Myanmar's delegate to the United Nations, Kyaw Mo Tun, announced his defection from the power of the coup in his country, and appealed to the international community to take action against the ruling military group that seized power since the beginning of February.
"We need the strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, stop the oppression of the innocent, restore power to the people, and restore democracy," Kyaw Mo Tun told the United Nations General Assembly.
State TV announced Saturday evening that Kyaw Mo Tun was no longer Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, adding that he "did not follow the orders and directives of the state and betrayed the country. That is why he was dismissed from his post."
But a United Nations official - who asked not to be named - said that the organization does not officially recognize the junta as the ruler of Myanmar, because it has not received official notification of any change, which means that Kyaw will continue as his country's ambassador.
In turn, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, described, during a conference held at the permanent headquarters of the international organization in New York on Friday evening, the stance of the delegate of Myanmar against the military coup as "courageous."
Protests continue
Meanwhile, the police fired rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators in Rangoon, and also used force to suppress the protesters, and resorted to tear gas and water cannons to disperse some protests.
The protesters chanted, "The police are protecting a mad dictator," and spread to residential neighborhoods and set up makeshift barbed wire barriers and tables to prevent the police from advancing. Many wore helmets, gas masks, and carried hand-made shields to protect themselves.
Similar scenes of chaos spread across Myanmar, as daily protests against the military group entered their fourth week.
In the city of Muniwa in the center of the country, police and soldiers confronted demonstrators as soon as the start of their demonstration, resulting in injuries among them.
Since the February 1 coup, more than 770 people have been arrested, charged and convicted, according to the Political Prisoners Aid Association. About 680 people are still behind bars, and among them are senior leaders in the country, including President Win Myint and Chancellor Aung San Sochi. .
At least 5 people were also killed, of whom 4 died of wounds sustained in anti-coup demonstrations, during which security forces shot protesters, while the army said that a policeman was killed while trying to disperse the demonstration.