The Myanmar military’s crackdown on anti-coup protests has displaced close to a quarter of a million people, a United Nations rights envoy said, as activists in the Southeast Asian nation staged demonstrations calling for the release of all those arrested since the February 1 coup.
Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, again appealed for international action on Wednesday, saying he was “horrified” to learn from his sources that “the junta’s attacks have already left nearly a quarter million Myanmar people displaced”.
“The world must act immediately to address this humanitarian catastrophe,” he added.
Horrified to learn that in addition to murdering at least 737 people & arresting well over 3200, the junta s attacks have already left nearly a quarter million Myanmar people displaced, according to sources. The world must act immediately to address this humanitarian catastrophe. pic.twitter.com/wpNjufbK3K
The military rulers of Myanmar have ordered the release of 23,184 prisoners from jails across the country under a New Year amnesty, a Prisons Department spokesman said, though few, if any, democracy activists arrested since a February 1 coup are expected to be among them.
Saturday is the first day of the traditional New Year in Myanmar and the last day of a five-day holiday that is usually celebrated with visits to Buddhist temples and rowdy water throwing and partying in the streets.
Pro-democracy activists called for the cancellation of the festivities this year and instead for people to focus on a campaign to restore democracy after the military’s overthrow of the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Myanmar s anti-coup protesters include DIY shields, women s sarongs in their defensive arsenal · Global Voices globalvoices.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from globalvoices.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Nationwide strike in Myanmar as anti-coup campaign intensifies aljazeera.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aljazeera.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.