The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on Monday said that security forces in Myanmar have now killed over 500 people since the military coup began on February 1. Moreover, the AAPP warned that, while the official death toll stands at 510, the actual civilian death toll is probably significantly higher. Following the statement, protestors on Tuesday held candlelight vigils and launched a civil disobedience campaign by hurling garbage on the streets.
On Saturday, the Tatmadaw celebrated its annual Armed Forces Day with a huge parade of troops in the capital city of Naypyidaw. On the same day, the security forces’ brutal crackdown on protestors killed at least 141 people across the country, making it the bloodiest day since the putsch last month. In southern Yangon, according to witness accounts, soldiers fired heavy-grade ammunition, like grenade launchers, “to clear a barricade of sandbags,” and fiercely disperse protesters. However, state television reported that the troops were using “riot weapons” to deal with “violent terrorist people” who were destroying public property.
Simultaneously, rebels in eastern Myanmar’s Karen state also reported being targeted in airstrikes on Saturday and Sunday, only hours after the Karen National Union seized a military outpost and killed 10 people on late Saturday. In response, about 3,000 villagers fled to Thailand but were forcefully sent back to Myanmar. “They (Thai government) told them it was safe to go back even though it is not safe. They were afraid to go back but they had no choice,” a spokesperson for the Karen Peace Support Network, a group of Karen civil society organizations in Myanmar told reporters. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, said that claims of some Karen people being forced to return to Myanmar were “inaccurate.” “Those reports cite information solely from non-official sources without confirming the facts from official sources on the ground. ... In fact, the Thai authorities will continue to look after those on the Thai side while assessing the evolving situation and the needs on the ground,” it said in a statement.
The violence drew heavy criticism from the international community as well, with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres condemning the actions of the security forces as “absolutely unacceptable”. In addition, he urged Myanmar authorities to undertake a “serious democratic transition”. “We need more unity... (and) more commitment from the international community to put pressure in order to make sure that the situation is reversed,” he said. The United Kingdom (UK) has called for a closed meeting of the UN Security Council on the matter, which is expected to be held on Wednesday afternoon.
The United States (US) also announced yesterday that it was suspending the 2013 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on trade and investment issues between the two countries. “The United States strongly condemns the Burmese security forces’ brutal violence against civilians,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said, adding, “These actions are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the efforts of the Burmese people to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future.” Similarly, the European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also condemned the atrocities, saying, “Far from celebrating, the Myanmar military has made yesterday a day of horror and of shame.”
On the contrary, India was one of the eight countries that attended Myanmar’s celebrations of the Armed Forces Day parade on March 27. So far, India has remained silent on the coup and the ensuing violence and has only expressed “deep concern” regarding events in the country. Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand also sent representatives for the annual parade.
Civilian Death Toll From Post-Coup Protests in Myanmar Exceeds 500
An advocacy group has claimed that authorities in Myanmar have now killed over 500 civilian protestors since the February 1 coup.
March 30, 2021
SOURCE: STRINGER, REUTERS