatic crisis between postponing the elections training the Mali armed fertile breeding ground for
Choguel Maiga, accusing the impoverished Sahel foreseen in the Transition forces since 2013. It had extremists.
them of working to obstruct region country, its African Charter, and he is therefore planned to continue to do Any decision by France
and undermine the transi- neighbors and European obstructing and undermin- so despite the severe insta- to pull its troops out would
tion from military to civilian partners. But the sanctions ing the successful comple- bility and political upheav- shake up the region.q