Last week, in Myanmar, children took part in a huge demonstration against the military coup in Myanmar where they seized power on February 1, 2021.  Over 543 civilians were massacred including 44 children. according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local monitoring organization.

A 6-year-old shot dead as she ran into her father’s arms’ becoming the youngest known victim in the crackdown following last month’s military coup.  In Yangon city, Myanmar: Myanmar’s junta faced fresh international criticism on Friday over the deaths of 44 children and the “forced disappearance” of hundreds of people during their repression on pro-democracy protests.  They attacked the protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds, security forces have detained over 2,700 people, while others have “disappeared.” Human Rights Watch said the junta had “forcibly disappeared” hundreds of people, refusing to disclose their location or allow access to lawyers.

The youngest child to get hit by a rubber bullet was a 1-year old, injuring him severely.  A charity organization Save The Children said, “Innocent children have had their futures brutally and needlessly snatched away from them.” They also said, “Grieving families—among them young children who have seen siblings die—are suffering unimaginable loss and pain. It is clear that Myanmar is no longer a safe place for children.”

The U.K’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced stringent measures targeting the Myanmar military coup on Thursday, including sanctions against the Myanmar Economic Corp., which has been linked to the junta.

“The Myanmar military has sunk to a new low with the wanton killing of innocent people, including children,” Raab said, adding, “The U.K.’s latest actions target one of the military’s key funding streams and impose a further cost on them for their violations of human rights.  Also last week, the United States announced it was suspending all trade with Myanmar. On Sunday, President Joe Biden said the situation in Myanmar was “absolutely outrageous, and based on the reporting I’ve gotten, an awful lot of people have been killed totally unnecessarily.”

Despite all this, the violence has escalated in recent weeks, with Save the Children declaring that the death toll of youngsters had more than doubled in the past 12 days.

“We are shocked that children continue to be among the targets of these fatal attacks, despite repeated calls to protect children from harm,” the charity said in a statement.

“It is especially horrifying that several of these children were reportedly killed at home, where they should have been safe from harm.”

The authorities have made numerous arrests during night raids on the homes of people suspected of supporting the rallies or the civil disobedience movement that has sprung up aimed at stopping the military from running the country.

“The military junta’s widespread use of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances appear designed to strike fear in the hearts of anti-coup protesters,” said HRW’s Asia director Brad Adams.

“Concerned governments should demand the release of everyone disappeared and impose targeted economic sanctions against junta leaders to finally hold this abusive military to account.”  It is called a “rapidly deteriorating situation”

Outrage from world powers has been growing at the increasing violence, and on Thursday the UN Security Council unanimously “expressed deep concern at the rapidly deteriorating situation”, condemning violence against peaceful protesters.

Britain announced a new round of sanctions, this time targeting the junta’s extensive business interests, as well as a $700,000 contribution towards UN efforts to document serious human rights violations in Myanmar.

But so far neither sanctions nor calls for restraint have shown any sign of holding back the junta as it struggles to silence the widespread unrest.

There were more protests around the country on Friday, according to local media reports.

In Yangon, people left flowers at bus stops and other public spots in memory of those killed in the massacre.

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Over 44 children massacred by Myanmar military in brutal coup Over 44 children massacred by Myanmar military in brutal coup