Following the bloodiest day (3 March 2021) and  since the start of the coup in Myanmar on 1 February, FORUM-ASIA’s Executive Director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said:

FORUM-ASIA stands in solidarity with Myanmar’s peaceful protesters as we continue to condemn the relentless and intensifying violence by Myanmar military and security forces against peaceful protestors. Yesterday alone, the military junta killed least 38 peaceful protestors including women and children and wounded countless more. We are appalled by this horrific violence committed against the peoples of Myanmar and the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters and unarmed civilians.

These actions we witnessed yesterday demonstrate the military junta’s complete disregard for the right to life, and the fundamental rights to protest and dissent. In the past three weeks, we have seen how the violence against protesters have escalated, and how a system of complete repression is being institutionalised in Myanmar.

FORUM-ASIA calls on the international community including the UN Security Council and other international actors as well as ASEAN to take urgent action to protect the people of Myanmar.

We call on the international community and regional actors to listen to the people of Myanmar – to their relentless pursuit for freedom and democracy in the face of unimaginable repression by the junta. All efforts to address the current crisis must be based on the voices, interests and aspirations of all peoples of Myanmar. It is clear from the level of resistance to the military junta that it does not represent the interests of people of Myanmar.

Without immediate and sustained action, the situation will only worsen, and more lives will be lost.

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For further information, please contact Melissa Ananthraj, FORUM-ASIA Communication and Media Programme Manager at [email protected]