Myanmar army continues lethal crackdown after deadliest weekend on record

 

At least eight anti-coup protesters killed across Myanmar on Monday as demonstrators return to the streets after the deadliest weekend since the military seized power.

 

Myanmar’s ruling junta has declared martial law in a wide area of the country’s largest city, as security forces killed dozens of protesters over the weekend in an increasingly lethal crackdown on resistance to last month’s military coup.

The developments were the latest setback to hopes of resolving the crisis that started with the military's February 1 seizure of power that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. 

A grassroots movement has sprung up across the country to challenge the takeover with almost daily protests that the army has tried to crush with increasingly deadly violence.

State broadcaster MRTV said Monday that the Yangon townships of North Dagon, South Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and North Okkalapa have been put under martial law.

That was in addition to two others, Hlaing Thar Yar and neighbouring Shwepyitha, announced late on Sunday.

Fresh violence

More violence was reported around the country on Monday, with at least eight protesters in four cities or towns killed, according to the independent broadcaster and news service Democratic Voice of Burma.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed long convoys of trucks entering Yangon.

Supporters of detained democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi marched again on Monday including in Mandalay and the central town of Myingyan where police opened fire, two witnesses said.

"They fired on us," an 18-year-old protester in Myingyan told Reuters news agency. "I'm now hiding. One girl got shot in the head and a boy got shot in the face."

The Myanmar Now media outlet reported three people were killed there and two in Aunglan town.

According to AFP, at least 44 protesters were killed on Sunday as security forces cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations, while Myanmar Now puts death toll to 59 in Yangon’s suburban and industrial townships.

Myanmar's oldest ethnic minority insurgent group, the Karen National Union, which signed a ceasefire with the army in 2012 after decades of fighting, also condemned Sunday's violence and said it fully supported the demonstrators.

Arson attack on China-financed firms 

The arson attacks on Sunday provoked China's strongest comments yet on the turmoil gripping its Southeast Asian neighbour, where many people see China as supportive of the coup.

The Chinese embassy urged Myanmar's ruling generals to stop violence and ensure the safety of people and property.

China's Global Times newspaper said 32 Chinese-invested factories were "vandalised in vicious attacks" that caused damage worth $37 million and two Chinese employees were injured.

Protest leader Thinzar Shunlei Yi said Myanmar people did not hate their Chinese neighbours but China's rulers had to understand the outrage felt in Myanmar over their stand.

"Chinese government must stop supporting coup council if they actually care about Sino-Myanmar relations and to protect their businesses," she said on Twitter.

Japan, which has long competed for influence in Myanmar with China, said it was monitoring the situation and considering how to respond in terms of economic cooperation.

 

Martial law in Yangon townships 

Meanwhile, Myanmar's ruling junta declared martial law in parts of the country's largest city as security forces killed more protesters in an increasingly lethal crackdown on resistance to last month’s military coup.

Most of those killed on Sunday, 34, were in Yangon, where two townships, Hlaing Thar Yar and neighbouring Shwepyitha were being placed under martial law.

Video from Hlaing Thar Yar township showed people running away after gunfire was heard. 

Those fleeing carried one injured person and tried to revive two others, one who seemed to be dead or dying, the footage from independent Democratic Voice of Burma showed.

Hlaing Thar Yar was the location of 22 civilian deaths on Sunday, according to the aid group, which said more than a dozen civilians were wounded and described a large number of junta forces engaged in the township.

Since the takeover six weeks ago, Myanmar has been under a nationwide state of emergency, with its civilian leaders ousted and detained and military leaders in charge of all government. 

But the announcement on state broadcaster MRTV late on Sunday appeared to be the first use of the term martial law since the coup and suggested more direct military control of security, instead of local police.

 

Special Envoy of @UN Secretary-General on #Myanmar@SchranerBurgen1 strongly condemns continuing bloodshed in the country as military defies international calls for restraint, dialogue and full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.https://t.co/qcPSA4NLcY

— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) March 14, 2021 

 

 

UN condemns violence 

Meanwhile, United Nations' envoy for Myanmar strongly condemned continuing bloodshed in one of the deadliest days since the country's February 1 coup.

"The international community, including regional actors, must come together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations," Christine Schraner Burgener said in a statement on Sunday.

She said the Myanmar military was defying international calls for restraint, adding she had heard "heartbreaking accounts of killings, mistreatment of demonstrators and torture of prisoners" from contacts inside the Southeast Asian country.

 SOURCE ; TRT

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(With input from news agency language)

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