Myanmar Politics

Southeast Asia's top diplomats will gather in Indonesia on Tuesday amid pressure to address a bloody political crisis in Myanmar and resolve tensions in the South China Sea where some ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China.

In Manipur, the politically dominant Hindu Meiteis in the valley do not have any particular ethnic affectation, even though Myanmar has a sizeable Meitei population.

In January, the junta gave political parties two months to re-register under a strict new electoral law written by the military ahead of fresh polls it has promised to hold but which its opponents say will be neither free nor fair.

India-backed projects have suffered setbacks in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges in Myanmar due to the current political and security situations in these countries, the Ministry of External Affairs has informed a parliamentary panel.

The four political prisoners executed by Myanmar's junta in the country's first cases of capital punishment in decades "deserved many death sentences", a military spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Myanmar junta's plans to execute political opponents may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, a UN official said Monday.

Families of detained Myanmar protesters had their hopes dashed Sunday after political prisoners were not included in some 1,600 people released by the junta to mark the Buddhist new year.

The European Union on Monday condemned the Myanmar ruling junta's jailing of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "politically motivated" and a "blatant violation of human rights".

Myanmar's military government has freed hundreds of political prisoners from the notorious Insein prison, including Aung San Suu Kyi's party spokesman and a famous comedian Zarganar.

Taking a firm stand against the coup in Myanmar, the US and India have called for a swift return to democracy in the country, an end to the use of violence and release of all political detainees.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday voiced defiance in her first public comments since being held in a coup, vowing her ousted political party would "exist as long as the people exist."

India on Friday condemned the use of violence in Myanmar and said it is cognisant of the serious impact of its political instability and the potential of its spill over beyond borders as it called for a "greater engagement" by the world.

The Manipur government has withdrawn an earlier order against local authorities setting up food and shelter camps for Myanmar citizens entering India due to the ongoing turmoil in the neighbouring country, sources have said. The order, sent out on March 26, also had asked border officials to "politely turn away" those seeking refuge in India.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga today held a meeting with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung on the current political situation and the hardships being faced by the Zo ethnic people in the neighbouring country, officials said.

Southeast Asia's top diplomats will gather in Indonesia on Tuesday amid pressure to address a bloody political crisis in Myanmar and resolve tensions in the South China Sea where some ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China.

In Manipur, the politically dominant Hindu Meiteis in the valley do not have any particular ethnic affectation, even though Myanmar has a sizeable Meitei population.

In January, the junta gave political parties two months to re-register under a strict new electoral law written by the military ahead of fresh polls it has promised to hold but which its opponents say will be neither free nor fair.

India-backed projects have suffered setbacks in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges in Myanmar due to the current political and security situations in these countries, the Ministry of External Affairs has informed a parliamentary panel.

The four political prisoners executed by Myanmar's junta in the country's first cases of capital punishment in decades "deserved many death sentences", a military spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Myanmar junta's plans to execute political opponents may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, a UN official said Monday.

Families of detained Myanmar protesters had their hopes dashed Sunday after political prisoners were not included in some 1,600 people released by the junta to mark the Buddhist new year.

The European Union on Monday condemned the Myanmar ruling junta's jailing of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "politically motivated" and a "blatant violation of human rights".

Myanmar's military government has freed hundreds of political prisoners from the notorious Insein prison, including Aung San Suu Kyi's party spokesman and a famous comedian Zarganar.

Taking a firm stand against the coup in Myanmar, the US and India have called for a swift return to democracy in the country, an end to the use of violence and release of all political detainees.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday voiced defiance in her first public comments since being held in a coup, vowing her ousted political party would "exist as long as the people exist."

India on Friday condemned the use of violence in Myanmar and said it is cognisant of the serious impact of its political instability and the potential of its spill over beyond borders as it called for a "greater engagement" by the world.

The Manipur government has withdrawn an earlier order against local authorities setting up food and shelter camps for Myanmar citizens entering India due to the ongoing turmoil in the neighbouring country, sources have said. The order, sent out on March 26, also had asked border officials to "politely turn away" those seeking refuge in India.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga today held a meeting with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung on the current political situation and the hardships being faced by the Zo ethnic people in the neighbouring country, officials said.