UK urges citizens to flee Myanmar immediately for safety

After months of continuous protests and alarmingly increasing reports of diminishing human rights due to the military coup, the UK has urged its citizens to flee Myanmar.

Myanmar's military took over the country in a coup and detained the popular civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and several other senior leaders on February 01. 

Since then, the locals have been taking to the streets to raise their voices against the diminishing democracy and human rights in the country.

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Following the decline of peace in Myanmar, the British foreign ministry has urged its citizens to get out of Myanmar as soon as possible warning that the "political tension and unrest are widespread since the military takeover and levels of violence are rising".

The UK has urged its citizens to leave the country only by commercial means. "The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises British nationals to leave the country by commercial means unless there is an urgent need to stay," the warning read.

This warning has come after days of violent protests and clashes between the locals and military personnel — who have also been accused of creating havoc on the streets by entering and breaking personal properties.

Also read | Myanmar citizens in US offered temporary refuge from coup crackdown

Meanwhile, the junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the detained chief minister of Yangon admitted giving Suu Kyi $600,000 in cash, along with more than 11 kilograms ($680,000 worth) of gold.

These allegations have been declined by Suu Kyi's lawyer Khin Maung Zaw. "This allegation against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the state counsellor, is groundless, especially regarding the dollars and gold bars — it is the most hilarious joke of all," he told the news agency AFP. "I've never seen such an illegal mudslinging."

Since the coup, Suu Kyi has not been seen in the public eye but has been reported to be in good health. However, Suu Kyi and her lawyer have complained that she has not been able to have a private meeting with her lawyers since her detainment.