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Coup protest death toll increases

APEACEFUL march at dawn yesterday by medical professionals in Myanmar’s second biggest city kicked off another day of protests around the country against last month’s coup.

The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners had verified 247 deaths nationwide linked to the post-coup crackdown. The actual total, including cases where verification has been difficult, is probably much higher, said.

It has also confirmed that 2345 people have been arrested or charged, with 1994 still detained or sought for arrest.

Security forces shot dead at least one person at a rally elsewhere.

With public protests getting ever more dangerous, anti-coup demonstrators in Mandalay acted early to minimise the risk of confrontation with security forces.

About 100 doctors, nurses, medical students and pharmacists, wearing the long white coats, lined up on a main road in Mandalay to chant slogans and proclaim their opposition to the February 1 coup it that toppled the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Engineers in Mandalay have also been holding what has been dubbed a “no-human strike”, which involves lining up signboards in streets or other public areas as proxies for human protesters.

The city has been a major centre of opposition to the takeover. But in recent weeks, the number of protesters has fallen off in the face of lethal use of force by police and soldiers firing live ammunition into crowds.

One of the recently dead is teenager Aung Kaung Htet, main, who was killed when military junta forces opened fire on anti-coup protesters yesterday.