LONDON: Myanmar military figures have been told that they are following in the footsteps of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi as fears of an imminent civil war mount in the country.
Since the Feb. 1 coup, 138 protesters have been killed in demonstrations, the UN has said. Dr. Sasa, the special envoy to the UN of Myanmar’s now-dissolved Parliament, told Sky News that if fighting continues without a reaction from the international community, his country’s people will be “forced to defend themselves.”
Sasa appealed to the military chiefs now in control of the country to stand down, free newly detained prisoners and oversee a return to democracy.
He warned that a failure to do so will result in coup leaders “arrested or killed,” comparing them to Gaddafi, Saddam and Osama bin Laden.
Sasa said India, China, the US, the UK, Europe and Myanmar’s neighbors must work together to pressure the generals who have taken control of his country.
“If we do not form this international coalition on Myanmar as soon as possible, it will bring, I’m afraid, the greatest civil war that we have ever seen,” he added.
“We don’t need statements anymore. We don’t need the words anymore. We need actions. So we are asking for action from the international community.
“What we mean is coordinated, targeted and tougher sanctions, both diplomatically, economically and politically.”
