WASHINGTON, 07 December 2021, (TON): The Burmese military regime’s unjust conviction of Aung San Suu Kyi and the repression of other democratically elected officials are yet further affronts to democracy and justice in Burma.

The regime’s continued disregard for the rule of law and its widespread use of violence against the Burmese people underscore the urgency of restoring Burma’s path to democracy.

We urge the regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all those unjustly detained, including other democratically elected officials.

We reiterate our call for the regime to engage in constructive dialogue with all parties to seek a peaceful resolution in the interest of the people, as agreed to in the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. 

WASHINGTON, 07 December 2021, (TON): We, Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are profoundly concerned by recent reports of the Ethiopian government’s detention of large numbers of Ethiopian citizens on the basis of their ethnicity and without charge.

The Ethiopian government’s announcement of a State of Emergency on November 2 is no justification for the mass detention of individuals from certain ethnic groups.

Reports by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Amnesty International describe widespread arrests of ethnic Tigrayans, including Orthodox priests, older people, and mothers with children.

Individuals are being arrested and detained without charges or a court hearing and are reportedly being held in inhumane conditions. Many of these acts likely constitute violations of international law and must cease immediately. We urge unhindered and timely access by international monitors.

We reiterate our grave concern at the human rights abuses and violations, such as those involving conflict related sexual violence, identified in the joint investigation report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the EHRC, and at ongoing reports of atrocities being committed by all parties to the conflicts.

DUSHANBE, 07 December 2021, (TON): The 201st Russian military base stationed in Tajikistan received 30 modernized T-72B3M tanks, the Interfax news agency reported, citing the press service of the Central Military District (CVD).

The headquarters of the Central Military District reported “a batch of thirty modernized T-72B3M tanks with improved combat characteristics entered service with the 201st Russian military base stationed in Tajikistan, Equipping the tank with these systems allows the crew to quickly detect and destroy targets.”

Interfax explained “the T-72B3M is equipped with a new propulsion system, a built-in passive and active protection system, an Aqueduct communication system and a Sosna-U multichannel sighting system with a thermal imager.

The vehicle also received a digital ballistic computer and a panoramic commander’s sight. The fighting compartment of the tank was modernized, a 125-mm gun with improved ballistics and an increased resource of the maximum number of shots was installed.

The commander of the Central Military District, Colonel-General Alexander Lapin said “three motorized rifle battalions have been fully re-equipped with modern combat equipment BMP-2M and BTR-82A, anti-aircraft units received new and all-weather Verba complexes, and Kornet anti-tank guided missile systems were also delivered to the base., sniper rifles ASVK-M “Kord”, AK-12 assault rifles, jet infantry flamethrowers of increased range and power, and equ-ipment of logistic and technical support services.”

DOHA, 07 December 2021, (TON): Qatar’s foreign minister has reiterated his country’s position on addressing the situation in Afghanistan, saying Doha will continue to work towards enhancing humanitarian and economic efforts in the war-torn country.

In a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Qatar’s capital Doha, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said “Qatar will work with ally Turkey and Taliban officials to ensure that Kabul’s international airport, the site of chaotic scenes after the Taliban takeover, continues to function.”

Sheikh Mohammed was speaking to reporters alongside Turkey’s FM Mevlut Cavusoglu after the pair met as part of the seventh annual Qatar-Turkey Strategic Dialogue.

The two-day meeting, co-chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is expected to end with the signing of at least 12 MoUs on Tuesday across various fields including the military, health, tourism, and education sectors, among others.

Cavusoglu said Turkey was seeking to work for “peace and stability” in Afghanistan as he urged the international community to engage in dialogue with the Taliban and called on them to “differentiate” between the political and humanitarian side of things.

He said “this is what we have done as Afghans are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance,”

He added that Turkey is cooperating with Qatar on offering humanitarian assistance and on ensuring Kabul’s airport remains open. Qatar and Turkey have a strong and strategic relationship at political, economic and military levels.

ISLAMABAD, 07 December 2021, (TON): A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “at least two Pakistan Army officers were martyred when their helicopter crashed in Siachen.”

The military identified the martyred officers as Major Irfan Bercha and Major Raja Zeeshan Jahanzeb.

The ISPR added “search and rescue helicopters, along with army troops have reached the site of the incident.”

Almost a year ago, a Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter crashed due to technical reasons while carrying out casualty evacuation in Gilgit-Baltistan’s remote area.

ISLAMABAD, 07 December 2021, (TON): Pakistan called upon the United Nations to take notice of the recent spate of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi wrote to the president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the UN Secretary-General, apprising them about the continuing grave situation in the held valley, according to the foreign office.

He underscored the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJK and the persistent threat to international peace and security posed by India’s provocative and irresponsible rhetoric as well as its track record of orchestrating 'false flag' operations.

He pointed out that the UN human rights machinery, independent NGOs and the international media have regularly reported on and expressed concerns about the increasing intimidation, harassment and reprisal attacks by Indian occupation forces against Kashmiri human rights defenders, journalists and civil society actors.

Qureshi highlighted, in particular, the recent arrest on trumped-up charges of a renowned Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez, in complete disregard for basic human rights principles, norms and international law.

NEW DELHI, 07 December 2021, (TON): Security has been tightened in India’s Mathura city on the 29th anniversary of the demolition of historic Babri Masjid by Hindu hardliners.

Ahead of the demolition anniversary of 16th-century mosque, a Hindu right wing group announced that it will install a Krishna idol at the Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

Local media reported that Hindu hardliners organised a rally on Monday to mark the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition. It said “the Hindu group also announced installing the Krishna idol at the deity's "actual birthplace" which they claimed is in the mosque.

The report further said that amid tight security, some people chanted slogans and made provocative statements in front of the temple, which is located near the mosque.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Monday called upon the Indian government to take immediate steps to halt the illegal construction of a temple at the place of Babri Masjid, reconstruct the historic mosque at its original site and ensure the safety and protection of mosques and Islamic holy sites in India.

The Foreign Office in a statement said “marked another year since the tragic demolition of the historic Babri Masjid by BJP-RSS zealots.”

NEW DELHI, 07 December 2021, (TON): Russia and India signed a flurry of trade and arms deals during President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including one that will see India produce more than 600,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Putin travelled to India with Russia's defence and foreign ministers in a visit that saw the two countries reinforce their ties with a military and technical cooperation pact until 2031 and a pledge to boost annual trade to $30 billion by 2025.

The Russian president is visiting India amid increasingly strained relations between Russia and the United States, also a key Indian ally, which has expressed reservations about the growing military cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi.

A joint statement published after the talks said “Russia and India had reiterated their intention to strengthen defence cooperation, including in the joint development of production of military equipment."

NAYPYITAW, 07 December 2021, (TON): Local anti-junta resistance forces said “they have strengthened their control over Myaung Township in Sagaing Region, carrying out security checks at entrances to the area and seizing boats and vehicles believed to belong to the coup regime.”

An officer from the group said “fighters from the Civilian Defence and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM) are checking vehicles as they come and go at five main points on the township’s outskirts, and are also checking boats that pass the area along the Chindwin river.”

He told media “the reason we have security checkpoints is for scouting purposes. It’s more about scouting than about control. That way we can gather intel on what times they enter which areas and what they can do and what they are doing. We are finally able to carry out such actions efficiently.”

On December 3 the CDSOM seized two boats passing along the Chindwin river, an oil vessel and a cargo ship, after those on board were unable to demonstrate that the vessels did not belong to the junta, the officer said. 

He said “we told them to confirm that the ships were not affiliated with the junta and nobody managed to do so.”

NAYPYITAW, 07 December 2021, (TON): Myanmar's junta chief reduced the prison sentence of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to two years, after she was jailed for four years for incitement against the military.

Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since the generals staged a coup and ousted her government on February 1, ending the Southeast Asian country's brief period of democracy.

She has since been hit with a series of charges, including violating the official secrets act, illegally importing walkie talkies and electoral fraud, and faces decades in prison.

Suu Kyi was sentenced to two years for incitement against the military and another two years for breaching a natural disaster law relating to Covid, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told media by phone.

Former president Win Myint was also initially jailed for four years on the same charges, which the US later blasted as an "affront" to justice.