Myanmar military warns protesters could ‘suffer loss of life’ ahead of planned mass strike

Myanmar’s military junta on Sunday warned anti-coup protesters they will “suffer loss of life” if demonstrations confront security forces, ahead of planned mass protests and a nationwide strike.

The ominous warning follows the most violent weekend since protests against the February 1 coup began, with police opening fire on demonstrators in the second largest city, Mandalay, on Saturday, leaving at least two dead.

“It is found that protesters have raised their incitement towards riot and anarchy mob on the day of 22 February. Protesters are now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youths, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life,” the State Administration Council — the name for the military junta now controlling the country — declared Sunday evening on state broadcaster MRTV.

Video from social media Sunday night and Monday morning showed barbed wire blocking roads to some foreign embassies in the largest city, Yangon, the focus point for many recent protests. Footage also showed what appeared to be police and military vehicles rolling through the streets.

Protesters have called for a general strike, with all offices and shops to be closed on Monday. Activists urged all citizens to join the protest, known as the “Five Twos” in reference to Monday’s date.

“Tomorrow 22.2.2021 will be a big historic day. Keep watching us and pray for us, friends,” leading protest activist group, the Civil Disobedience Movement said in a tweet Sunday.

Weekend protests

For more than two weeks, thousands of people in villages, towns and cities across Myanmar have come out to peacefully protest or take part in a non-violent civil disobedience movement against the military takeover, calling for the generals to hand back power and release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically-elected officials.

The junta has attempted to stop protests by imposing bans on gatherings of more than five people and curfews in certain areas and cutting the internet at night. They have also deployed troops to major cities, including members of elite counter-insurgency divisions documented to be engaged in human rights abuses and violent campaigns against ethnic minorities.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB) said at least 640 people have been detained in relation to the coup.

But that has not stopped the protesters, who gathered in large numbers on Sunday following the fatal shootings in Mandalay.

In Yangon, demonstrators marched outside the US Embassy waving banners that read “Help Myanmar.” In Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state in northern Myanmar, protesters could be seen chanting slogans and waving flags while riding on motorbikes.

And in the capital, Naypyidaw, large crowds gathered to attend the funeral of a young woman, who died on Friday after being shot in the head during an anti-coup protest. Mya Thweh Thweh Khine, who was shot just before her 20th birthday, was the first known casualty of pro-democracy protests.

Video of her funeral procession showed a hearse with her picture in front and a convoy of vehicles driving out of a hospital. As the procession drove through the streets, people on motorbikes and bystanders were seen raising the three-finger salute from the Hunger Games movies, which has been adopted by protesters.

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday that authorities were “exercising utmost restraint through minimum use of force” when dealing with the protests. It also said that statements and remarks made by some foreign countries are “tantamount to flagrant interference in internal affairs of Myanmar.”

In a Facebook post, the ministry called on diplomats to “respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state” and reiterated that a “free and fair general election” will take place. A state of emergency is in effect in Myanmar for one year but the junta have not given a timeframe by which it will hold elections.

International condemnation of military action

Several countries have condemned the coup and violence against protesters.

Singapore warned Saturday that there will be “serious adverse consequences” for Myanmar if the situation there continues to escalate. Singapore, which was the biggest foreign investor in Myanmar in the fiscal year 2019-2020, said it was “inexcusable” for Myanmar police to use lethal weapons against unarmed civilians.

The European Union’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Saturday urged the military and “all security forces in Myanmar to immediately stop violence against civilians.”

In Mandalay on Sunday, stringers for CNN confirmed that live rounds and tear gas were used to disperse people at an anti-coup protest in the city. Volunteer emergency workers cited by Reuters and AFP news agencies said that at least two people died when police opened fire on protesters. The news agencies reported that between 20 and 30 people were injured in the crackdown.

In video seen by CNN, a large crowd of people could be seen running from police and taking cover behind whatever shelter they could find. In another video, a person could be seen being stretchered away by medics. The condition of the patient was not immediately clear.

The military defended their actions in the state broadcast Sunday, saying they used “prescribed crowd dispersal methods” and blamed “some notorious ex-criminals and their gangs” who “used sticks, knives, stones, catapults, and other weapon-like materials to attack the security force members.”

UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said in a tweet that he was “horrified at more loss of life” as the military “escalates its brutality in Myanmar.”

“From water cannons to rubber bullets to tear gas and now hardened troops firing point blank at peaceful protesters. This madness must end, now!” he said.

Following the shooting, Facebook deleted a page run by the Myanmar military, the company said.

“In line with our global policies, we’ve removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.