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Myanmar Junta Extends Martial Law in Yangon After Dozens of Anti-Coup
Protesters Killed

VOA News

   Authorities in Myanmar extended martial law in more areas of the main
   city of Yangon Monday amid reports of more killings of protesters at
   the hands of security forces.

   State-run MRTV news channel announced that the districts of North
   Dagon, South Dagon, DagonSeikkanand NorthOkkalapaare under martial
   law,a day after security forces killed at least 40 people across
   Myanmar. Most of thekillings took placein the Yangon suburb
   ofHlaingthaya, making it the bloodiest day of demonstrations against
   the junta that seized power in a February 1 coup.
   Protesters carry an injured man after riot policemen and soldiers shot
   rubber bullets during a crackdown on demonstrations in Yangon, Myanmar,
   March 14, 2021.

   Authorities imposed martial law onHlaingthaya, a suburb of Myanmar's
   main city,after several Chinese-owned factories were set on fire and
   about 2,000 people had stopped fire engines from reaching them,
   according to Reuters quoting army-run Myawaddy television.China is seen
   assupportive of the Myanmar junta.

   Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman ZhaoLijianresponded toSunday'sattack
   on thefactoriesduringa regular news briefing Monday, "The burning and
   looting of Chinese companies isabhorrent. We hope the Myanmar side will
   take concrete measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens in
   Myanmar."

   The spokesman alsosaid, "The top priority is to prevent the occurrence
   of new bloody conflicts and to achieve an easing of the situation as
   soon as possible."

   Various reports quoting the advocacy group Assistance Association for
   Political Prisonerssaidmore than 30 people were killed Sunday
   inHlaingthaya, up from theinitial22 fatalities reported by the group.

   Sixteen more protesters were killed in other cities and townships,
   theAAPPsaid, as well as onepolice officer. [[
   https://aappb.org/?p=13671 ]] Thepreviousdeadliest day was March 3,
   when 38 deaths were reported across Myanmar.

   Two people were killed in protests in Myingyan, while three people were
   killed there and two inAunglantown,according to Reuters whichquoted
   theMyanmar Now media outlet.

   On Monday the AAPP was quoted as saying the nationwide death toll for
   Sunday had reached 44.

   As the violence continued to rage across Myanmar Monday, a scheduled
   courthearing inthe capitalNapyitawfor deposed de facto leader Aung San
   Suu Kyi via videoconference was postponed because internet service had
   been blocked, according to her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw.

   Suu Kyi has been detained since the February 1 coup and is facing five
   criminal charges, including accepting $600,000 in illegal payments plus
   gold bars while in office.She is also charged
   withillegallypossessingsix unregistered walkie-talkie radios, operating
   communications equipment without a license, violating COVID-19
   protocols by holding public gatherings andattemptingto incite public
   unrest.

   The AAAP says security forces have killed at least 126 people in the
   seven weeks since the coup, not including the latest fatality reports
   since Sunday, anddetained more than 2,150 as of Saturday, with more
   than 300 released so far.

   Christine Schraner Burgener, the U.N. special envoy of the
   secretary-general on Myanmar, Sunday strongly condemned the continuing
   bloodshed.

   "The international community, including regional actors, must come
   together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic
   aspirations,"Burgenersaid in a statement.

   On Saturday, the acting head of the country's parallel civilian
   government, who was appointed by deposed legislators after the military
   coup, promised a "revolution" to oust the junta.

   Mahn Win Khaing, who is in hiding along with most other topNLD
   (National League for Democracy, a ruling political party in Myanmar
   since 2015 until the 2021 coup)officials, addressed the public for the
   first time, announcing on Facebook that theCommittee
   RepresentingPyidaungsuHluttaw, orCRPH, plans toestablisha federal
   democracy.

   CRPH is formed byNLD MPs who escaped arrest andareelected members of
   the ousted parliamenton February 5.

   Mahn Win Khaingtold supporters theCRPH would try to "legislate the
   required laws so that the people have the right to defend themselves."
   He added, "This revolution is the chance we can put our efforts
   together."

   The military government did notimmediatelyrespond to Mahn Win Khaing's
   remarks, but it has declared the CRPH illegal.

   The junta has called the CRPH a terrorist organization and said anyone
   involved with it could face treason charges, which are punishable by
   death, the military government said.

   Military officials have claimed widespread fraud in last November's
   general election, which the NLD won in a landslide, as justification
   for the takeover. The fraud allegations have been denied by Myanmar's
   electoral commission.

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