16 protestors killed as Myanmar junta celebrates Armed Forces Day

Myanmar’s security forces killed at least 16 protestors, as military junta chief marks Armed Forces Day. The leader of the junta, General Min Aung Hlaing said the military would protect the people and strive to establish democracy. The military also said they would hold elections, but did not announce a timeline for the same.

“Today is a day of shame for the armed forces,” Dr Sasa, a spokesman for CRPH, an anti-junta group set up by deposed lawmakers, told Reuters.

Security forces opened fire at protestors gathered outside a police station in Yangon’s Data suburb, where four of them were killed and ten wounded. Protestors in Insein, Yangon faced fire from military forces, where three people were killed. Four were killed in a clash between protestors and military forces in Lashio town and four as security forces opened fire in the Bago region near Yangon.

Myanmar has been in a state of turmoil, ever since the military coup ousted defect leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. At least 328 people have lost their lives so far. On Thursday, three attackers hurled Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of the National League for Democracy party in Yangon. Suu Kyi faces charges of illegal possession of walkie talkies, publication of messages that cause disarray and of corruption.

“The army seeks to join hands with the entire nation to safeguard democracy,” the general said in a live broadcast on state television. “Violent acts that affect stability and security in order to make demands are inappropriate,” Hlaing said. March 27, the day the junta is celebrating as Armed Forces Day, is being called Resistance Day by protestors, the day which marks the beginning of a revolt against Japanese occupation in World War 2.

The military, in an attempt to stem the flow of information, has been restricting access to the internet since February 1. The military has been insisting that the November elections that Aung San Suu Kyi won by a landslide, is fraudulent.

On Friday evening, state television announced: “You should learn from the tragedy of earlier ugly deaths that you can be in danger of getting shot to the head and back”. The junta previously blamed protestors for the loss of lives and gave a wrong death toll of 164.

Indonesia’s leader Joko Widow has appealed to leaders in neighbouring nations to come together and try to resolve the situation in Myanmar. The US and UK have so far imposed sanctions on military leaders. Fuel and food prices have escalated, undermining the power of those with lower incomes to buy food.

The United Nations’ special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, said, “Women, youth and children have been among those killed,” and added that the military has turned against the people.  

The junta continues to be unfettered as they continue to have support from Russia and China— permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.