Myanmar's military junta and the envoy sent by its toppled civilian government have launched contradictory claims over who represents the country at the United Nations, officials said Tuesday.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun spectacularly broke with the junta before the General Assembly on Friday in an emotional plea for help to restore ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The next day, the junta said the envoy had been sacked, but on Monday, Kyaw Moe Tun sent a letter to the president of the UN General Assembly to say that he still holds the post.

"The perpetrators of the unlawful coup... have no authority to countermand the legitimate authority of the president of my country," said the letter obtained by AFP, referring to Suu Kyi.

"I wish therefore to confirm to you that I remain Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations," he added.

On Tuesday, Myanmar's foreign ministry sent a note verbale to the UN, also obtained by AFP, claiming Kyaw Moe Tun had been removed.

"The ministry of foreign affairs... has the honour to inform that the state administration council of the republic of the Union of Myanmar terminated the duties and responsibilities of ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun," the note said.

"At present, Tin Maung Naing, deputy permanent representative ambassador, has been assigned as the charge d'affaires ad interim of the permanent mission," the note added.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing that the body had received the two "contradictory" letters.

"We are taking a look at those letters, where they came from and what we will do," he said.

The United States backed Kyaw Moe Tun and hailed his "bravery," with a State Department spokesman saying "we understand that the permanent representative remains in his position."

"We will continue to oppose the military coup and we will continue to support the restoration of Burma's democratically elected civilian government," the US spokesman said.

US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield also met virtually with Kyaw Moe Tun on Tuesday to express her support.

UN accreditation and protocol committees will look into the issue and then refer it to the General Assembly.

Dujarric said that the UN envoy to Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, who is currently in Switzerland, "continues her conversations with various parties regarding the current situation."

On Friday, Burgener said that "it is important the international community does not lend legitimacy or recognition to this regime," and called for the international community to press for a return to democracy.

UN meeting sought as Myanmar forces fire on anti-coup protests
Yangon (AFP) March 2, 2021 - Britain has called for the UN Security Council to meet Friday on Myanmar, diplomatic sources told AFP, as security forces have steadily stepped up their use of violence against anti-coup demonstrators in the Southeast Asian nation.

Authorities fired live rounds and tear gas at protesters again on Tuesday, leaving at least three people critically injured as international pressure has grown since the military's February 1 ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The UN meeting would be behind closed doors at 1500 GMT under London's proposal, the sources said, as were the Council's discussions a day after the coup.

Soldiers and police have steadily stepped up their use of force, deploying tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and, increasingly, live rounds after weeks of mass protests.

Sunday was the bloodiest day since the military takeover, with the United Nations saying at least 18 protesters were killed across the country. AFP independently confirmed 11 deaths.

Another rally turned violent Tuesday in the northwestern town of Kale, where security forces opened fire on protesters, according to medics who witnessed events and treated those wounded.

- 'Tear gas and shooting' -

"About 20 people were injured in a morning crackdown by police and soldiers in Kale," said a rescue worker, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions.

"Three... were hit by live rounds and are in a critical condition," he said.

Police had initially deployed tear gas and rubber bullets before doubling back with live rounds, he added.

As the violence escalates, Myanmar's military junta and the envoy sent by its toppled civilian government have launched contradictory claims over who represents the country at the United Nations.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun spectacularly broke with the military before the General Assembly on Friday in an emotional plea for help to restore ousted civilian leadership, which prompted the junta to announce his removal.

Both he and the junta now claim to represent the country at the body, with the UN saying it is evaluating what action to take on the competing claims..

"We will continue to oppose the military coup and we will continue to support the restoration of Burma's democratically elected civilian government," the State Department spokesman said.

The bloodshed on the ground in Myanmar came on the same day as a funeral in the commercial capital of Yangon for a student who died Sunday.

Mourners sang a revolutionary song as the coffin carrying Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing moved through a sea of thousands to an altar.

"No mercy, just bullies -- dead bodies are here and there," the mourners sang in unison as they flashed a three-finger salute that has become a symbol of opposition to the junta.

Protests also continued in several neighbourhoods of Yangon on Tuesday, with demonstrators wearing hard hats and wielding improvised home-made shields.

In San Chaung township hundreds of police came out in force.

"They used tear gas and were shooting as well," said one resident.

More than 1,200 people have been arrested, charged and sentenced since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, of which about 900 are still behind bars.

But the real number is likely far higher -- state-run media reported that on Sunday alone more than 1,300 people were arrested.

State-broadcaster MRTV said late Tuesday that 511 people in detention had been released in Yangon.

Reporters Without Borders says at least 10 journalists are in jail and 26 have been arrested since the coup.

- 'Not acceptable' -

The unrest came as foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc held a virtual meeting which included a Myanmar representative.

Some regional powers broke with diplomatic convention and issued unusually harsh rebukes of Myanmar's junta.

"To use lethal force against civilians and unarmed demonstrators, I think it is just not acceptable," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the BBC.

After the meeting, Indonesia's foreign minister Retno Marsudi expressed concern over rising violence and deaths as well as frustration over a lack of cooperation from the Myanmar regime.

"It takes two to tango," she said, calling for the restoration of democracy and the release of political detainees.

Philippines foreign secretary Teodoro Locsin said the first step should be the immediate release of Suu Kyi.

"The hurt of the small finger is felt by the whole body. Myanmar is not a small finger but a big part of the two hands that together make up the family of ASEAN 10," he said.

Observers are sceptical about what difference the bloc can make, pointing to its policies of non-interference and making decisions based on consensus.

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

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Myanmar police fire rubber bullets on protesters as UN envoy breaks ranks
Yangon (AFP) Feb 27, 2021
Myanmar police fired rubber bullets to disperse protesters in Yangon on Saturday, after the country's ambassador to the United Nations broke ranks to make an emotional plea for action against the military junta. The country has been shaken by a wave of protests since a coup toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. Authorities have ramped up the use of force to suppress dissent, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse some protests. Live rounds have been use ... read more