Updated March 16th, 2021 at 11:25 IST
Beijing seeks action against Myanmar protesters as citizens rail against Chinese meddling
The Chinese Embassy has urged the Myanmar authorities to punish the perpetrators and cease the violence, and protect its businesses and people in the nation
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The authorities in Myanmar have declared martial law in parts of Yangon after many China-owned garment factories were set ablaze on Sunday. At least 50 were killed in yet another brutal confrontation between the Mynamar police and the pro-democracy demonstrators in the recent attack, where Beijing is suspected to have extended support to the military in Myanmar.
Several Chinese workers were injured when the factories were burnt on March 15 after which the Chinese Embassy in Yangon called the attacks to be extremely vile. The embassy has further urged the Myanmar authorities to punish the perpetrators and cease the violence, and protect the Chinese businesses and people in the nation that is reeling under continuous bloodshed since February 1, when the military took control.
#Mar15Coup Hlaing Thar Yar
— Shafiur Rahman (@shafiur) March 15, 2021
After a day of headshots and killings, #myanmar military have now started fires in Shwelinpan Industrial Zone. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar pic.twitter.com/uMkL2a0X15
Myanmar security forces killed 51 protesters in an industrial suburb of Yangon after Chinese-funded factories were torched on Sunday, the bloodiest day in six weeks of protests against the junta that deposed the elected government.. https://t.co/CoEKFDPWAR pic.twitter.com/0zPEBQnaRe
— Radio Free Asia (@RadioFreeAsia) March 15, 2021
International community must refrain from intervening in Myanmar: China
The Embassy claimed that the Chinese garment and textile sector has employed nearly 400,000 people in Mynamar. It further was quoted by ANI as saying "We urge the people of Myanmar to express their demands in a lawful manner and avoid being incited and exploited into damaging the friendly cooperation between China and Myanmar." Many who are strongly against the coup have slammed China for denying condemnation of the military takeover or the violent attacks on demonstrators.
China's response to the police brutality on pro-democracy protesters was completely in contrast to what many other democratic nations said. Beijing has responded saying that the international community must refrain from intervening in Myanmar as it is an 'internal matter' and that such interventions will 'only aggravate conflicts and further complicate the situation.'
'China get out from Burma' circulates on social media
Many messages were circulated on social media speculating China's connections with the junta in Myanmar. Netizens also shared a list of companies owned by China in Myanmar and demanded its boycott by writing "China get out from Burma" in posts. The chairperson of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar, Mon Sandar Myint pointed that many workers in garment factories have been threatened by Chinese employers and have been warned over their intentions to participate in the pro-democracy protests. She said, "They don't care about the people of Myanmar, they only care about their own interests in the country."
Meanwhile, the international community and the United Nations are constantly mounting pressure on the Myanmar authorities to stop the violence, while the ruling party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other NDL members continue to be under house arrest.
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Published March 16th, 2021 at 11:25 IST
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