YANGON – At least 38 people died yesterday in the “bloodiest” day of Myanmar’s crisis, the United Nations said, as the military junta defied growing international condemnation of its coup with a violent crackdown.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since February 1 when the military ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, ending the nation’s decade-long experiment with democracy and sparking daily mass protests.
International pressure is mounting as western powers repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions.
Britain has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, and after yesterday’s deaths, the United States said it was considering further action.
But the junta has so far ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating strength.
“Only today, 38 people died,” UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters yesterday, adding that more than 50 people had died in total since the military takeover, with many more wounded.
“Today was the bloodiest day since the coup happened,” she noted, without providing any further details, including a breakdown of the deaths.
She called for the UN to take “very strong measures” against the generals, adding that in her conversations with them, they had dismissed the threat of sanctions.
“I will keep going on, we will not give up,” she said.
Burgener said that the generals had told her they would hold elections in “one year.”
But she also said she had not been able to speak directly with the leaders since February 15, communicating only in writing since then.
She said she sent a “long letter” directly to the army’s number two Soe Win on Sunday but had not yet heard back, though she did receive information from the army daily.
And she said she had not yet been granted permission to visit the country.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges.
But the real number is likely far higher – state-run media reported more than 1,300 people were arrested on Sunday alone. – AFP, March 4, 2021
