Myanmar Military Regime Orders Police With Machine Weapons To Kill Anti-Coup Protesters

Myanmar police stand guard during an anti-coup protest by the Myanmar military. (Twitter / @ SellieSwan)

JAKARTA - A number of Myanmar police are known to have refused orders to kill protesters with firearms, then chose to flee to India last week.

At least 100 people, mostly policemen and their families, chose to flee India. Some of them are hiding in Champai Mizoram District, India, according to a senior Indian official.

One of the policemen who rejected orders from the Myanmar military regime and chose to flee to India was Tha Peng. Joining the Myanmar police nine years ago, Tha Peng said the rule was to stop protesters by firing rubber bullets or shooting below the knee.

However, in his narrative, Tha Peng admitted that he was given orders by his superiors to shoot the anti-coup protesters of the Myanmar military to death.

This order was obtained by Tha Peng, to disperse the protesters in Khampat City on 27 February. Tha Peng received such orders because he was holding a submachine gun.

"The next day, an officer called to ask if I was going to shoot", he said, choosing to resign from the police force.

Myanmar police when confronting protesters. (Twitter / @ NyeinKyawKhant)

On March 1, he said he left his home and family in Khampat and traveled for three days, mostly at night to avoid detection, before crossing into India's northeastern Mizoram state.

"I have no choice", Tha Peng told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday, speaking through an interpreter. He only gave part of his name to protect his identity.

Tha Peng said he and six colleagues had all disobeyed a February 27 order from a superior, which he did not specify. Meanwhile, in the secret document of the Mizoram Police, a similar confession was given by four other Myanmar police who also crossed into India.

The document, written by police officer Mizoram, contains biographical details of the four individuals, as well as an explanation of why they fled.

"As the civil disobedience movement gained momentum and the protests were being held by anti-coup protesters in various places, we were ordered to shoot at the protesters", they said in a joint statement to Mizoram police.

"In such a scenario, we don't have the guts to shoot our own people who are peaceful demonstrators", they continued.

There has been no response from the Myanmar military regime regarding this matter. Previously, Myanmar's military regime admitted to acting with extreme restraint in the face of rioting protesters who attacked police, undermining national security and stability.

Apart from Tha Peng, there was also Ngun Hlei who admitted that he had received orders to shoot the protesters. According to him, they were ruled and pressured by the Myanmar military.

"The military is putting pressure on the police force, who are mostly police, to confront the community", they said.

For disobeying orders to shoot, he was severely reprimanded and transferred. With the help of pro-democracy activists, he chose to defect and cross to India.

There is also Dal, an administrative staff of the Myanmar police force in Falam City who defected and crossed over to India for defying orders from the Myanmar military regime. He was ordered to take to the field, leaving his daily duties at the office, to confront the protesters. He also refused orders to arrest a female protester.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Mizoram, India Zoramthanga said his government would provide temporary food and shelter for those fleeing Myanmar. However, a decision on repatriation has been postponed with the Indian federal government. It is known that the Myanmar military regime has sent a letter requesting India to detain and repatriate the defected policemen.

Regarding the Myanmar Coup. VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news surrounding the Myanmar military coup by tapping on this link.