Brussels (Brussels Morning) France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has denounced Saturday’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Myanmar as unacceptable, RFI reports.
The anti-coup protests in Myanmar continued over the weekend, with security forces killing two more protesters in Mandalay on Saturday while protesters continued to assemble and march on Sunday ahead of the funeral of the first protester who died on Friday.
Security forces used live ammunition to disperse the protesters in Mandalay on Saturday as authorities stepped up their suppression of anti-coup protests demanding the return of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The clash started when security forces tried to detain port staff who had gone on strike to protest the coup. Protesters hurled ocks at them in an attempt to prevent the arrests. Security forces used tear gas as well as rubber bullets and live ammo against the crowd.
Two dead and about 30 wounded
Hlaing Min Oo, head of a volunteer emergency rescue team based in Mandalay, stated that two people had been killed in the clashes and some 30 were wounded, half of them having suffered injuries from live rounds.
According to local media reports, the authorities made more than a dozen arrests.
Overnight internet blackouts continued on Sunday. They were imposed by the authorities in order to deter neighbourhoods from forming watch groups to prevent evening arrests.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the violence, stressing that “the use of lethal force, intimidation and harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable”.
On Saturday, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on the security forces to “immediately stop violence against civilians”.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, security forces have detained approximately 570 people since the coup. These include civil servants, railway workers and bank staff who went on strike in a show of solidarity with the protesters.
According to an unnamed military spokesman last week, one member of the security forces died in Mandalay after a clash.
