It appears that someone has finally said it.
Weeks after Myanmar’s military first staged a coup to seize power, a UN expert has stepped out with a bold proclamation:
In its attempt to hold power, the affiliated military forces are likely to be committing “crimes against humanity”.
And Mr Thomas Andrews, the UN’s top expert on rights in Myanmar, stated that there is evidence to back his claim up.
At least 70 People Were ‘Murdered’ & 2,000 Arrested in Myanmar’s ‘Crimes Against Humanity’
According to The Straits Times, the UN expert in question claimed that at least 70 people have been “murdered” since the coup on 1 February 2021.
The country, he stated, is “controlled by a murderous, illegal regime” that was possibly committing “crimes against humanity”.
These crimes are likely to include “acts of murder, enforced disappearance, persecution, torture”, which were carried out with “the knowledge of senior leadership”.
He also claimed that there was clear evidence of the junta’s “widespread” crimes, and that they were part of a “coordinated campaign”.
The statement comes after continuous crackdown efforts in the tumultuous nation, which have seen security forces comb apartments in Sanchaung for lost police weapons.
According to one resident, they “used sound bombs on every street”.
The military has also spared no efforts in containing protestors, with 300 arrests made on Wednesday (10 March).
Nine people were also killed, with five men reportedly shot in the head.
Just last week, 38 protestors were allegedly killed on Wednesday (3 March) alone.
The Myanmar Military has since been accused of using “battlefield weapons” on unarmed protestors, and performing premeditated killings.
Their choice of firearms – which includes snipers and semi-automatic rifles – has also been called out for being “completely inappropriate for use in policing protests”.
Death Threats
In a recent report, it was also revealed that military members have been using the social media platform TikTok to send death threats to protestors.
In a video from late February, in particular, a man garbed in army attire could be seen addressing protestors with an assault rifle in hand.
“I will shoot in your f*****g faces… and I’m using real bullets.”
“I am going to patrol the whole city tonight and I will shoot whoever I see… If you want to become a martyr, I will fulfil your wish.”
Defence
Lest you’re unaware, the Myanmar Military had defended its takeover by alleging voting irregularities in the November elections – which saw Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s party emerge victorious.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun has since added layers to the military’s line of political defence, stating that the ousted civilian leader had received US$600,000 (S$805,000) in cash and more than 11kg (US$680,000 worth) of gold.
“We have learned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself took this US$600,000 and seven visses (11.2kg) of gold. The anti-corruption commission is investigating,” Mr Zaw Min Tun said.
She also faces other criminal charges including the possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies and the violation of coronavirus restrictions – which she supposedly breached with the staging of a campaign event in 2020.
The Myanmar military has also continued to deny the ousting of the elected government as being a coup. It has also condemned protestors for rousing violence and threatening civil servants.
According to reports, the military has promised to hand back power after a new election. Though it has not stated an exact date for this new election, it has imposed a one-year long state of emergency.
“Our objective is to hold an election and hand power to the winning party,” said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the ruling council, at the military’s first news conference since its takeover.
Featured Image: Robert Bociaga Olk Bon / Shutterstock.com
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
Read Also:
- 21YO Stabbed Actor Ryan Lian in The Face At Least 3 Times
- Summary of What Really Happened to Qoo10, Simplified for You
- 62-Year-Old Tampines Man Found Dead After Missing Daily “Good Morning” Messages
- 5 Places In S’pore To Get Christmas-Themed Cakes Under S$80
- Mister Donut Launching Pikachu & Poké Ball Donuts From 1 Dec 2024 To 19 Jan 2025
- Vietnamese Married S’porean to Get Long-Term Pass, But Wanted a Divorce When Pass Was Not Approved
- Summary of the Places to Count Down to 2025 in S’pore
Advertisements
