The Straits Times/ANN
YANGON (REUTERS) - Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing said on Saturday (May 22) that Aung San Suu Kyi was healthy at home and would appear in court in a few days, in his first interview since Feb 1 .
The takeover has plunged the South-east Asian country into chaos and one of several ethnic armed groups advanced to attack a military post in a northwestern jade mining town on Saturday, local media said.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her long struggle against previous military rulers, is among more than 4,000 people detained since February 1. She faces charges that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law.
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days,” Min Aung Hlaing said by video link with the Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television, in excerpts released on Saturday.
The interviewer asked him what he thought of the performance of Suu Kyi, 75, who is widely admired in the country of 53 million for her campaign that had brought tentative democratic reforms which were cut short by the takeover.
“She tried all she could,” Min Aung Hlaing responded.
He reiterated that the army had seized power because it had identified fraud in an election won by Suu Kyi’s party in November – although its accusations were rejected by the then election commission.
He said the army would hold elections and potential changes to the constitution had been identified and would be made if they were “the people’s will”.
Suu Kyi’s next court appearance is due on Monday in the capital Naypyidaw. So far she has appeared only by video link and as yet to be allowed to speak directly to her lawyers.
The military has cited security reasons for not allowing her to speak to her lawyers in private at a time the military authorities have not established control of the country in the face of daily protests, strikes and renewed insurgencies.
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) attacked an army post at Hkamti township in the Sagaing region early on Saturday, the Irrawaddy and Mizzima online publications said. Pictures showed columns of dark smoke rising from the scene.
KIA spokesman Naw Bu told Reuters he was aware of the attack but could give no details. Reuters was unable to reach a military spokesman for comment.
Mizzima said the site attacked was near a mining venture that involves the military-owned Myanma Economic Holdings Ltd conglomerate.
Independent broadcaster DVB said three members of the security forces had been wounded and nine were captured by the insurgents. Reuters was unable to confirm the reports independently.
Since the takeover, open conflict resumed between the army and the KIA, which has been fighting for greater autonomy for the Kachin people for some six decades and has voiced support for protesters. Mizzima said the army used jets in attacks on the KIA at Hkamti, a town on the Chindwin river in a remote region rich in jade and gold that lies about 50 km from the border with India.
The army has carried out numerous bombing attacks on KIA positions in recent weeks and has also clashed with ethnic armies in the east and west of Myanmar.
Security forces have killed at least 812 people since February, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. The military disputes this figure and says at least two dozen members of the security forces have also been killed.
Myanmar media reported that a soldier had been killed in a shooting in the commercial hub, Yangon, on Saturday.
The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. The then electoral commission had rejected its accusations. On Friday, local media quoted an official of the new electoral commission appointed by the military as saying there was a plan to dissolve the NLD.
