Canada has officially announced new sanctions against 13 Myanmar military council officials, including generals, ministers, and deputy ministers, along with three organizations, as declared by the Canadian Foreign Minister on March 8. These sanctions are 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 violations of human rights and democratic principles 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 frequent claims of protecting Buddhism in Myanmar. The unprovoked attack on a religious site and the death of a Buddhist monk demonstrate the reality of the military’s actions, which stand in direct opposition to their public statements about defending religious institutions. Local residents have confirmed that there was no military engagement or conflict in the area that could have justified such an aerial assault.
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. Their deaths were immediate, according to local sources. This incident reflects the continuing deterioration of the military council’s administrative control across the country and demonstrates the intensity of public resistance against the military dictatorship. While the military council struggles to maintain its administrative structure in various townships, they face increasing challenges from the people’s resistance movement, which continues to target those who collaborate with the military administration. These events highlight the growing instability of the military council’s attempt to maintain control over local governance structures throughout Myanmar.
