Sudan, Myanmar, Mali.

Today's three stories you should know.

Feb 21, 2022

As the international media focuses (understandably) on Ukraine, the stories I compile in Proximities are bound to be relegated to the bottom of the pile. Hope you all keep reading.

Bests,

Barry.

Sudan

More anti-coup protests in Sudan today. Thousands marched in cities across the country despite the ever-present threat of being shot dead by security forces. At least 82 protesters have been killed since the military coup last October, according to a pro-democracy doctors’ union, and at least 200 organizers have been detained. In the city of Wad Madani, protesters were heard chanting at the military to “go back to the barracks.” In other cities they shouted, “Civilian rule is the people’s choice.”

Myanmar

Myanmar’s military government, seen by many as illegitimate after it came to power in a coup a year ago, today sought to have a case against it thrown out of the UN’s top international court. Myanmar is accused of carrying out a genocide against its Rohingya ethnic minority. The country’s army in 2017 launched an operation in the Rakhine state region after an attack from a Rohingya armed group. The torching of villages, mass rapes and indiscriminate killings were documented by rights groups and journalists, and some 700,000 Rohingya fled into neighboring Bangladesh.

Mali

Mali’s parliament today voted to allow a transitional government led by the military to rule for up to five years - a period of time bound to enrage democracy campaigners. The military, after staging a coup in 2020, initially promised elections for this month.