▲ A sniper who appears to be aiming a gun at the protesters in Yangon, Myanmar
Controversy is arising after the Myanmar military has spoken openly to prepare for the risk of being shot in the head by protesters.
According to Reuters, Myanmar’s state-run MRTV told the protesters on a sidewalk the night before that “you should know that you may be in danger of being shot in the head and back.”
This report is interpreted as a warning message to the protesters as it came one day ahead of the Myanmar military’s biggest event,’Myanmar Army Day’.
Myanmar activists have resolved to hold massive protests against the coup across the country on Myanmar Army Day.
Human rights groups inside and outside Myanmar have raised suspicions that the military is using snipers to aim and shoot at civilians as more and more citizens die from being shot in the head.
According to the Myanmar Human Rights Organization Political Offender Support Association, 328 people were confirmed to have died in military and police violence, such as shootings, until the day before.
In particular, about 25% of the dead were shot in the head and killed, and it is estimated that they were victims of aiming fire.
In response, the military has denied suspicion that it is aiming at the head, saying it is minimizing the use of live ammunition.
The military said, “In connection with the dissolution of the protesters, the military police received instructions not to use live ammunition,” through the state-run MRTV on the 1st. “I was allowed to do it.”
However, as the military publicly stated on TV that’there could be shot in the head and back’, the threat from the military and police to suppress the protesters is growing.
(Photo = Twitter capture, Yonhap News)