The UN Special Envoy for Human Rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has accused the country’s military of „mass murder“ of its own people. Andrews responded to reports on the night of today that more than 100 people had been killed in demonstrations against the military yesterday. Emergency forces are said to have used live ammunition and targeted headshots against unarmed civilians, children and medical personnel.
Action required
It is time for the world to intervene – if not through the Security Council, then through an international summit on Myanmar, said Andrews. One could stop the oil and gas payments and thus the financial flows to the military in the country or stop the military’s access to weapons. Condemned or concerned statements are of little consolation for the people in Myanmar against whom the military is committing mass murder. Words were not enough, it was high time for robust and coordinated action.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and the UN Advisor on Genocide Prevention, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, condemned the events in the strongest terms. For the systematic attacks against peaceful demonstrators, those responsible must be brought to justice, they demanded.
„Saturday was the bloodiest day since the demonstrations against the coup began,“ they said. According to credible reports, seven of the at least 107 dead were minors. Hundreds were injured and arrested. „The international community has a duty to protect the people of Myanmar from such cruel crimes.“ If a state fails, the international community must intervene. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Twitter of a „reign of terror“ by the military. Military chiefs from twelve countries also condemn the violence in the strongest terms.
Brutal action
According to the news portal Myanmar Now, 114 people have recently been killed in 44 cities. Pictures are shared in social networks, according to which the emergency services should continue to crack down on resistance in the population. According to media reports, police officers and soldiers are said to have shot at the mourners present at a funeral of a killed student in southern Bago.
