fact that it lacked evidence, it lacked transparency. and the, until today we were never aware of how the process went. and the secretary blink and he, he said he's committed to providing us transparency moving forward with any process that involves the case of shooting. or is there a timeline though, or are they gonna furnish information as to exactly what role that, how did these investigations and whether they really went forensically over the evidence. so there was no timeline. we were not given a deadline as to when we would receive information. we will continue to ask for accountability and for you as lead investigation that is transparent and independent because that statement was not an investigation. we weren't the only ones who are not satisfied, but even us senators. and members of congress expressed that in a letter they sent us to the, to the president. so we are expecting an independent investigation and justice

for shit in but finally, do you think they're taking this seriously or is this now a public relations like so, i was like, decided that not going to make these really is uncomfortable in any way. am i just trying to get through this without? well, we are hoping that this is taken seriously. oh, we are hoping to see meaningful action and not just statements, but we want to see action. we want to see accountability. so we can prevent this from happening to other american palestinian citizens or palestinians in general. um, should ian was a her, she was a human being at the end of the day. so she needs to be protected. journalists have to be protected, and it's important for us that the u. s. administration takes this seriously. we also requested her to meet with the president, since he did not meet with us when we were back in. when we were back in palestine . the meeting with the president with saw us that the u. s. is taking this matter

seriously. ah, this is all just here. these are the top stories. the sermon has been taking place in istanbul to open a center that is going to monitor grain exports from ukraine. this follows an agreement between ukraine and russia last week that was broken by turkey and the un ukrainian government says it wants to resume exports this week for the 1st time since the russian invasion began in february. at least 5 people have been killed and 60 injured and a magnitude 7 earthquake and northern philippines. tremors were felt more than 300 kilometers to the south. european union nations have agreed to reduce the gas they use after russia said supply is likely to be cut rushes, blaming a faulty turbine on the nord stream, one pipeline. but e. u leaders accused moscow of playing politics,

relatives of murdered al jazeera journalist, sharina barclays. have met, you are secured in secretary of state antony blinkin. sheen's found is demanding accountability after she was killed by israeli forces. she was shot while reporting on arrayed in maine. jamie's national airline loft, dancers canceling more than a 1000 flights because of a one day strike by its ground crew is one of the world's biggest carriers. it says about a $130000.00 passengers will be affected. those are the headlines coming up next and i'll de 0. it's inside story. good by ah says global outrage after me and law executed for pro democracy prisoners. it's

military john to has brushed away criticism. can international pressure stop such killings? and what are the chances of me and mar returning to democracy? this is inside store. ah, hello, welcome to the program and burnett's the execution of for prominent pro democracy activist in may and mar, a sparked anger in the country and abroad. the military john to which took power in a qu last year had accused the man of conspiring to admit acts of terror. the activists, including several high profile opposition figures, were tried in secret military courts. news of the executions triggered condemnation from the united states. the european union, britain, australia,

and the united nations, as well as a rare rebuke from the association of southeast asian nations. and hundreds of people protested outside men. mars embassy in bangkok will bring in august shortly . first, this update from tony chang in bangkok, reaction to the execution of 4 political prisoners inside man mar, by the military. gunter has been shock and horror. hundreds of people took to the streets of bangkok to protest outside. mamma's embassy. there have been statements, a condemnation from the un secretary general, the us secretary of state and politicians all across the you. a little less condemnation here in the region, se asia will the malaysia's foreign minister did say this was a crime against humanity. but to a certain extent, azia and the association southeast asian nations has tried to engage the mere mom military chinese curb their excesses. they say, this will be seen very much as a slap in the face. and

a rare common from me on mars military on the executions at a press conference in answer to a question from local media. they said they had nothing personal against these men . and they had been given every opportunity to prove their innocence. that said, their charles took place in the military court in secret process. many people deemed to be very unfair. and that feeling of unhappiness is also being seen and the streets of miramar. flash mobs taking the streets of yank on amanda lay. many of the main cities demonstrating their anger and calling for revenge, and that is the big concern that with this conflict getting worse and worse since the military coup and 2021. as both sides become more entrenched, the conflict will just get worse. tony chang for inside story. malaysia's foreign minister spoke out against the miramar executions at

a press conference in kuala lumper dix place. about less than 2 weeks of 3rd, especially in boy visit that may be door. and just about a week before the us and 40 minutes just meeting infinite. so we look at it that as if the who is making a mockery of the 5 point consensus. and i think we really have to look at this very, very seriously man, man, should not be invited to send political representation to our ministry. would meetings desist to this is to, to show that we are very serious on the issue of political representation. the justice spokesperson says the executions were legal, argued with a young man. and we knew that there may be criticism and objections when the death

penalties were 100 down and conducted in accordance with domestic law. however, we did it for reasons of domestic stability for the rule of law and order and for security. not personal deposition groups have 70, it was don't legally. these criminals were given the chance to defend themselves in the verdicts of the trials were based on eye witnesses and facts. if we compare their sentences with other the penalty cases, they have committed crimes for which they should have been given many death sentences. mammals, military seized power from the civilian government in february last year. since then, it's been accused of widespread human rights violations, view and report. tom andrews has accused its army of deliberately targeting children with nearly 400 killed or injured since the amnesty international says last year saw a worrying rise and death sentences with nearly 90 people. put on death, row view, and human rights commission. so security forces have shown a blatant disregard for life. while the army denies the accusations and at least

a quarter of a 1000000 people have been displaced since the military took power last year. ah, let's bring in our guests. minka ny house is a freelance journalist, an author. she knew 2 of the activists to executed co, jimmy, and they a tour, and she is covered their journey extensively in geneva, we have wayne in a campaigns officer at burma campaign, u. k. and daughter of maya i, one of the $88.00 generation student leaders, and in scoggins, denmark, we have helen, maria cared a senior research of focusing on justice and security and me and mar, at the danish institute for international studies. a warm welcome to all a very difficult subject for us today. for 1st of all, incur. are you surprised that the army went ahead with these executions?

well, i was very concerned that this time they would be very serious about it, even though that sentences haven't been carried out for the last 30 years. but there were already before the execution. there were rumors and, and there was you skiing, calculated deliberately that it was going to happen. what had happened already. that seemed to be like a sort of testing to watch a school work to react, she would be. and then i came especially concerned when i heard that the family, some of the family members had given them a chance. or even though it was in our online meeting to have an encounter with the prisoners. because that is an indication of an execution is, is about to be implemented to be carried out. ok when ended, are you surprised that service has happened? is executions were carried out. well, it's very hot breaking. we kept thinking they wouldn't do it because it's and know

in the military interest to carry out the execution off to decades or not having done so. but if this is a sign that the military is very desperate, because even over a year or the attempt to prove, because i'm say attempted to because they haven't been able to consolidate color, they haven't been able to control the general population. who, being standing up against the military coups, a business defined of desperation. and they trying to use free a factor to stop a revolution on the ground. and, but in reality is, has the opposite effect. marie, i see you nodding away. there is, is this a sign of desperation from the military? i very much agree. i think from the respect of the unit itself, it's part of instilling increasing fear and terror in the population. warning the resistance fighters that they will go. as far as you know,

they can to stop the resistance and they don't been to any international pressure. but i'm very, very, in agreement that it is a sign of weakness both on the battlefield in terms of territorial control, but also in terms of not really being able to run the state apparatus. the economy is in ruins. and what we've been researching over the past year or so is also how soldiers within the ranks of the military south are increasingly demoralized. there is a growing fatigue. we see a gradual increase of defect over this past year as well. so even within its own ranks, there are weaknesses and a sense of kale minka you. you've 30 years covering me and mar, do you agree with that? do you see this is a sense of, of weakness for the 1st time the executions in 30 odd years? yeah, i certainly, i think then the military seized power on the 1st of february,

2021. they expected that they would get back control pretty easily by using brutal force as they have done for decades. and the complete opposite is what we are seeing now. after months of peaceful protests and very brutal violence by security forces, it hasn't or so there are still the flesh go test. large amounts of people are still on strike. and there are military groups now operating in various parts of the country, as well as the several ethnic groups who has been fighting for more autonomy and equal rights in what they hope to be a federal state. so the military really is finding itself in until at fortress here, and has to fight on so many phones and all the day. and i think that that is also

where there is an element of anger and revenge on those for people who have been execute said that it wasn't only meant to terrorize the population, but it was also an expression or free french as far as i see it i mean, could you knew they at all and code jimmy and left families? can you just tell me a little bit about them? yeah, i wish we had the whole program to talk about them. of course, it's so much to say both of them are very highly respected, active face. and so let me started called jimmy, who came to fame in 1988 protests against the machine is a member of the a t h generation. and he was very soon after this process of having arrested and he spends between his course of s and another release in 2012 almost 20 years in jail. but every single time that he came out of jail,

he should call me and he was still advocating democracy and free country. and he also was known for doing a lot of social activities to address the ills into society. even off can be seen, for example, when, when they're or crisis, each need to to place people, people to do money, cherry and work. they're also ferry. and an appeal at all is about 10 years younger than the 53 year old co, jamie, he came to fame as bringing out releasing the 1st album, which really galvanized a generation that was the price of freedom and hunger for for a better life. and a nurse for 15, and then he decided that most of the not 14 take and, and he,

what he established and underground use movement all generation people who present them. and up on the 25th, 2011, he joined the party of function switching. alright, and i should also mention flom you on and on tours or the other 2 men who executed as well. and wine in we had mentioned that from mnc of the flash mobs have been in that been takes incredible bait bravery to do that. but is there any way really, to hold me in mars military accountable for all of this? well, yes, aspects of all you know is that we have been telling the international community to refer to the international criminal court. and even countries who are supposedly interested in human rights, like the u. k. and the u. s. they are very hesitant to do so. and we have a case going on a forward ro hinge a genocide at the c j. and countries like the britain can joined, that is

a part of the accountability process for the military because we believe, after all, the international community helped create the cycle of impunity felt by the burmese military because it's been decades they've been getting away with human rights violations. genocide against their hinges, and if they get away with this state execution, the worry is that they will continue execute 90 other political prisoners on death row. and we don't want that because all of these people, they were wrongfully accused, and they were tried without proper judicial process, and they shouldn't be in jail let alone on bedroom. alan murray in terms of holding the military accountable as has been totally an effective. it hasn't, it's, it's really not a strategy of attempting to engage the military has not worked at all 100 well, i mean its own chair and the conversion on sunday. he actually told the commanded

chief me on line not to carry through these 6 q sions, and we've seen a statement coming out today of disappointment. i think it's, it's, it's a clear sign that the 5 point statement that was, or consensus that was agreed upon in april last year that was mentioned earlier, has simply not been followed by the military. doing so. i mean, this idea that they would us and would bring together the different parties, including ourselves cheap who is now behind bars, has simply not worked. i mean, and people on the ground in me and my have consistently said that every time in comes and visits mit it's, it's just legitimize us. the units are, it's part of what they fear, a form of normalization, of the situation of the military going to empower and it plans to hold elections in 2023 and this could be part of that normalization. so it's really, really important that the intentional community steps are broaden. it gave the mandate to us in the you and you and others to do this. but at the moment it's,

it's just not enough. and also in the un security council, what's happening now is that china and russia are protecting the minutes, are going to, if not directly, then at least indirectly. so there is a need to find another course internationally to actually show action rather than just words, whining back to you or not. i mean the come boating, prime minister on son, he's been, he would have been humiliated really. hasn't he? because he was the one he had resisted condemnation of my while, maybe singapore, the philippines, malaysia and indonesia have been outspoken. he resisted, tried to persuade the johnson not to cut out the executions, and they've just ignored it. yes, and i hope you know, usually asi and use the policy of non interference. but i hope this is the lesson for the aussie. and that the military is not something you want to engage in.

because since the started, the military has shown over and over again that they don't really care about any international law international agreement, they continue killing and arresting people on the ground. and of course, these 4 executions are the one that we know and is well known execution. but there are so many unvil who killing happening in integration from press retention center . so these things are happening every day and what kind of military would be interested in engagement while they continue committing human rights violations? so i hope this is the lesson for asi and it's time for proper and effective action rather than going along with the military and hoping to engage and make them respect about human rights because it will never happen. but i think from your experience in may and ma, do you see anything that i see and could do that would make the military change its plan would make the military return to democracy? bell?

i think i'll feel it. you still have this policy of considering the situation in countries internal affairs for at the same time, there is some leverage here. if you can ask the political will because it was really very important. spec for me on march will become a member of and i am not happy to have a black sheep in its middle, and every single international gathering. surely, they will be called up on what they are going to do about the situation in your mar . so it all has to do with political will and at the same time, they can also do a lot more to engage with the various groups that now form the position. and for example, the government of national unity, the test stablished by among others elected members of parliament who have been

dismissed by the military. so there are definitely more things to be explored and what has to be done so far. and i think the military regime has been where also national community is busy for the situation in the u. crane and all our on russia as well. and they are trying to get to see how far they gets away with this incredible. ok. ex allen maria. tell us, help us understand a little bit about the people's defense forces. now how effective all day and how effective could they be if it's a hard question to answer, but we know that there is around $400.00 the peoples defend. busy is that more it's very important to recognize here, as was mentioned briefly earlier, is that in the past before, the qu, the main battles or resistance against the military was in the s, the border areas. but we also see very,

very strong people's defense forces in birmingham berg bama majority areas in psychiatric way and other regions. and this makes a huge difference from previously in the last history of, of conflict. and this could make sure difference from before, because the military has to fight on so many fonts. and that's also why what i said earlier is that it's combat units are now getting tired out. they don't get any rest. they are losing the belief in what they're actually fighting for because we're talking about a broad sector of the population resisting the military amongst the majority population where most of the soldiers are from. so i think that by fighting on all these funds at the same time and the building in alliances with the compensation that have been fighting the military that has experience, finding the military for the case. it could make a huge difference. and we already seen it in these sections that are happening from

the military that we've been looking at. and wayne in this, these people's defense forces came out of the peaceful protesters that erupt it, but started after the coo last year. they claim to control more than 50 percent of men miles territory. that is not a realistic calculation. well, we fear that the people deformed forces are growing in burn that because even like, you know, they came out of the peaceful protest because they felt that was the only way to defend themselves and also attacked the military on the ground. and of course, the military has much more advanced technology, and when it comes to weapons, they have much more advanced weapons as well. so what we've seen is that on the ground people found supported, and military can, you know, the military is losing. but on the fighter jets as front then military is using tied to just to bomb civilians and ethnic areas. and that's

why you know, part of or human rights activists are calling for functions on a be a fuel. because if we stop applying the a, be a sion fuel to burma, then they won't be able to slide these 5 projects to bomb people in ethnic area as well as people who are operating people defense forces in on the ground. main, could you see too much store puts in the strength of the people's defense forces? are they really any match for the chinese supply supplied me and mar army. well, this is not only about military strength as such. it's the fact that there are groups in various parts of the country including very close or even in urban areas that give the military regime a sense of insecurity and fear. and that is quite unprecedented in, in recent history. so when you speak to a pdf,

they will tell you that the case is referenced, but they don't allow all in all, it is quite high. and that is certainly also a factor that needs to be taken into account. when we often hear this call for the pdf people's events forces. they're short of weapons showed an outside organisation or country b arming the pedia. well this is not, i mean a lot of people on the ground, especially pdf. they are asking for arms, but also they're asking for a humanitarians help as well because most of them don't have any funding for food and other fun shows loan. so as of course, the burner is not only facing at human rights problem, be old, but we are also facing a huge humanitarian across this in the country. so i think in the national

community and outside organizations should be healthy people in the country and including, you know, countries like asi and they can allow the cross border aid from time aboard so that people in the can live and they have food and other functions to essentially to operate i think it's very important to get support from the international community . allen, maria, just very quickly from you. how do you see inside me and my the what the best way to combat the job to that the best way is by far to unite the forces against the military. doing, i mean we've seen forms of unification. we haven't seen historically before me and mom, but there are also challenges. there are also differences amongst those resisting the military to to so if people can stand together and the ethnic organization can join hands with the people's defense forces and also the political entities from

the ethnic minorities and the national unity government. i think that is definitely the best way forward seen from inside mine. of course it should be supported by us from the outside as well. all right, thank you very much. we are unfortunately out of time, but thanks to our guests to minka niehaus, to wayne in and helen maria tired, and thank you too for watching. you can see the problem again. any time by visiting our website, al jazeera dot com for more debate, go to our facebook page, facebook dot com, forward slash ha, inside story. you can also join the conversation on twitter. we are actually a j inside store for me, bernard smith and the entire team here, and by the ah

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