Protester Narrowly Escapes Myanmar Junta Bullets

By The Irrawaddy 6 December 2021

Myanmar’s junta rammed into anti-regime protesters and shot at them during a crackdown in Kyimyindaing Township, Yangon, on Sunday morning.

An estimated five people were killed and several others injured, according to witnesses. The junta said on Sunday night that 11 “illegal rioters” were detained and a few sustained injuries but did not mention any deaths.

The Irrawaddy talked to one of the protesters who managed to escape.

How did the soldiers attack? 

We were just started to demonstrate near Pan Pin Gyi and Strand roads in Kyimyindaing. We had taken only about 20 steps when a military vehicle carrying about eight soldiers rammed into us from behind. I was knocked about five meters and could not move. Some hit their heads on the road. Some died.

When and how did it happen?

It was around five minutes after the protest started at 8:45am on Sunday. The vehicle came from Strand Road. We did not know as it was behind a YBS bus and suddenly overtook the bus. It only took a few seconds and was too fast to react. There was a lot of blood.

Were you injured? 

My hands, knee and waist were injured. When it hit me, I fell on the vehicle’s hood. A soldier hit my head with his rifle butt. I pushed and kicked him in the chest. We were both upside down. Fearing he would fire, I kicked his rifle. But he held on and he fired at me. Luckily, I slipped and the bullet missed.

I ran. The soldiers followed and shot at me but they missed. I found a taxi and left. I saw one reporter who was badly injured and taken by soldiers into their vehicle.

What happened to the reporter?

I think the reporter was hit by the vehicle. It did not look good. I did not see how he was attacked. Most of the protesters scattered when we were rammed. It was a terrorist attack.

There were only about eight soldiers but they fired on us and hit us with rifle butts. The violence was intense.

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