The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, has urged the international community to work collectively and bilaterally to help bring an end to the repression of Myanmar’s anti-regime supporters by the junta, two days after the country witnessed its bloodiest day since the Feb.1 coup.
With at least 191 civilians killed by the security forces as of Monday night, António Guterres also urged the military to allow a visit by the UN Special Envoy to Myanmar to help calm down the situation and set the stage for dialogue and a return to democracy.
The Secretary-General said that the killing of demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and the reported torture of prisoners violates fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the UN Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmar’s democratic path.
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Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that António Guterres is appalled at the increasing use of violence by the security forces in Myanmar.
On Monday, the military regime declared martial law in six Yangon townships where the security forces have launched deadly crackdowns on anti-coup protesters. Anyone who is arrested in the townships under martial law faces trial by military tribunal, with maximum sentences ranging from three years to the death penalty, according to an announcement by the regime.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said on Monday that the Myanmar military’s use of violence against protesters was “immoral and indefensible.”
“The junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets,” Porter said.
Japan’s government has also condemned the unlawful killings of peaceful protesters by the military regime and called on it to restrain from violence.
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