18 die in Myanmar on bloodiest day of protests against coup
‘World is watching actions of military junta, and will hold them accountable’
Myanmar police fired on protesters around the country yesterday in the bloodiest day of weeks of demonstrations against a military coup and at least 18 people were killed, the UN human rights office said.
Police were out in force early and opened fire in different parts of the biggest city of Yangon after stun grenades, tear gas and shots in the air failed to break up crowds. Soldiers also reinforced police.
Several wounded people were hauled away by fellow protesters, leaving bloody smears on pavements, media images showed. One man died after being brought to a hospital with a bullet in the chest.
“Police and military forces have confronted peaceful demonstrations, using lethal force and less-than-lethal force that “according to credible information received by the UN Human
Rights Office “has left at least 18 people dead and over 30 wounded,” the UN human rights office said.
“The world is watching the actions of the Myanmar military junta, and will hold them accountable,’’ said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director
for New York-based Human Rights Watch. “Live ammunition should not be used to control or disperse protests and lethal force can only be used to protect life or prevent serious injury.’’
European Union diplomatic chief Josep Borrell yesterday condemned a military crackdown in Myanmar and confirmed the bloc would adopt sanctions in response.
“Violence will not give legitimacy to the illegal overthrowing of the democratically-elected government” in Myanmar, Borrell said in a statement.
“In shooting against unarmed citizens, the security forces have shown a blatant disregard for international law, and must be held to account.”
The UN rights office said at least 18 people were killed, several wounded and hundreds arrested yesterday when security forces dispersed pro-democracy demonstrations in Myanmar.
Bloodiest action
It marks the bloodiest action so far to smother opposition to the country’s military coup four weeks ago.
“The European Union will take measures in response to these developments shortly,” Borrell said.
European ministers have already agreed on sanctions against Myanmar’s military over the coup and have decided to withhold some development aid.
The sanctions are expected to be finalised in the coming days and will take effect once an official notice has been published by the EU.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the violent crackdown in Myanmar, a UN spokesman said yesterday.
“The use of lethal force against peaceful protesters and arbitrary arrests are unacceptable,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
“The Secretary-General urges the international community to come together and send a clear signal to the military that it must respect the will of the people of Myanmar as expressed through the election and stop the repression,” Dujarric said.
The junta is battling to contain a massive street movement demanding it yield power and release ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with top political allies at the start of the month. Yesterday brought a significant escalation in force, with fatal shootings of protesters in at least three cities around the country, as police and soldiers attempted to bring the civil disobedience campaign to heel.
Live rounds
Three men were killed and several injured when security forces moved on a rally in the southern coastal hub of Dawei.
Rescue worker Pyae Zaw Hein said the trio were “shot dead with live rounds”, while the injured were hit by rubber bullets.
Two teenagers were gunned down in Bago, a two-hour drive north of commercial capital Yangon. Ambulance driver Than Lwin said he had sent the bodies of the 18-year-olds to the mortuary at Bago’s main hospital.
Hundreds of people had been arrested by evening and transported to the city’s notorious Insein Prison, where many of Myanmar’s leading democracy campaigners have served long jail terms under previous dictatorships. One man in Mandalay was taken to hospital in critical condition after a projectile pierced his helmet and lodged in his brain.
Human Rights Watch said medical volunteers helping to treat wounded protesters were also being targeted for arrest by security forces. More than 850 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.