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A30 world news
Diaranson 2 Februari 2022

Violence, protests mark anniversary of Myanmar army rule

cially from the United States Games” movie that pro-de- warnings in state-run media
and Western nations critical mocracy demonstrators in that anyone taking part in the
of the military takeover. neighboring Thailand have strike could face imprison-
also used. ment and the confiscation of
President Joe Biden in a their property.
statement called for the mili- Opposition fighters also
tary to free Suu Kyi and other claimed to have carried out Dozens of business owners
detainees, and return Myan- bombings Tuesday in 11 who had announced plans to
mar on a path to democracy. neighborhoods of Yangon — close were arrested, accord-
targeting a police station and ing to reports in the state-run
The U.S. on Monday im- homes of military officers, newspaper Myanma Alinn
posed new sanctions on among other sites. A mes- Daily.
Myanmar officials, adding sage posted on Facebook by
to those targeting top mili- a group calling itself the Yan- Duwa Lashi La, acting presi-
tary officers. The measures gon Region Military Com- dent of the opposition’s Na-
freeze any assets the listed mand made no mention of tional Unity Government,
(AP) — A nationwide and injured dozens at a pro- officials may have in U.S. ju- casualties. vowed that his group will
strike in Myanmar on military rally in a town on risdictions and bar Americans carry on with the people’s
Tuesday marked the one- the eastern border with Thai- from doing business with Opposition militants carry “revolution” against military
year anniversary of the land. The cause of the blast them. Britain and Canada out daily hit-and run guerril- rule. The NUG, established
army’s seizure of power, was not immediately clear. announced similar measures. la attacks, while the military by elected lawmakers, con-
as protests and sporadic generally engages in larger- siders itself the country’s le-
violence across the coun- The military’s takeover on A statement from the office scale assaults that are blamed gitimate administrative body
try renewed international Feb. 1, 2021, ousted the of U.N. Secretary-General for many civilian casualties. and has won the loyalty of
concern over the ongoing elected government of Aung António Guterres high- many citizens. The military
struggle for power. San Suu Kyi, whose National lighted “an intensification in In the town of Myitkyina has branded it a “terrorist”
League for Democracy party violence” and “humanitarian in northern Kachin state, organization.
Photos and video on social was about to begin a second crises” that it said required an a bombing at a police sta-
media showed that a coun- term in office after winning a urgent response. tion early Tuesday led to of- Senior Gen. Min Aung Hla-
trywide “silent strike” had landslide victory in the previ- ficers firing on a car fleeing ing, leader of the military-
emptied out streets in Myan- ous year’s November elec- Scattered pro-democracy the scene, according to local installed government, de-
mar’s largest city of Yangon tion. rallies were held before the news outlet The 74 Media, livered an hourlong speech
and other towns as people start of the nationwide strike when a stray bullet killed a where he pledged to work
stayed home and businesses Widespread nonviolent dem- in the early morning, when seven-year-old boy living toward a “genuine and disci-
shut their doors in a show of onstrations followed the security forces are less likely nearby. plined multiparty democratic
opposition to army rule. army’s takeover, but armed to be out on the streets. Pro- system”.
resistance arose after protests testers including Buddhist Authorities had threatened
Violence was reported as were put down with lethal monks carried banners and shopkeepers with arrest if Myanmar’s military said it
well, as the country faces an force. About 1,500 civilians chanted anti-military slogans they closed for the opposi- seized power because there
insurgency that some U.N. have been killed but the gov- in the cities of Yangon, Man- tion’s strike, but those that was widespread voter fraud
experts now characterize as a ernment has been unable to dalay and Sagaing. were open Tuesday appeared in the 2020 polls — an al-
civil war. suppress the opposition. to have few if any customers. legation that independent
Many also held up three fin- election observers have said
Local media said an explo- The anniversary has attracted gers, the resistance salute Since last week, the gov- they’ve seen no serious evi-
sion killed at least two people international attention, espe- adopted from “The Hunger ernment had issued official dence for.

Clergy abuse victims hopeful at signs to end impunity

(AP) — After decades of that the question is no longer responded to the El País re-
neglect, victims of sexual whether Spain should inves- ports or the database. Previ- The Episcopal Conference The final go-ahead for a
abuse by the Spanish cler- tigate the abuses. The debate, ously, it has commented after declined to comment on the parliamentary committee to
gy say that they are finally he said, has shifted: “Now it’s independent reports have latest moves to investigate investigate the abuses must
seeing momentum build- more about how to do it, and produced their findings. the abuse. “We will wait and be given in a vote later this
ing in their quest for real who should do it.” see if finally that (parliamen- month with the outcome
accountability and repa- But Spanish media have re- tary) committee is formed,” likely to hinge on the Social-
rations. The stacking up of differ- ported that the pope breached its press office wrote in an ist Party of Prime Minister
ent initiatives comes after the topic during a meeting emailed response to The As- Pedro Sánchez, who is meet-
On Tuesday, Spanish law- Spain’s leading newspaper, El last month with emissaries of sociated Press. ing with clergy abuse victims
makers took the first step to- País, documented at least 611 the Spanish Episcopal Con- later this week.
ward opening a parliamentary cases of abuses perpetrated by ference. But in public remarks, its of-
inquiry on the issue, a move priests, members of religious ficials have also questioned On Tuesday, government
that victims hail as a potential orders and people working The body representing the the veracity of the allegations spokeswoman Isabel Rodrí-
game-changer. for them over several de- bishops of all Spain has re- compiled by El País and other guez said that the Cabinet
cades, involving at least 1,246 jected opening up a com- media. was studying “all the avail-
Prosecutors are also step- victims. prehensive investigation and able formulas” to investigate
ping up efforts to dig deeper instead encourages victims Victims said that an inquiry the allegations.
into existing and new allega- In late December, the paper to come forward and report backed by political parties
tions. And Spain’s left-to- shared a list including some their allegations to offices could change things.
center government is gauging of the abuses it had found that it has set up in each of
whether to back the parlia- with Pope Francis, who has the country’s dioceses. Speaking Tuesday outside the
mentary probe or to launch tried to sensitize the church Congress of Deputies in cen-
another independent effort. to the problem of clergy El País has reported that only tral Madrid just as a major-
abuse and passed laws to hold nine of Spain’s 31 dioceses ity of left-wing votes backed
García Salmones, who is the hierarchy accountable for have reached out to the news- the proposal to set up a par-
among the few victims who covering it up. room or directly to some of liamentary inquiry, Hurtado
have received compensation the victims in the paper’s in- said that he has never seen
from a religious order, said The Vatican hasn’t publicly vestigation. real action as close as now.