Myanmar Sees Deadliest Day as at Least 38 People Killed Protesting Against Military Coup
By Ryan General
A day after a rally dispersal that resulted in 38 people losing their lives in Myanmar on Wednesday, citizens returned to the city streets to continue the protests.
Military takeover: There have been non-stop protests in major cities across the country since the military seized power on Feb. 1 and detained Aung San Suu Kyi along with other elected leaders, as NextShark previously reported.
- According to the military, the recent landslide election victory by Suu Kyi’s party was fraudulent.
- The army declared a one-year state of emergency and enforced a night-time curfew with troops patrolling the streets.
- The citizens have since engaged in mass protests and acts of civil disobedience across the country, calling for an end to military rule and the release of the elected government leaders.
- Response to the protests has reportedly intensified in recent days, with officers using tear gas, flashbangs and stun grenades on the protesters.
- Security forces opened fire into crowds of protesters with live bullets in a number of cities without warning, killing 38 people on that day.
- The UN estimated at least 50 people have died since Feb. 1, CNN reports.
- Save the Children, an aid organization, said in a statement that four boys, aged 14 to 17, were killed, the majority of them from gunshot wounds.
- A 19-year-old named Kyal Sin, known as Angel, was also fatally shot while she was protesting in Mandalay, according to Reuters.
- Hundreds who mourned her death sang revolutionary songs during her open-casket funeral, with many calling her a hero on social media. The T-shirt she was wearing at the time said, “Everything will be ok,” and went viral as an image of defiance against the military forces.
- One protestor shared that Kyal Sin had kicked open a water pipe so protesters could wash tear gas from their eyes and later aided him when police opened fire.
- “She told me ‘Sit! Bullets will hit you’,” he was quoted as saying. “She cared for and protected others.”
- Hours after the violent dispersal, thousands of citizens returned to Yangon, Mandalay and other cities to continue their protests.
Featured Image via Reuters
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