Myanmar junta conducted an air strike on an anti-junta gathering
On 11 April 2023, the Myanmar military conducted an air attack on a village gathering organized by members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF), the military arm of the National Unity Government, in the northwest Sagaing region.
The air strike killed at least 165 people, including 27 women and 19 children. It is the deadliest attack since the junta seized power in 2021. The site reportedly hosted people from around six villages who had gathered for a feast to mark the opening of a local administration office when the junta conducted its aerial attack. The strike took place at 8 am when an attack helicopter dropped bombs hitting the site along with a regional storage area for gunpowder and mines.
The junta later confirmed that the strike was aimed at killing members of the PDF and acknowledged that civilians had also been killed in the blast. The United States expressed its deep concern and called upon the regime to cease such horrific violence. The United Nations also condemned the attack. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights believed that the air raid has constituted crimes against humanity and war crimes. A spokesperson for EU foreign affairs and security policy said the EU deeply shocked by the latest atrocity committed by the military regime. Relatives and volunteers looked for survivors and casualties following the strike. ASEAN has also ‘strongly condemned’ the strike and called upon the junta to end all forms of violence immediately. The Singapore Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vivian Balakrishnan, said “any attack on civilians is reprehensible and cannot be condoned”.
The military’s air strike on civilians in this village gathering was the deadliest since seizing control in 2021, and showed to the world that it was prepared to kill civilians in large numbers in their pursuit of the PDF.
The US Secretary of States Antony Blinken visited Vietnam
On 15 April 2023, the United States Secretary of States Anthony Blinken paid a visit to Vietnam to solidify the US – Vietnam alliance during his travels to the Group of Seven (G7) foreign minister’s meeting in Japan, from 16 – 18 April 2023.
During his short visit, Blinken met with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son to strengthen America’s ties with Vietnam and to counter an increasingly assertive China. The US Secretary of State also reiterated the US emphasis on the importance of human rights, and promised a sprawling new USD 1.2 billion embassy in Hanoi to demonstrate the US commitment to Vietnam. The US also sees Hanoi as a key component in its Indo-Pacific strategy and seeks to expand Washington’s influence in the region.
The Vietnamese foreign minister believed this was an auspicious time to elevate both countries’ partnership while the US Secretary of State reiterated the US commitment to supporting a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam. Many believed the visit was a strong boost for a higher bilateral relationship between the US and Vietnam, while Human Rights Watch believed Antony Blinken should have pressed Vietnam on human rights during his visit. Although some observers viewed this trip as being important for the US’s strategy to counter China’s influence in the region, others believed that despite now having strong ties, Hanoi is still cautious, fearing its ties with the US could impact its relations with China.
While Blinken’s visit paves the way for a further upgrading of relations between the US and Vietnam, it also strengthens the US’s long term influence in Southeast Asia.
The Myanmar Junta released 3,113 prisoners for the New Year
On 17 April 2023, in a surprising move, the Myanmar military released 3, 113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners, to mark the Thingyan New Year.
The 98 foreign prisoners were pardoned and will be deported back to their countries. But it is not clear if the released-prisoners included any of those arrested for resisting the junta since the 2021 coup. However, it was stressed by the junta that if the freed convicts reoffend, they will serve the remainder of their sentence with an additional penalty. Despite the so-called ‘New Year amnesty’, the number of prisoners released in 2022 and 2023 was lower compared to the 23,000 prisoners released in 2021.
Although there were a total of 17,460 prisoners detained across Myanmar, including the ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the former minister of Planning and Finance – Kyaw Win – was the only political prisoner pardoned by the junta. Some believed this amnesty was done to score political points and burnish the image of the junta. The junta’s council secretary, Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe said the act was “to bring peace of mind” and was carried out “in consideration of humanitarian concerns”.
The junta has been releasing prisoners annually during the Myanmar New Year since 2021, following in the tradition of previous military regimes. It is clear that the junta is now using this strategy to legitimize itself and more convicts may be released from prison in the future.
Singapore hangs a man for drug smuggling–the first execution in 6 months
The Singaporean government hanged a Singaporean man on 26 April 2023 for smuggling one kilogram of cannabis.
Mr. Tangaraju Suppiah was hanged for his attempt to sneak cannabis into Singapore. This punishment was the first execution in the island-state following a 6 month pause in executions. He was detained in 2014 over drug consumption and failure to report for a drug test. He was later given a mandatory death sentence by the High Court in 2018. The last death penalty was carried out in October 2022 with the case being related to drug trafficking and highlighting the extreme nature of death penalty sentences.
While Malaysia’s parliament has recently voted to abolish its death penalty, in early April, Singapore has continued its strong stance against illegal drugs with its decision to execute Mr. Suppiah. This act sparked international outcry while Singaporean activists have raised concerns and called for reforms to Singapore’s legal system. Amnesty International viewed the decision as a violation of international law and others think the island-state’s execution strategy has done little to stop drug traffickers and organized syndicates. But the Singapore government has defended its approach as a necessary measure to protect their citizens.
Although many international observers were not in favour of Singapore’s decision to execute Mr. Tangaraju Suppiah, this death sentence clearly showed the country’s intolerance and unforgiving posture towards any form of illegal drug-related activities.
Sovinda Po is a Research Assistant at the Griffith Asia Institute.
