Amnesty International has reported that the Myanmar military is carrying out “premeditated” attacks on peaceful protesters. These attacks, according to the human rights organisation, include “extrajudicial executions” and indiscriminately spraying of bullets in urban areas.
The organization says it came to this conclusion after reviewing over 50 videos from the ongoing crackdown on demonstrators. According to Amnesty, the footages clearly show Myanmar troops increasingly armed with weapons only appropriate for the battlefield and not policing.
The organization also said it has verified multiple clips showing lethal force being used in a planned, premeditated and co-ordinated manner. FOR INSTANCE HERE
Joanne Mariner, Director of crisis response at Amnesty International condemned “unrepentant” Myanmar military commanders in the report.
“These Myanmar military tactics are far from new. But their killing sprees have never before been livestreamed for the world to see.
“These are not the actions of overwhelmed, individual officers making poor decisions. These are unrepentant commanders already implicated in crimes against humanity, deploying their troops and murderous methods in the open.”
Joanne Mariner, Director of crisis response, Amnesty International
Crackdown on peaceful protesters
Amnesty International’s report comes amid reports by local media and witnesses that seven people were shot dead in protests today, 11th March.
According to reports, security forces opened fire on protesters in the central town of Myaing, killing six people. One person was also killed in the North Dagon district of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, local media said.
Amnesty also detailed some of the “gruesome” acts against protestors in its report from the reviewed videos.
One video shows a commander standing over an officer operating a sniper rifle in the Sanchaung Township in Yangon on March 2, Amnesty International said.
The commander appears to be giving him orders to direct fire towards specific protesters. A clip from the North Okkalapa Township also shows officers leading a man towards a larger group of security forces.
The man appears to be in the group’s custody and offers no visible resistance, when an officer beside him suddenly shoots him. He immediately drops to the ground and is left on the road, apparently lifeless, for several seconds before officers then walk back and drag him away.
The human right organization stressed that many of the killings it has seen amounts to extrajudicial executions. According to the UN, the number of dead from the protests in Myanmar stood at 61 as of 4th March.
UN calls for ‘utmost restraint
The United Nations has also condemned the Myanmar military’s crackdown against demonstrators following reports that seven protestors were shot dead.
The Presidential statement, signed by all 15 members of the Security Council called for “utmost restraint” by the military.
The statement also called for the immediate release of government leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The leaders have been detained since they were ousted in the coup on February 1.
The UN said it supported the country’s democratic transition. And “stresses the need to uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and uphold the rule of law”. peaceful protesters
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