Myanmar lawmakers announce ‘people’s defence force’

BANGKOK: A shadow government of ousted Myanmar lawmakers said on Wednesday it has set up a “people’s defence force” to protect civilians, as the police and military deploy deadly arms against anti-coup protesters.

The country has been in turmoil since the military deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a mass uprising of daily protests and a nationwide boycott from civil servants. So far, nearly 770 people have been killed in deadly crackdowns, though the junta has a far lower death toll which it blames on “rioters”. Ousted lawmakers who call themselves the “National Unity Government” (NUG) a announced their own “people’s defence force” to “stop the use of violence against people”.