Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government’s (NUG) acting president Duwa Lashi La has asked the international community to provide weapons to defeat Min Aung Haling’s regime.
His state of the union address broadcast on Thursday followed the hangings of four political prisoners last weekend.
“I earnestly request technical support, arms and ammunition and finance for the people of Myanmar who are sacrificing their lives to fight against the fascist dictatorship,” he said.
He called on the international community to recognize the NUG as the legitimate government and support its administration, end recognition of the junta and cut its revenue sources.
The NUG has received no material assistance from the international community and solely depends on people’s donations.
Responding to the executions, the president said the sacrifices of the four martyrs will add great impetus to the revolution.
He told the NUG’s armed wing, the people’s defense forces, and other resistance groups to keep fighting the murderous junta.
The ethnic Kachin president also urged ethnic armed groups to help bring down the regime.
“The time has come for us to crush the terrorist regime together by strategically using our manpower, weaponry, unitedly and attacking simultaneously.”
He called on regime personnel, militia members and border forces to escape and cooperate with the people.
Formed as a parallel government on April 16 last year, largely by elected lawmakers from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) and their ethnic minority allies, the NUG has enjoyed popular support at home and abroad. A majority of Myanmar’s people see it as their legitimate government, while the regime has branded it a terrorist organization.
Since seizing power on Feb. 1 last year, the regime has killed at least 2,133 people, many of whom were engaged in anti-regime activism.
The regime has killed numerous children and elderly people in its escalated terror campaign.
Rights groups have reported more than 140 child deaths since the coup. The regime has burned down at least 18,800 civilian homes, with the resistance stronghold of Sagaing Region suffering the heaviest damage, according to the independent research group Data for Myanmar.
The regime hanged four detained political detainees, including prominent veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy, former NLD lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and two other men from Hlaing Tharyar Township in Yangon Ko Aung Thura Zaw and Ko Hla Myo Aung, in the country’s first executions of prisoners in nearly four decades.
