The Open Society Institute condemns the Burmese military’s use of deadly force against unarmed and peaceful demonstrators, and calls on the international community to intervene.

The military junta ruling Burma, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), has launched a violent crackdown in response to the public protests against its rule, which have swelled to hundreds of thousands of people in the last week. We are receiving reports that soldiers have fired live ammunition into crowds, killing an unknown number, and that thousands of monks have been beaten and arrested in night raids on the monasteries. The use of excessive force and all forms of arbitrary detention of peaceful protesters are strictly prohibited under international law.

"The courageous people of Burma are again risking their lives to win their freedom," says Maureen Aung-Thwin, Director of OSI’s Burma Project. "This time, the world—and the United Nations—must come to their aid."

We call on the United Nations and international actors to act decisively to stop the crisis in Burma before more lives are lost.