Myanmar: Security forces raid Free Funeral Service Society , CSO office and assaulted and detained medics in Yangon
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Mar 3, 2021
- Event Description
On Wednesday afternoon, soldiers and police carried out a violent crackdown on anti-coup protests in North Okkalapa. Using live gunfire, they killed at least seven people, including bystanders, according to confirmations from two area hospitals.
During the attack by security forces, emergency response teams from FFSS helped treat those who had been injured, according to photos posted by the organization on social media.
Security forces also assaulted three medics from the Mon Myat Seikhtar rescue team who had also been working in the township to treat those injured in the shootings.
CCTV footage that went viral on social media on Wednesday showed several police officers brutally beating the medics with batons and the butts of their shotguns. The police also shot at the windows of the rescue team’s ambulance.
Hla Kyaing, the chair of Mon Myat Seikhtar emergency rescue team, said that four members of his team, including the driver of their ambulance, went missing after the incident and, as of Thursday, were being detained at the notorious Insein Prison in Yangon.
He told Myanmar Now that he is trying to secure their release.
According to an Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) report released on Wednesday, at least 50 people had been killed and 1,498 arrested nationwide since demonstrations began against the February 1 coup.
Estimates for Wednesday’s death toll vary, and Myanmar Now has been unable to independently verify the total numbers across the country.
The AAPP reported that at least 20 people were killed and around 800 arrested throughout Myanmar on March 3.
Christine Schraner Burgener, the UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday that 38 people had been killed on that day alone.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Raid
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- Right to liberty and security
- Right to property
- Right to work
- HRD
- NGO
- NGO staff
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Armed forces/ Military
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 16.59391306352738
Longitude: 96.15253173686128
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On March 3, 2021, The Free Funeral Service Society, NGO, had its office raided by the soldiers, abd staff of the Mon Myat Seikhtar rescue team weas injured and detained in Yangon, Myanmar