Burma: a famous actor arrested, the embassy in London "occupied"
Kyaw Zwar Minn, Ambassador of Burma to the United Kingdom, speaks to his team in front of his country's embassy in London on April 6, 2021. AP - Alberto Pezzali
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
Actor Paing Takhon, one of Burma's most popular celebrities to have opposed the February 1 military coup, was arrested on Thursday April 8 by the junta, which is tracking dozens of personalities in the country.
The Burma ambassador in London accused the military attaché close to the junta of "
occupying
" his embassy, denying him access.
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Paing Takhon, a model, actor and singer very famous in Burma and neighboring Thailand, was arrested at his mother's home in Yangon and detained, according to local media.
"
My heart is broken
", "
Make us our hero
": condemnations have flourished on the internet where the young man of 24 was followed by a million fans before his Facebook and Instagram pages were closed.
The actor was one of the first personalities in the country to condemn the February 1 coup against the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and to demand her release.
He also participated in several pro-democracy demonstrations where he harangued the crowds with a megaphone.
"
Help us stop crimes against humanity,
" he wrote on social networks to condemn the bloody crackdown by the security forces which has already claimed some 600 victims, including some fifty children and adolescents.
►
To read: Burma: red paint to denounce the dictatorship
2,800 people arrested
Paing Takhon was on a list of 120 celebrities - singers, models, journalists - with an arrest warrant.
They are accused by the regime of having disseminated information likely to provoke mutinies in the armed forces.
More than 2,800 people have been arrested since February 1.
Many, without access to a relative or a lawyer, are missing.
Pro-democracy mobilization continues with scores of workers on strike and entire sectors of the economy paralyzed.
But the crowds are less numerous to demonstrate in the cities for fear of reprisals.
The repression "is now concentrated in rural areas," notes the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP).
More than 12 civilians were killed by security forces on Wednesday, according to the NGO.
►
To read also: Burma: "
Everything is a pretext to be silenced
"
"
Intimidation
" of the junta in the embassy in London
The crisis continues to stir up internationally.
Burmese Ambassador to London Kyaw Zwar Minn, who last month gave his support to Aung San Suu Kyi's government, accused the military attaché on Wednesday evening of "
occupying
", on the orders of the junta, the diplomatic representation. and forbid him to enter it.
"
They said they had received instructions from the capital,
" said the ambassador.
They can't do that.
The British government will not allow it.
A protest against the military coup took place at the end of the day on Wednesday in front of the embassy.
On Thursday, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab denounced the “
intimidation
” of the Burmese junta, the day after the takeover of the Burmese embassy in London.
"
We condemn the intimidating actions of the Burma military regime in London yesterday
”Wednesday, the British
foreign minister
said in a message posted on Twitter.
We condemn the bullying actions of the Myanmar military regime in London yesterday, and I pay tribute to Kyaw Zwar Minn for his courage.
The UK continues to call for an end to the coup and the appalling violence, and a swift restoration of democracy
- Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) April 8, 2021
The UK has already sanctioned several junta officials, including army commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing, for their role in the putsch, as well as military-linked conglomerates.
►
To listen: Burma: "
We implore the international community to stand up
"
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