Burmese authorities on Monday (March 15) extended military law to more areas of the major city of Yangon. Meanwhile more protesters were killed by security forces.
The Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP), an advocacy group that tracks violence in Burma, said at least 20 people were shot dead by security forces on Monday.
State-run Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) announced the imposition of military law in Yangon’s North Dagon, South Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and North Okkalapa district townships following protests over the weekend in which people were killed.
Guterres said Monday he was “alarmed by the escalation of violence in Myanmar at the hands of the military,” a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Antonio Guterres) said.
State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said Monday that the violence against protesters was “immoral and indefensible.
Authorities imposed military law on Sunday evening in Hlaingthaya, a suburb of Myanmar’s main city of Yangon. Before that, several Chinese-owned companies were set on fire and about 2,000 people blocked fire trucks from reaching the scene, Reuters reported, citing the military’s Myawaddy TV station. China is seen as a supporter of Myanmar’s military government.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded to the attack on the Chinese factory Sunday at a regular press conference Monday.
Zhao Lijian said: “Regarding the incident of smashing and looting of Chinese enterprises in Myanmar, this incident is very bad in nature. …… China hopes that the Myanmar side will take practical measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens in Myanmar.” He said, “The most urgent task is to prevent new bloody clashes and achieve de-escalation and cooling of the situation as soon as possible.”
Most of Sunday’s deaths occurred in Lae Daya, where more than 30 people were killed on the outskirts of the area, multiple reports said, citing the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners.
Nationwide, the Political Prisoners Assistance Association said Monday that Sunday’s death toll reached 74, making it the bloodiest day since protests against the Feb. 1 military coup broke out. The previous deadliest day was March 3. That day 38 people were reported dead across Myanmar.
Mobile Internet service in Myanmar was blocked Monday in an apparent effort to suppress news of the unrest. Before that, the Internet was only cut off at night.
According to Khin Maung Zaw, a lawyer for ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the blocking caused a court hearing against her scheduled for Naypyidaw, the capital, to be postponed. She was scheduled to attend the hearing via video conference.
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