United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the use of ‘deadly violence’ in Myanmar resulting in the death of two persons and injury to several others.
“I condemn the use of deadly violence in Myanmar. The use of lethal force, intimidation and harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable. Everyone has a right to peaceful assembly. I call on all parties to respect election results and return to civilian rule,” Antonio Guterres said in a tweet.
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The Myanmar military troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in the city of Mandalay on Saturday in which two persons were killed and several others were injured.
Media reports, citing witnesses, said the shootings took place as the military troops were trying to force workers back to their jobs at a local shipyard.
Also read: Myanmar diaspora goes global amid protests against military coup
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They were among hundreds of thousands of workers across Myanmar, who walked off their jobs to protest the military coup in Myanmar.
At least five people were injured by rubber bullets, the Bangkok Post reported citing local media.
The emergency medical staff treating the injured confirmed that at least six others were shot with live rounds.
Reports quoted witnesses as claiming that more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the shipyard to block the military, leading to a tense standoff that lasted for several hours on Saturday afternoon.
The military used water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, slingshots and ultimately live ammunition to disperse the agitating crowd.
The United States has also joined the widespread condemnations of the violence.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held talks with allied countries in recent days to raise a united voice against the situation in Myanmar.
“We condemn any violence against the people of Burma and reiterate our calls on the Burmese military to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters… the United States will continue to lead the diplomatic effort to galvanize the international community into collective action against those responsible for this coup,” spokesman Ned Price said in a press briefing on Friday.
Myanmar’s military overthrew the government and declared a year-long state of emergency hours before the newly-elected parliament was due to convene on February 1.
State Counselor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint along with other top officials have been placed under house arrest.
But the military coup has triggered mass protests across the country and abroad.
According to Sputnik, at least 150 people have suffered injuries during intense demonstrations across the country.
On Sunday, thousands of protesters gathered again all over Myanmar, a day after security forces shot dead two persons at a demonstration in the country’s second largest city.
A funeral was also held for a young woman killed earlier by the military.
It has been reported that about 1,000 people in cars and bikes gathered on Sunday morning at the hospital where the woman’s body was held amid tight security.
The victim’s grandparents, who had traveled from Yangon, five hours away, were denied entry.
When her body was released, a long motorised procession began a drive to the cemetery, said reports.
In Yangon, the biggest city in Myanmar, about 1,000 demonstrators honoured the woman under an elevated roadway.
On Sunday, Facebook announced that it had taken down the page run by the Myanmar military information unit “for repeated violations of our community standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm.”
The social media giant also said it had already taken down other accounts linked to the military.