The acting leader of Myanmar’s parallel civilian government said it will seek to give people the legal right to defend themselves as the death toll in protests against last month’s coup exceeded 80, according to an advocacy group.
Mahn Win Khaing Than, who is on the run along with most senior officials from the ruling National League for Democracy Party, addressed the public via Facebook, saying, “This is the darkest moment of the nation and the moment that the dawn is close”.
He said the civilian government would “attempt to legislate the required laws so that the people have the right to defend themselves” against the military crackdown. More than 80 people had been killed as of Saturday in widespread protests against the military’s seizure of power, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group said. Over 2,100 people have been arrested, it said.
At least 13 people were killed on Saturday, one of the bloodiest days since the Feb. 1 coup, witnesses and domestic…