Opponents of Myanmar coup announce unity government

Protesters taking part in a demonstration against the military coup in Dawei's Launglone township.

Opponents of Myanmar's junta announced a National Unity Government on Friday including ousted members of parliament and leaders of anti-coup protests and ethnic minorities, saying their aim was to root out military rule. Myanmar has been in violent turmoil since a Feb. 1 coup that ousted a civilian government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, which had held power for five years and was starting its second term after a landslide election victory in November. People have been taking to the streets day after day to demand the restoration of democracy, defying crackdowns by the security forces in which more than 700 people have been killed, according to a monitoring group. At the same time, political leaders, including ousted members of parliament from Suu Kyi's party, have been trying to organise to show the country and the outside world that they and not the generals are the legitimate political authority.