Myanmar Foreign Ministry Staff Detained Over China Meeting Leak
By The Irrawaddy 10 March 2021
At least two officials from Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Naypyitaw have reportedly been detained over a leaked document about an emergency meeting with the Chinese government representatives.
Staff said a ministerial assistant director, U Chan Aye, was taken from the building by six plainclothes officers on Tuesday morning.
“When he got into a car, they put a hood on his head,” a witness said.
Another assistant director, U Soe Thu Ra, was also reportedly detained in the evening. He allegedly recorded the minutes during a meeting with Chinese representatives.
The two men’s families said they were being treated well and were still under interrogation.
A leaked document spread on social media at the weekend revealing that a Chinese delegation held an emergency meeting with home affairs and foreign ministry staff in late February.
The Chinese delegation reportedly asked the military regime to boost security for its pipeline projects amid rising anti-Chinese sentiment across the country due to its defense of the regime, the document said. Moreover, China asked the military regime to pressure the media to help reduce skepticism towards China, according to the document.
In response, protesters said they would intensify efforts against China’s interests in Myanmar. They also threatened to blow up the oil and gas pipeline and oppose all Chinese projects across the country if China continues to block United Nations Security Council action against the regime.
Since the coup on Feb. 1, nearly 30 percent of foreign ministry staff have joined the civil disobedience movement against the regime, refusing to work until democracy is restored.
In late February, nine ministerial staff were sued by the military regime. Nearly 20 diplomats based in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Norway have participated in the civil disobedience movement after the junta intensified its crackdown on protesters.
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