SINGAPORE – Myanmar authorities declare martial law in parts of Yangon after the deaths of dozens of people and fires in several Chinese-owned clothing factories, underscoring the threat to the fragile the nation’s economy and tensions over China’s role in the country.
At least 37 people were killed on Sunday when authorities opened fire to disperse protests in two industrial suburbs of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, emergency officials said. At least 15 other people died elsewhere, according to the Political Prisoners Assistance Association, a nonprofit organization that monitors arrests and fatalities.
Sunday’s violence ended the deadliest weekend since Myanmar’s military seized power on February 1, detaining civilian leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and abruptly ending the country’s transition to democracy. . Factories burned in the suburbs of Yangon, Hlaing Tharyar and Shwe Pyithar, causing one of the country’s most important exporting industries and rejecting the resumption of China.
The dium smoked from a fire in the Yangon suburb, Hlaing Tharyar.
Photo:
stringer / Reuters
The Chinese embassy in Yangon condemned the attacks as “especially vile” and urged Myanmar authorities to stop the violence, punish the perpetrators and protect the country’s Chinese companies and personnel. The embassy said several Chinese-backed factories were destroyed and set on fire, while many Chinese citizens were injured. Most of the companies affected were textile and clothing factories.
“We urge the people of Myanmar to express their demands lawfully and prevent it from being incited and exploited to damage friendly cooperation between China and Myanmar,” the embassy said, adding that Chinese investment in the textile sector and garment has created nearly 400,000 jobs in Myanmar and some actions by citizens harmed the economy.
Many opponents of the coup see China as a supporter of the army and have criticized Beijing for its refusal to condemn the acquisition or violence against protesters.
China’s response to the crisis has contrasted with that of the US and other democracies. Following the coup, many governments condemned the military takeover and called for the immediate restoration of the elected civilian government in Myanmar. Beijing saw it as an internal affair, and its foreign ministry said any action by the international community should “avoid aggravating conflicts and further complicating the situation.” Other Asian countries that invest heavily in Myanmar, such as Singapore and South Korea, have been more openly critical of the Board.
The UN Security Council unanimously condemned the recent violence, but has not yet taken stronger measures, such as an arms embargo, in part due to opposition from permanent members of China and Russia, who have a veto on the council and hold important strategic and economic interests. in Myanmar.
Anti-Chinese sentiment has not been a main focus of the protests, but some in Myanmar have questioned China’s relationship with the Junta and its silence on human rights abuses. Social media users have shared lists of companies that are said to be owned by China and are calling for boycotts. A widely shared image shows the words “China leaves Burma,” which refers to Myanmar by its former name, on the Chinese flag.
It was not possible to determine who set fire to the factories. After Sunday’s violence, some in Myanmar welcomed the goal of Chinese property. Others said protesters were not involved, saying authorities set fire and blamed protesters in an effort to bolster Beijing’s support for a tougher response.
People were carrying an injured man on Sunday during a crackdown by security forces in Yangon.
Photo:
stringer / Reuters
Witnesses and doctors said authorities began firing on protesters around 1 p.m. A fire officer in one of Yangon’s suburbs, Shwe Pyithar, said the department first received reports of the fires around 3 p.m. The official said a security guard at one of the factories told firefighters that employees and others threatened the guards with a knife before setting fire to the facility where they worked.
In interviews, residents of the affected suburbs of Yangon said they are increasingly frustrated with Beijing.
Moe Sandar Myint, president of the Federation of General Workers of Myanmar, said many of the garment workers representing his group have been threatened by Chinese employers for their participation in protests and civil disobedience campaigns. He said the Chinese embassy statement denied Beijing’s antagonism towards protesters, calling for a strong response to the assault on Chinese property and workers, but that it showed no sympathy for the citizens of Myanmar who were killed. .
“They don’t care about the people of Myanmar, they only care about their own interests in the country,” Ms. Moe Sandar Myint said.
A Buddhist monk who joined a protest in Hlaing Tharyar on Sunday said many people in Myanmar feel that China, as a superpower with close ties to Myanmar, has a duty to protect them. “They’re a great neighbor and they see what’s going on, but they never intervene,” the monk said. “Instead, they support the military without doing anything.”
The destruction of Chinese clothing factories highlighted the precarious state of the country’s garment sector. In recent years, Chinese factory owners have made large investments in Myanmar’s garment industry, accelerating its growth to become a $ 5 billion export industry that employed about 700,000 people.
About 40% of the country’s garment factories are owned by Chinese, according to the Myanmar National Garment Association. Factories have helped meet Western demand for clothing in Myanmar, where low wages contribute to low production costs.
Hennes and Mauritz AB, a major Myanmar clothing buyer, said five of their suppliers’ factories were affected by the violence on Sunday, but declined to provide further details. “The situation is critical and our team in Yangon is working hard to better manage the situation,” an H&M spokeswoman said.
The burning of Chinese factories will likely contribute to brands ’prudence over Myanmar’s supply.
H&M had said earlier this month that it had stopped new orders from Myanmar, citing practical difficulties and the unpredictable situation. On Friday, Italian retail group Benetton Group said it was still the same. The company cited security issues and “violations of rights and freedoms” for its decision.
Production has faced significant challenges since the coup, with work in some factories stopping when garment workers leave their sewing machines to join anti-military protests. Logistics networks have been reduced. AP shipping company Moeller-Maersk suspended the activities of its warehouse and depots in Myanmar last week and cited employee safety. This week, the company has said that for warehouses and transportation operations, it conducts daily assessments.
“Yesterday’s situation was very bad, so I expect the worst for the garment industry,” said Aung Myo Hein, a Myanmar factory owner and a member of the executive committee of the national garment federation.
—Chun Han Wong in Hong Kong contributed to this article.
Write to Feliz Solomon to [email protected] and Jon Emont to [email protected]
Myanmar security forces fired on protesters on March 1 in what was the deadliest day of protests since the military took control of the country on February 1. At least 18 people died, according to the United Nations. Photo: Associated Press
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