The military Junta in Myanmar detained an official from George Soros’ Open Society Foundations
That’s not all. Soros’ bank accounts in the country were frozen, too. Wonder why? The decision was made under the suspicion that the group funded others opposed to the February coup in the country as confirmed by recent news reports.
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The coup happened after the party of controversial pro-democracy campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi won in November. Reuters covered the story on March 16.
The Tatmadaw seized power and detained Suu Kyi under suspicion for election fraud.
The Global New Light of Myanmar said that Open Society Myanmar withdrew $1.4 million from the account at the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank, or SMED, right after the coup, as confirmed by Reuters.
According to sources, the money was exchanged into the kyat “without following the necessary rules and regulations.”
The newspaper shared a photo of Suu Kyi with Soros from 2016 in NY, saying she had met with the US left-wing philanthropist, said the Financial Times.
The Irrawaddy said that government officials took control of $3.81 million and 375 million kyats in Open Society Myanmar accounts at four private banks.
SMED is in trouble with government officials for letting Soros’ Open Society Myanmar get the $1.4 and deposit $5 million.
The government said it was looking for 11 Open Society Myanmar (OSM) officials to interrogate them.
There isn’t much evidence of whether the millions were withdrawn, deposited, or spent.
“Claims of financial misconduct against OSM staff are completely false with no legal basis, and we call for the immediate release of OSM’s finance manager Phyu Pa Pa Thaw,” Binaifer Nowrojee, OSM’s vice president for organizational transformation, told the Financial Times.
“The military is wrongfully pursuing staff members who have done nothing wrong and have, in fact, spent years working to improve healthcare, education and more for the people of Myanmar,” she continued. “These false allegations are evidently an attempt to distract from what is really happening and to discredit those who wish for a return to peace and democracy in Myanmar.”
In an email from March 16, the Open Society Foundations said none of their transactions were illegal.
“The Open Society Foundations are deeply concerned about reports that an OSM (Open Society Myanmar) staff member has been detained in Myanmar,” the statement read.
“We call for her immediate release. We are alarmed by reports that authorities are seeking to interrogate other staff members.”
“Claims of financial misconduct, including that OSM acted illegally by withdrawing their own funds in local currency from the [SMED] bank, are false,” the letter continued.
“Claims that OSM used these funds for illegal purposes are false. These funds were used for purposes fully within the objectives of OSM.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, won 396 out of 476 seats. The military’s party got 33.
However, generals seized power on Feb.1.
Suu Kyi has been linked to many controversial stories, “having defended the military’s alleged genocide and displacement of several ethnic groups, including the majority-Muslim Rohingya, as part of a security operation. Her defenders have claimed her refusal to condemn the action is because whatever democracy Myanmar has exists at the grace of the military — as the coup proved.”
People protest since February and at least 612 died, according to The Irrawaddy. Most recent clashes took place in the northwest of Myanmar. Dozens of civilians were killed in two clashes with the military.
In Taze Township, 11 people died and 30 suffered injuries Wednesday evening. Protesters went against Tatmadaw forces using homemade firearms, slingshots, and other weapons.
Nikkei Asia reports Suu Kyi’s will appear in court on April 22. The whole thing is a formality.
Beijing is in contact with both sides in the conflict. Myanmar is their neighbor and receives Chinese investment through the the “Belt and Road” infrastructure plan.
Joe Biden and his administration issued sanctions against Myanmar generals. However, our President hasn’t done much. He just said that the violence is “absolutely outrageous,” adding that “based on the reporting I’ve gotten, an awful lot of people have been killed totally unnecessarily.”
“They used explosives and automatic fire against protesters. It is unacceptable. This is not a real war,” one protester told The Irrawaddy after the military attacked demonstrators in Taze Township on Wednesday.
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Source: The Western Journal
