Nun goes to her knees to stop Myanmar police from shooting children

It is a picture of the Myanmar coup — which has brought the military face to face with pro-democracy supporters — that will linger on in people’s memories.

A heart-touching video of a nun, on her knees, is seen pleading with policemen in a northern Myanmar town of Myitkyina on Monday (March 8) to stop them from shooting protesters.

The video showed Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng in a white robe and black habit, kneeling on a street. Two policemen are also seen kneeling in front of her with their hands folded.

“I said, I don’t want to see any trouble here and can’t leave if the police don’t leave,” she said. “I begged them not to shoot the children.” Tawng touched her forehead to the ground and the policemen imitated her.

The local media said it is not the first time Tawng has come for the rescue of protesters. In February too she intervened and stopped the police from shooting at protesters.

Meanwhile, the agitation continued in Mayanmar with two protesters killed by gunshots and three others injured in Myitkyina on Monday.

The Myanmar coup d’état began on the morning of February 1, 2021, when democratically elected members of Myanmar’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy, were deposed by the Tatmadaw—Myanmar’s military—which vested power in a stratocracy.

So far, about 60 people have been killed and more than 2,000 detained in the crackdown on protests against the February 1 coup, media reports said.