Interpol turns down Myanmar junta request to counter ‘terrorism’

13 February 2022
Interpol turns down Myanmar junta request to counter ‘terrorism’
Soldiers stand outside the Central Bank of Myanmar, as people gathered to protest against the military coup, in Yangon. Photo: AFP

Interpol, the international police organization, has rejected an appeal by the Myanmar military to help them counter “terrorism” threats in the country, reports Channel News Asia (CNA).

An Interpol spokesperson said they do not intervene in a nation’s domestic political affairs. The spokesperson told CNA that the organisation does not comment on specific cases or operations of member countries unless in extraordinary circumstances, especially notices requested for political opponents, government critics, or in the context of a coup d’etat.

The statement from Interpol came a couple of days after the Myanmar military’s appointed foreign affairs minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, asked the international community to assist the regime in dealing with such threats, referring to the actions of its opposition body, the National Unity Government (NUG), which was formed to combat the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and free the country from military rule.

Many People’s Defence Forces or PDFs have sprung up across the country to combat the assets of the junta and their armed forces. They typically operate under the umbrella of the NUG, though are not directly controlled by the alternative civilian government.