Riot police block a road during a mass protest against a military coup in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, Feb. 16, 2021. ( STR/AFP via Getty Images)
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar issued a dire warning today of a possible rise in violence in the country, as protests continue in the streets following a military coup on February 1. The Republic of China Representative Office in Burma announced that China Airlines has scheduled two Taipei-Yangon rescue flights on the 21st and 28th, and that expatriates who wish to return to Taiwan should contact China Airlines as soon as possible.
Burma’s military generals deposed and arrested the state capital and substantive leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, after cutting off the Internet in the country, Burma has been cut off from the outside world for the third consecutive day.
U.N. worries about precursors to killings
U.N. envoy Tom Andrews warned that anti-coup protesters are expected to continue to gather again in major cities on the 16th, as they did in previous days. “I am concerned about the possibility of a much larger outbreak of violence in Myanmar, possibly the largest since the military illegally took over the government on Feb. 1.”
In a statement, Andrews said that as protesters swarmed in the commercial hub of Yangon, he had “received information about the presence of military personnel from outside the country, at least in Yangon.
He said, “In the past, these types of military movements have been followed by mass killings, disappearances and arrests.”
Andrews called on the international community to put pressure on Myanmar’s generals and for foreign companies to sever ties with the country. “Convince the junta to allow today’s (16th) rally to take place without clashes and without arresting people.”
Gunshots heard in Kachin State on dark night
Gunfire has been heard repeatedly in Myitkyina, the capital of Myanmar’s northern Kachin State, for several days, the BBC reported. Military personnel can be seen on the streets of several cities, including Yangon.
Video released by the BBC shows gunshots being fired at night in Myitkyina as people shout and run for cover.
According to Radio Free Asia, on Sunday night, people in Myitkyina believed the military was trying to cut off electricity and went to demonstrate outside a power plant, where they were dispersed by military fire. Some people reported on social media that soldiers fired more than 40 shots, all with live ammunition. Others claimed that soldiers fired tear gas canisters.
China Airlines lines up 2 flights to carry expatriates back to Taiwan
In view of the continuing turmoil in Myanmar, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of the Republic of China in Myanmar announced on its official website on the 15th that protests and demonstrations of varying scales have taken place in various parts of Myanmar recently, and many political news of indistinguishable authenticity have been circulating on the Internet, calling on Taiwanese businessmen and expatriates living in Myanmar to stay in close contact with the office and listen to radio or watch TV news reports without overreaction or panic. The office will also update information about political developments in Myanmar on its official website.
The office pointed out that China Airlines still has two Taipei-Yangon rescue flights scheduled for the 21st and 28th; if overseas Chinese are planning to return to Taiwan, they should contact China Airlines as soon as possible to find out if the flights are scheduled. If Taiwanese businessmen and expatriates in Myanmar are in need of emergency assistance, they can call the emergency contact number: (+95) 9257257575.
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