Naypyitaw: Myanmar pro-democracy activists were back out on the streets on Thursday to demonstrate against military rule a day after the United Nations said 38 people had been killed in the most violent day of unrest since last month’s coup.
Police opened fire to break up a protest in the town of Pathein, to the west of Yangon, early on Thursday. Police broke up rallies with tear gas and gunfire in several cities.
On Wednesday, police and soldiers opened fire with live rounds with little warning in several cities and towns, witnesses said, a day after neighbouring countries had called on the military government to show restraint.
Regardless of the danger, activists said they refused to live under military rule and were determined to press for the release of detained government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and recognition of her victory in the election in November.
Five fighter jets made several low passes in formation over the second city of Mandalay early on Thursday, residents said, in what appeared to be a show of military might.
UN special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener, said in New York that Wednesday was the bloodiest day since the February 1 coup with 38 deaths, bringing the total toll to more than 50 as the military tries to cement its power.
On Wednesday, online images streamed out of Myanmar showing security forces firing into crowds and blood-covered bodies of protesters with bullet wounds in their heads.
Myanmar’s military staged its coup on 1 February, ending a decade-long experiment with democracy and triggering a mass uprising that the junta has increasingly sought to quash with lethal force.
Wednesday’s violence left the United States “appalled and revulsed,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people,” he said, referring to the country by its former name.
In recent days, Yangon’s San Chaung township has descended into chaos as security forces have amassed there to stop anti-coup protesters from gathering.
A residential neighbourhood known for its hip cafes, restaurants and bars, its streets on Thursday were transformed with barricades built out of sandbags, tyres, bricks and barbed wire.