Link to Article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/yangon-becomes-battle-zone-as-myanmar-junta-enforces-martial-law
Traumatised residents flee area as security forces fire at unarmed anti-coup protesters
The industrial neighbourhood Hlaing Tharyar, in Yangon, has been hit hard by the military coup as the junta has increased their number of deployed troups in order to quell demonstrations and protesters. The big city has thus turned into a battle zone where more than 200 protesters have been reported to have been killed since the suppression. On Sunday more than 70 people were killed by the local monitoring group in the coup; the majority dead were from the Hlaing Tharyar township.
On Sunday the junta imposed martial law on Hlaing Tharyar and then on other protest hotspot townships. Residents have since fled back to their home states, bringing their belongings and family members with them in hope of escape. The junta has effectively placed nearly 2 million people under complete control of military commanders and those who have since stayed have reported scenes akin to war.
Most of Myanmar has been unable to use their mobile internet since the early hours of Monday. The country has been placed under a nightly internet shutdown for eight hours. However, some information on arrests and violence has been slowly uncovered out of the conflict areas on social media. In a neighbouring township, video footage verified by AFP shows volleys of gunfire that lasts about 15 seconds. While some protesters have attempted to hold their ground by erecting barricades made out of wood, bamboo, and sandbags; they are soon set on fire by the coup and soon appeared defenceless before the coup.
The United Nations has since condemned the deaths in Myanmar, also stating that it was worried about the multiple reports of torture and deaths of those in custody.
After multiple protests and strikes against the military coup, many wondered what the junta’s response would be. Would they back down and the red flags of Aung San Suu Kyi would return to the sky? Or would they use violence to supress and opress the nation in order to keep rule. After reading this article the answer has been given. As the coup has reportedly killed 200 people-with many more deaths to come- those turn their heads to the United Nations and especially the U.S to await a response or intervention in the crisis will be seen in the next few months. If left untreated the coup could very much impose martial law on all of Myanmar, turning the country and surrounding countries into a war zone.
This relates to international relations because in the next upcoming weeks and months heads will turn from Myanmar to Europe, to the strong western powers to intervene. Will President Biden conduct a deployment of U.S troops to the slowly breaking nation before its too late? Will NATO respond alongside the UN? The trickiness regarding whether to intervene or remain isolated in one’s (a nations’) own problems is a question repeatedly asked in international relations, as well as a countries’ foreign policy.