Mar 01,2021: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.”
‘We’re in this together’
Earlier on Sunday, the UN human rights office said in statement police and military forces had confronted peaceful demonstrations in several locations across Myanmar, using “lethal force and less-than-lethal force” that left at least 18 people dead and more than 30 wounded.
The crackdown came after state television announced that Myanmar’s envoy to the UN had been fired after he urged the global body to use “any means necessary” to reverse the coup.
Meanwhile, activists in a number of Asian countries and elsewhere held rallies on Sunday to support the anti-coup protesters in Myanmar.
