Junta threatens “extreme action,” soldiers fire on crowd
Yangon (AsiaNews) – Myanmese soldiers have fired again as they attempted to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters in the old capital, Yangon. British diplomatic sources report that four people were killed today near some of the city’s pagodas. A hospital source said a foreign journalist, believed to be Japanese, was also killed.
Trucks are roaming the streets, loudspeakers blaring out warnings against demonstrations, but despite the show of force tens of thousands of Burmese (some put the number at 70,000) gathered in the streets near the Sule Pagoda, answering police threats with a volley of stones, bricks and bottles.
Soldiers gave protesters an ultimatum, warning them that if the streets had not been cleared in ten minutes they would be facing “extreme action”.
Police charged the crowd, using teargas, but it is unclear whether they used automatic weapons, shooting in the air or at the crowd.
What is clear is that state-run television has reported that nine people died in the incidents.
In a Yangon hospital local sources have confirmed the death of a Chinese or Japanese man with a camera.
The Kyodo news agency has reported that the Myanmar government informed the Japanese Embassy in Yangon that one of its citizens had been killed.
Demonstrations and violent incidents have also been reported in Mandalay. Despite their fear residents have come out, demonstrating in favour of democracy. Here too though, more and more troops have been deployed around pagodas and government buildings.
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