Myanmar military government offers cash rewards to defectors

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government is urging people fighting against its rule to surrender their weapons, offering a cash reward if they do so along with the possibility of reduced sentences if they broke the law. The official announcement Wednesday says people involved in major resistance organizations are “invited to return to the legal fold.” It says people who surrender will have to face trial if they committed crimes including murder and rape, but that the government would reduce the penalties depending on the offenses. Myanmar has been mired in violence and civil unrest since the military overthrew an elected government in February 2021. The military, despite a strong advantage in armaments, has been unable to crush its opponents.