Myanmar military committing mass murder - UN official urges world to act after at least 114 killed in in one day

By Dilip -

NB: The Indian government, along with Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, sent representatives to a military parade to mark Myanmar Armed Forces Day on March 27. This is especially shameful in the midst of a massacre of civilians - including children by the Army. Bangladeshis may recall the massacre of 1971, and the Blood Telegram by the US Consul in Dhaka. Of the Russian and Chinese  governments we may expect no respect for human rights. And the Indian government has joined this parade of contempt for humanity. This is India's conscience in the midst of a human calamity. There will be no peace in Myanmar until the criminal military regime is dismantled. And maybe Aung San Su Kyi will regret her silent complicity with the same regimes' treatment of the Rohinyas. DS

The defense chiefs from Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the US issued a joint statement condemning "the use of lethal force against unarmed people. A professional military follows international standards for conduct and is responsible for protecting - not harming - the people it serves. We urge the Myanmar Armed Forces to cease violence and work to restore respect and credibility with the people of Myanmar that it has lost through its actions," the statement read.

Human rights officials are calling on the international community to do more to stop the bloodshed in Myanmar after more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed by the Myanmar military junta that overthrew the country's elected government. UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews said it is time for "robust, coordinated action," as "words are not enough" to protect people's lives. "Words of condemnation or concern are frankly ringing hollow to the people of Myanmar while the military junta commits mass murder against them," he said. "The people of Myanmar need the world's support."

At least 114 people were killed Saturday during protests in 44 towns and cities across the country, according to a tally by the independent Myanmar Now news outlet -- the bloodiest day of protests since a military coup last month. Among those killed is reportedly a 13-year-old girl, who was shot in her house after the junta's armed forces opened fire in residential areas of Meikhtila, in Mandalay region, according to Myanmar Now. She is among 20 minors killed since the start of the protests.

According to the latest tally by the nonprofit Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 423 people have been killed in Myanmar since the military coup on February 1. A boy reported by local media to be as young as 5 was among at least 29 people killed in Mandalay. At least 24 people were killed in Yangon, Myanmar Now said, according to Reuters. "Today is a day of shame for the armed forces," Dr. Sasa, a spokesman for CRPH, an anti-junta group set up by deposed lawmakers, told an online forum. Sasa called his country's military leaders "murderers" and begged the international community to take "real action" against the military junta.

"They [military] should not have access to the international arms market, to financial institutions nor development assistance. Please, do all in your power to block all funding, business and access to financial markets in your jurisdiction," he said. "How many more of us need to die before you turn from your incremental response to real action?"...

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/28/asia/myanmar-protests-violence-intl-hnk/index.html

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