The military, which took over the country in a coup in 2021, took responsibility for the air strike but denied killing civilians. It claimed the attack targeted terrorists.
Local media said the attack took place during a ceremony to inaugurate a new local administrative body opposed to military rule. About 150 people had gathered for the event.
NEED FOR COORDINATED SANCTIONS
The international community must provide support that the people of Myanmar require, including “putting tough, very clear, very focused and strategic economic sanctions to reduce the capacity of the military junta to continue their assaults”, Mr Andrews said.
He noted that there are a variety of sanctions put in place by various countries to support Myanmar nationals and pressure junta leaders.
“The problem is that they’re not linked. They’re not coordinated. They’re not strategic, based upon where the most good could be done … where the junta is most vulnerable,” he said.
The existing sanctions are therefore much less effective than they could be, Mr Andrews added.
He proposed that countries that want to pressure the junta “sit down and work together in a coordinated fashion”. These nations should build a strategic coalition imposing coordinated, practical sanctions, he said.
“That, in my view, is the point at which we can really begin to see any hope for strong, successful, effective pressure on the military junta by the international community,” he said.
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