Canada’s Foreign Minister has officially announced on March 8 that the country has imposed additional sanctions on 13 Myanmar military council officials, including generals, ministers, and deputy ministers, along with three organizations. These new sanctions are implemented in response to the military council’s continued oppression of Myanmar’s civilians and are intended to increase international pressure on the regime. The sanctions target key figures within the military administration who are directly involved in the implementation of policies that have led to human rights violations and the suppression of democratic freedoms in Myanmar.
In Papun Township, Karen State, the military council conducted an airstrike on a monastery in Kyauk Kwin village, resulting in the death of the resident monk, Venerable Bhaddanta Visudha, despite there being no active fighting in the area. This incident starkly contradicts the military council’s claims of protecting Buddhism in Myanmar, as it demonstrates their willingness to attack religious institutions and members of the Buddhist clergy. Local residents confirmed that the bombing was unprovoked and occurred in an area where there was no military engagement, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the military’s attacks on civilian targets, including religious sites.
In Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, two military council-appointed administrators, Htun Wai and Pyu Saw Htee Soe Lwin, were reportedly killed in a shooting incident. Both individuals had been active participants in the military council’s administrative structure and were involved in implementing oppressive measures against local civilians. This incident reflects the growing instability within the military council’s administrative framework and indicates the increasing strength of public resistance movements. The targeting of military council-affiliated administrators demonstrates the widespread opposition to the military’s attempt to establish control over local governance structures.
