Second Secretary at the Myanmar Embassy in Tel Aviv resigned on Friday, protesting the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in his country. Kaung Htet, a senior diplomat from Myanmar, wrote in a Facebook post on Friday that "given the current situation in Myanmar, I am no longer able to represent [the] illegitimate military group at the international level, in my right conscience."
"I condemn, in the strongest terms, the violent crackdown and the use of lethal force against the peaceful protestors and unarmed civilians including those staying in their homes," Htet added.
He noted that he has decided to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) "and stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar."
Kaung Htet's announcement reflects a wider diplomatic revolt against Myanmar's junta, following the violent crackdown on protesters that took place this week, with disturbing reports from the past few days indicated a growing level of systematic violence directed toward protesters.One video from late February reviewed by Reuters shows a man in army fatigues aiming an assault rifle at the camera and addressing protesters: "I will shoot in your f***ing faces... and I'm using real bullets."Earlier in February, shortly after the military coup took place, a key diplomat in the Myanmar embassy in Washington said he was seeking asylum in the US after voicing support in protesters and criticizing the military coup in his country, Voice of America (VOA) reported. Maung Maung Latt, a first secretary at the embassy in Washington, told VOA at the time that he hopes that the Biden Administration would grant him asylum, noting that he was “concerned about [his] safety at this moment.”
With tussles over diplomatic loyalties overseas, pro-democracy activists held more demonstrations in Myanmar on Friday to oppose the Feb. 1 ouster of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the state of emergency posed by Myanmar's military. Idan Zonshine and Reuters contributed to this report.