Myanmar Security Forces Killed More Than 80 People In A Single City On Friday, Group Says

The military takeover in Myanmar continues to have deadly consequences for civilians who openly oppose the February 1 coup. In Bago on Friday, security forces killed 82 people, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners told CBS News. 

As of Friday, AAPP, which has been tracking incidents and fatalities, reports that at least 618 people, including at least 48 children, have been killed by the junta in the little more than two months since the military took over. One of the deadliest days occurred just two weeks ago on the 76th annual Armed Forces Day. While many military members celebrated the day, other security forces unleashed what the European Union Delegation to Myanmar called a "day of terror and dishonour," killing at least 107 people, many of whom oppose the takeover. 

In a briefing published on Friday, the Burma-based group said security forces used assault rifles, heavy weaponry and hand grenades during a confrontation with protesters early Friday morning. 

The United Nations in Myanmar supported the claim, saying that "heavy artillery" was used against civilians, who were then denied medical treatment. 

The military-owned station Myawaddy TV said in a report on Friday that 19 people have been sentenced to death for killing an associate of an army captain, according to Reuters. 

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said Friday at a UN Security Council meeting, "Every day, Burma's security forces continue to kill people – including children far too young to even know what a protest is. And unfortunately, this open conversation can't be seen by those whose views are most important – the people of Burma themselves," she said. "The military has blacked out their internet. By cutting its people off from the outside world, the military seeks to conceal its terrible actions and stifle protest, and unleash even more horrors with impunity. And we cannot allow them to succeed."

Later in the day, she tweeted, "statements alone are not enough to stop the Burmese military from killing the people of Burma and threatening the security of the region. At this point, only concrete actions will help."

Thomas-Greenfield noted some actions already taken against the armed forces, including sanctions against the military, military holding companies and "anyone who seeks to profit off the violence," she said.

On March 25, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued sanctions against two military holding firms, Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited. Through these companies, the department said, the Burmese military controls "significant segments of the country's economy."

"These sanctions specifically target the economic resources of Burma's military regime, which is responsible for the overthrow of Burma's democratically elected government and the ongoing repression of the Burmese people," the department said in a statement. "These sanctions are not directed at the people of Burma."

On Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. has also issued sanctions against a Burmese-state owned gemstone entity, Myanma Gems Enterprise. 

The Department of Treasury said in a statement Thursday, "Gemstones are a key economic resource for the Burmese military regime that is violently repressing pro-democracy protests in the country and that is responsible for the ongoing lethal attacks against the people of Burma, including the killing of children."

First published on April 10, 2021 / 1:39 PM

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