A human rights group released a statement on Wednesday claiming that the military coup in Myanmar has resulted in the death of more than 1,000 civilians at the hands of security forces.
The group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), monitors protest-related arrests and deaths in the chaotic region. It said that by adding two more deaths on Wednesday, the total death toll in the country caused by the military seizing power was pushed to 1,001.
Myanmar's Dire Situation
Since the military coup in February, many residents have protested against the control of the military junta. Army officials ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government officials to take their place.
Additionally, the casualties among military and police agencies have increased as resistance grows in urban and rural areas across the nation. The secretary-general of the AAPP, Teik Naing, said that the majority of the civilian casualties were anti-military activists and noted that more than 40 of them were shot in the head, NBC News reported.
The official also said that many of the victims died at interrogation centers and prisons after the military arrested them for their resistance. However, the military has said that the numbers the AAPP released were not accurate but has failed to release any statistics of its own.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military commander who leads the current authority in the country, said that only about 300 people have died as of the end of May.
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Reports also claimed that security forces have detained thousands of residents amid the ongoing crackdown of the military against the resistance forces. Since the coup, the region has spiraled into chaos with daily protests and insurgencies. Widespread strikes have also severely affected the country's economy.
The situation is also underscored by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis that has devastated the majority of Myanmar. Residents are queueing up in long lines just to purchase oxygen supply for their families, CNN reported.
Coronavirus Pandemic in the Region
The surge of cases has also strained Myanmar's health care system and independent ethnic organizations that had, for decades, operated on the border of the country. The provision of basic medical services and treatment of coronavirus patients have significantly dropped after the military coup.
A doctor working at a makeshift clinic in the jungle located in the eastern parts of Myanmar said they had no available transport to get medicine and other supplies. The medical expert noted that their storage of oxygen cylinders was insufficient. The heavy rains in the region also contributed to the difficulties of getting clean water to drink.
More than 363,000 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in Myanmar as of Wednesday, the state-owned news media said. However, many believe the number to be highly undercounted as testing in the region of nearly 55 million people was extremely difficult.
In June, officials first observed a massive spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, which forced hospitals to turn away some patients due to being full. Oxygen and medical supply have been hard to come by and the military was accused of hoarding supplies for its own hospitals, ABC News reported.
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