Ahead of Shinzo Abe's State Funeral, Myanmar Ex-Diplomat urges Japan to restrict junta's envoy from Former PM's funeral

Naypyidaw, Sept 26: A Former diplomat of Myanmar Aung Soe Moe, who was dismissed by the military junta for his opposition to last year's coup, urged Tokyo to not invite Naypyidaw's embassy in Japan to former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe's funeral.

 

 

 

 

Aung Soe Moe said that inviting Myanmar's ambassador to Abe's funeral would be a de-facto recognition of the junta, the Japanese media has reported. "We, Myanmar residents in Japan, have asked the Japanese Foreign Ministry not to invite anyone from the military to Abe's state funeral, a major international event," Aung Soe Moe, told reporters on Saturday (Sept 24) in Tokyo.

 

 

 

 

 

"What generals want is official recognition of their regime by the international community and to make the takeover of government a fait accompli," he said, speaking through an interpreter. Giving the example of Britain's decision to not allow Myanmar delegates to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, Aung Soe Moe said that the Japanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister should take a similarly firm and clear-cut stance against the junta led by the coup leader and army chief Min Aung Hlaing.

 

 

"Japan did not invite Min Aung Hlaing, but it would not make much difference if the Kishida government allows the junta-appointed ambassador to attend this state-level event," he said. Since Aung Soe Moe was sacked from Myanmar's Foreign Ministry for joining the civil disobedience movement against military rule, the former first secretary of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo has devoted himself to activities in Japan to bring democracy back to his homeland, reported the Japanese media.