Myanmar denies involvement in alleged plot against its ambassador to UN

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Myanmar's military junta has denied that it was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate the country’s ambassador to the UN in New York, according to the state-run MRTV.

The military government's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the plot against Kyaw Moe Tun, who is known to be against the junta, is a domestic case in the US, and has nothing to do with Myanmar.

The New York Police have arrested, and charged two people for allegedly plotting to kill or injure Kyaw Moe Tun.

An attorney said the duo are accused of conspiring with an arms dealer in Thailand who sells weapons to the Myanmar military.

According to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, the plot fitted a "disturbing pattern" of authoritarian leaders and their supporters seeking to persecute opponents around the world.

Myanmar rejected the US diplomat's statement, saying Kyaw Moe Tun had been dismissed from his post as Myanmar’s UN ambassador, and currently faces an arrest warrant for treason since he had voiced support for the National Unity Government. It is shadow government in exile set up by ousted lawmakers of the National League for Democracy, the erstwhile ruling party of the Southeast Asian country.

Despite pressure from the junta, Kyaw Moe Tun has continued to work at the UN, representing the elected civilian government toppled by the military on Feb.1.

The takeover has led to months of demonstrations and a mass civil disobedience movement, which has been met with brutal force. The death toll has risen to 969, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local monitoring group.

Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar's military regime, has named himself the prime minister. He promised multi-party elections and the lifting of the state of emergency by August 2023 – instead of the initial one-year timeline.