March 14 was the Global Day of Prayer for Myanmar. It was also the day when 38 people were killed in the military’s crackdown on protesters.
Christine Schraner Burgener, the United Nations’ (UN) special envoy on Myanmar, strongly condemned the bloodshed as the military defied international calls, including from the Security Council, for restraint, dialogue and full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
“The ongoing brutality, including against medical personnel and destruction of public infrastructure, severely undermines any prospects for peace and stability,” she said in a statement on March 14.
“The international community, including regional actors, must come together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations,” she said.
A presidential statement agreed to by the 15-member UN Security Council council on March 10 expressed deep concern at restrictions on medical personnel, civil society, labour union members, journalists and media workers and called for the immediate release of all those detained arbitrarily.
The council called for the military to exercise the “utmost restraint” and emphasised that it is following the situation closely.
“The Security Council expresses its continued support for the democratic transition in Myanmar and stresses the need to uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and uphold the rule of law,” the statement said.
‘The Security Council expresses its continued support for the democratic transition in Myanmar and stresses the need to uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and uphold the rule of law’
The Security Council showed its strong support for regional organisations, in particular ASEAN, and its readiness to assist Myanmar in a positive, peaceful and constructive manner.
It also reiterated its support for Schraner Burgener and encouraged her to maintain communication and efforts to engage intensively with all relevant parties in Myanmar and to visit the country as soon as possible.
Schraner Burgener had communication with the military’s deputy commander-in-chief, Soe Win, in February but was told that the time was not right for a visit.
The council failed to condemn the coup and removed the draft text “threatening possible measures under the UN Charter should the situation deteriorate further” due to opposition from China, Russia, India and Vietnam.
Myanmar’s military has stepped up its crackdown on peaceful protesters with tear gas, sound grenades, night raids and arrests as a tactic to undermine daily protests.
On March 10, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of anti-coup protesters who were trapped in two districts of Yangon, according to media reports.
They also raided the quarters of railway workers who were on strike as part of a civil disobedience movement and attempted to arrest them.
The movement has gained momentum across the country as thousands of people from several sectors including health care and education have joined the campaign.
The United States (US) has imposed sanctions on two family members of military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, and six of their businesses. The US, along with Britain and Canada also imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s generals.
Amnesty International slammed Myanmar’s junta for deliberately using lethal weapons against participants in peaceful protests.
It said footage clearly shows that security forces are increasingly armed with weapons that are only appropriate for the battlefield, not for policing actions.
The research revealed that some of the military units Amnesty International had accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity were now being used against the protesters.
More than 182 protesters have been killed and over 2,000 people have been detained since the February 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a human rights organisation based in Mae Sot, Thailand. UCAN
