New Delhi: On Wednesday, at least 38 protesters were killed as the security forces escalated their crackdown on them. It was one of the "bloodiest day" since the start of the coup on 1 February remarked UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener warning that this could lead to a war.
According to media reports, security forces firing slingshots at demonstrators, chasing them down and even brutally beating an ambulance crew. Protesters took to the street ever since the military seized power and ousted the elected government of leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup had reversed years of slow progress towards a democracy after five decades for military rule.
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As part of the crackdown, security forces have also arrested hundreds of people, including journalists. On Saturday, at least eight journalists were detained according to an AP report.
The escalation of the crackdown has led to increased diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmar’s political crisis. On Wednesday, Burgener told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York that she receives some 2,000 messages per day from people inside Myanmar, many “who are really desperate to see action from the international community.”
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a member, held a teleconference meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday to discuss the crisis following which they issued a statement calling for an end to violence and for talks on how to reach a peaceful settlement.
On February 1st, Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar President Win Myint were detained along with other leaders of the National League of Democracy (NLD) party. After which Vice President U Myint Swe who is the acting president declared one year of the state of emergency. The Myanmar army claimed election fraud at the reason for the detation, according to a statement on a military-owned television station.