Canada’s Foreign Minister 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 sanctions were implemented in response to the military council’s continued oppression of Myanmar’s people 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 ongoing human rights violations and suppression of democratic forces in Myanmar.
In Papun Township, Karen State, the military council conducted an airstrike on a monastery in Kyauk Kwin village despite there being no active fighting in the area. The resident abbot, Venerable Bhaddanta Visudha, was killed in the bombing. This incident starkly contradicts the military council’s frequent claims of protecting Buddhism, as their actions have resulted in the death of a Buddhist monk and the destruction of religious property. Local residents reported that the airstrike 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 institutions.
In Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, two military council-appointed administrators, Htun Way and Pyu Saw Htee Soe Lwin, were shot and killed in an attack. Both died immediately at the scene. This incident demonstrates the continuing collapse of the military council’s administrative structure and reflects the intensifying resistance against the military dictatorship by local populations. The event underscores the military council’s lack of legitimate authority and the growing opposition to their rule, as they continue to face resistance across the country. The military council’s attempts to maintain control through appointed local administrators have been met with increasing resistance, highlighting their failure to establish effective governance and their loss of public support.
