UN condemns lethal crackdown on Myanmar protests as mourners bury first victim

Authorities have gradually ratcheted up their tactics against a massive and largely peaceful civil disobedience campaign demanding the return of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Saturday marked the deadliest day so far in more than two weeks of nationwide street demonstrations after two people were killed when security forces fired upon a rally in Mandalay, while a third man was shot dead in Yangon.

As dusk fell Sunday in Yangon, Monywa and Myitkyina, protesters held candlelight vigils and prayer ceremonies to pay tribute to the dead.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the use of “deadly violence” against the crowd in Mandalay.

“The use of lethal force, intimidation & harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable,” Guterres wrote on Twitter.

The UN General Assembly is scheduled to convene on Friday for informal talks about the situation of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, but the coup is likely to take centre stage.

Late on Sunday, Myanmar’s foreign ministry accused the UN and foreign countries of “flagrant interference” in its internal affairs.

“Despite facing the unlawful demonstrations, incitements of unrest and violence, the authorities concerned are exercising utmost restraint through minimum use of force to address the disturbances,” it said in a statement…..read more