Myanmar declares martial law on deadly day
An anti-coup protester raises his hand with clenched fist in front of a crowd during a candlelight night rally in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 14, 2021.
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The violence in Myanmar continues to draw widespread criticism as the South Asian country marked its deadliest day since protests erupted on the streets following a military coup. As many as 50 people were killed, and dozens were reported injured on Sunday as the ruling junta declared martial law in six townships in the country’s largest city, Yangon.
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a group tracking the toll of the violence in Myanmar, noted that 34 of those killed in the crackdown were from just two Yangon townships — Hlaing Thar Yar and neighboring Shwepyitha — both now under martial law.
Despite weeks of protests met with lethal force, both the military and demonstrators don’t appear to be backing down. On Saturday, Mahn Win Khaing Than, the acting vice president of the country’s ousted elected government, said in a video that the violence marked “the darkest moment of the nation.”
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