United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned the use of deadly force in Myanmar against protesters.
Two people were killed in Myanmar’s second city, Mandalay, yesterday when police and soldiers fired to disperse crowds that had gathered to protest against the military coup at the beginning of the month.
Authorities have gradually ratcheted up their tactics against a massive and largely peaceful civil disobedience campaign, demanding the return of ousted civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Mr. Guterres condemned the use of “deadly violence” in the melee, which emergency workers said had killed one teenager and wounded dozens more. Mr. Guterres wrote: “The use of lethal force, intimidation & harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable.”
The confrontation began when security forces in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city and cultural capital, attempted to raid a shipyard and detain port staff on strike to protest against the army takeover.
Medical rescue workers said the troops used live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas against a crowd of people who had started flinging rocks in an effort to stop the arrests.
Today, demonstrations are under way again in towns and cities across Myanmar.
The military has been unable to quell the demonstrations and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes against the coup.
Facebook has deleted the military’s main page under its standards prohibiting the incitement of violence.
