Naypidaw, SAEDNEWS: World leaders have strongly condemned the bloodiest crackdown yet by Myanmar’s security forces against peaceful anti-coup demonstrators, in which at least 18 people were killed and dozens wounded in several cities across Myanmar, according to the United Nations’ human rights office.
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday led the chorus of international condemnation against the actions of the military, which grabbed power on February 1 and declared a year-long “emergency” after alleging electoral fraud in a November election that was won by civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in a landslide.
About 1,000 protesters demanding Aung San Suu Kyi’s government be restored to power are believed to have been detained on Sunday.
“The use of lethal force against peaceful protesters and arbitrary arrests are unacceptable,” Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman, 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.”
Meanwhile, European Union diplomatic chief Josep Borrell confirmed in a statement the bloc would “take measures in response to these developments shortly”.
“The military authorities must immediately stop the use of force against civilians and allow the population to express their right to freedom of expression and assembly,” Borrell said in a statement.
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.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned what he described as “the Burmese security forces’ abhorrent violence against the people of Burma”, using the country’s former name.
The United States announced new sanctions on Monday against two more generals involved in the February 1 military coup in Myanmar, after protesters were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations last weekend (Source: AlJazeera).
Army Seizes Power in Myanmar and People Revolt
