EU Commission Chief Strongly Condemns Crackdown on Myanmar Protests
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2021) President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Monday strongly condemned Myanmar security forces' response to the recent anti-government protests that left dozens of people dead and vowed to take actions to stop the violence.
"I strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against the people of Myanmar. The atrocities must stop now. The EU is working with its partners to stop this violence against Myanmar's own people, get a proper political process under way and release all the detainees," von der Leyen said on Twitter.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) in Myanmar, over 90 people, including children, were killed during the protests against the military rule in Myanmar on Saturday. Fatalities were reported in the cities of Yangon, Bago, Mandalay and surrounding regions.
On the eve of the deadly protests, the military-controlled MRTV channel warned that participants in acts of violence and unrest "could be accidentally shot in the head or back.
" Contrary to independent outlets, the state-run channel has reported that there were armed people among protesters who were shooting at soldiers and police, provoking security forces to return fire.
On February 1, Myanmar's military seized power in the country, announcing a one-year state of emergency and vowing to take action against alleged voter fraud during the November 8 general election. The military said it was committed to the democratic system and vowed to hold new and fair elections after the state of emergency ends.
Protests have been held across Myanmar since the military took over. According to AAPP, over 420 people have been killed during the protests since the start of February and more than 2,420 have been detained.
The US and the UK have imposed sanctions against multiple individuals and entities affiliated with Myanmar's military, as well as some of Myanmar's conglomerates. The international community has broadly condemned the violence in Myanmar.