Massive funeral of the first victim of the coup d’etat by E …

Thousands attended funeral for Myanmar coup’s first death, in a climate of growing tension in this Southeast Asian country. Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, 20, which has become a symbol of democratic resistance, later died being shot in the midst of a fierce police and military crackdown on a demonstration on February 9. The massive protests that are repeated daily demand the return to power of the government elected at the polls, whose main leaders are in detention.

With three fingers raised in resistance, the crowd chanted “Down with dictatorship” and “We will fight until victory”. before silently dispersing on the outskirts of the capital, Naipyidó. Almost three weeks after the February 1 coup, the mobilization for democracy continues across the country, in both large cities and rural areas.

Thousands of protesters also marched near the main university campus in Rangoon, the economic heart of the country. “We are ready to lose our lives. We will fight to the end,” said a 26-year-old at the scene.. Protests were also recorded in the city of Mandalay, the scene of Saturday’s repression, the bloodiest since the military came to power.

Security forces shot dead two protesters in Mandalay on Saturday and rescuers said 30 more were injured when police and soldiers cracked down on a dockers’ protest. with guns, rubber bullets, tear gas and fire cars.

One of the deceased was a minor and was shot in the headsaid Hlaing Min Oo, head of a volunteer rescue team, who stressed that “half of the injured were shot dead with live ammunition”. The other victim was shot in the chest and died on the way to hospitalemergency services said.

Also, a 30-year-old man died in Rangoon on Saturday when he was patrolling near his home, as part of a citizens’ initiative to prevent night arrests of opponents of the military regime. “The police killed him,” quickly denounced his sister-in-law. State newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar He did not mention the victims and blamed the protesters for their “aggressive” behavior.

Until, more than 570 people, including political leaders, activists and strikers, have been arrested by the new de facto government and only around 40 have been released, according to a local NGO that provides assistance to political prisoners.

The escalation of the conflict has led to new international sanctions, which the Burmese Foreign Ministry condemned on Sunday, calling them “flagrant interference” in the country’s situation. “Despite the illegal demonstrations, the authorities are exercising the utmost caution, using as little force as possible to deal with the riots,” the ministry said in a statement.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday condemned “use of lethal force” in Myanmar, while the European Union’s foreign ministers are due to meet on Monday to analyze possible sanctions. China and Moscow, traditional allies of the Burmese army at the United Nations, consider it to be “an internal affair” of the country.