Myanmar Crackdown Drives Urban Exodus to Countryside as Junta Blames Protesters For Violence

Myanmar’s junta warned journalists Tuesday against reporting on a shadow government made up of elected lawmakers deposed in last month’s coup, while army gunfire claimed its youngest victim, and fear and fatigue after seven weeks of escalating military violence drove an exodus of migrant workers from major cities.

The military regime that ousted the elected government of leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in its third news conference since the Feb. 1 coup, repeated unsubstantiated claims that election fraud prompted the military takeover, and — also without proof — blamed protesters for violence that has killed hundreds of civilians.

“The State Administrative Council [SAC] took over the responsibilities of the state with the reason being nationwide election fraud and vote-stealing activities in the 2020 elections,” said deputy information minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun. “After the SAC took power, there were protests, but since Feb. 9, they became violent and they became anarchic situations with attacks with weapons,” he said.

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