Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar fight back amid violent crackdown
YANGON, Myanmar — Protesters in Myanmar fired slingshots and threw Molotov cocktails toward lines of security forces after apparently coming under fire Wednesday in a rare incidence of anti-coup demonstrators fighting back against a relentlessly violent crackdown.
The growing resistance comes after one organization said that more than 200 people have been killed since the Feb. 1 takeover.
At least two people were shot dead during protests Wednesday in Kalay in northwestern Myanmar, according to press and social media posts that included photos of the victims.
Protests against the coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi have shown remarkable staying power and largely remained peaceful, despite curbs on internet access, the imposition of martial law in some places, and an extraordinarily violent response by police.
But on Wednesday, after security forces apparently shot at them in the country’s largest city of Yangon, demonstrators initially fled — but then crept back to hunker down behind sandbag barricades. Some hurled firebombs, while others took aim with slingshots — though the forces were too far away to be hit.
A statement issued Sunday by the Committee Representing Pyihtaungsu Hluttaw — an organization of the elected members of Parliament whom the military barred from taking their seats but who have set themselves up as an alternative government to the junta — announced that the general public has the legal right to selfdefense against the security forces. The committee was earlier called a treasonous organization by the junta, which declared it illegal.
The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar, which languished for five decades under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions.
The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps a tally of deaths related to the crackdown, said that as of Tuesday 202 people had been killed, and 2,181 arrested or charged.
“Junta forces target protesters but also ordinary people using sniper rifles regardless of the time or place,” according to association.
“Some injured people were arrested and died without access to medical treatment, some individuals have died due to being tortured during interrogation, some others who were shot dead in a crackdown were dragged away without mercy and their dead bodies are not being returned to their families by junta forces,” the association said, repeating widespread and credible allegations.
The junta has denied any abusive actions but concedes protesters have been shot when taking part in what it has described as rioting. Its death toll is much lower than others.
In addition to the violence, the junta also initially detained hundreds of senior politicians and has kept Suu Kyi, who was the country’s de facto leader before the takeover, in custody and charged her with several crimes that her supporters say are politically motivated.