Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng kneeled down on the dusty streets of Myitkyina in northern Myanmar and pleaded infront of the heavily-deployed military forces to spare "the children" and take her life instead. The video footage of the interaction between the nun and the Junta forces are doing rounds on the internet, triggering a wave of sentiments.
The 45-year-old nun was lauded for making efforts to save innocent lives, risking her own.
The Myanmar military seized power on February 1, the day newly elected parliamentarians were supposed to take their seats — a shocking backslide for a country that had been taking tentative steps toward democracy.
The junta said the takeover was necessary because Suu Kyi's government had failed to investigate fraud claims during the last elections even as the election commission dismissed those claims.
Tens of thousands of protestors took to streets to oppose the coup since the abrupt takeover.
Wearing hard hats and carrying homemade shields, demonstrators on Monday came on the streets of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state.
As the protests are intentifying, the military forces in Myanmar have also escalated its use of force through tear gas, live rounds or water cannon or rubber bullets.
According to AFP, the nun was quoted as saying, "I knelt down... begging them not to shoot and torture the children, but to shoot me and kill me instead"
"The police were chasing to arrest them and I was worried for the children," she added.
Later, another two nuns joined sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng and urged forces to spare the children and residents in the area and show some mercy on them
According to reports, the heavily armed junta forces began chasing the protestors and even started firing few moments later.
"The children panicked and ran to the front... I couldn't do anything but I was praying for God to save and help the children," said nun Ann Rose Nu Tawng
Watch video here:
The nun also witnessed two killings during the massive violence between the junta forces and the protestors.
Similiar protests occurred in Ye, a town in Mon State in southern Myanmar; Kyaukpadaung, a town in central Myanmar; Mohnyin, a town in Kachin State in the north; and Myeik Taung, in the southeast. The authorities reportedly used force in each case.
Armed police carried out night patrols on Monday, yelling abuse, firing at buildings and making targeted arrests. The tactic appears to be aimed at spreading fear and disrupting sleep in order to weaken the resolve of those opposed to the army's takeover.
One video recorded Monday night in a district of Yangon, the country's biggest city, shows more than 20 police swarming down a street, around a corner and then opening fire. They return, point up at a window or balcony overlooking them and fire once again.
Their actions came during a dramatic night when thousands of residents broke the 8 p.m. curfew to show support for a group of protesters who had been trapped by police in an enclave of streets.
They came out of their homes, sang songs against the coup and banged pots, pans and other implements together, partly in the hope of diverting police from the hunted protesters, estimated to number 200.
Witnesses said several dozen of those who had sought shelter in the city's Sanchaung neighborhood were arrested, but others made their way home at dawn, several hours after police withdrew from the area.
Nighttime hours have become increasingly dangerous. Police and army units routinely range through neighborhoods, shooting randomly to intimidate residents and making targeted arrests.
(With AP inputs)
