Scores of Myanmar policemen and their families have now fled to India, security officials said Friday, with one officer telling AFP that the authorities are "beating and torturing" protestors.

Myanmar's military authorities are cracking down with increasing severity on daily protests against their February 1 coup, with at least 70 people killed according to the UN's top rights expert on the country.

Since then a growing stream of people, many of them police refusing to take part in the crackdown, have crossed over the border into the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram.

As of Friday, a total of 264 people had done so, including 198 police officers and family members, security officials said.

"The reason to come over from Myanmar to India is because I don't want to serve under the military junta," one of the officers, who didn't want to be identified, told AFP.

"The second reason is that if I quit from the military junta and I join with the people, I believe we can win the fight against the military junta," he said.

He added that the authorities were conducting "beating or torturing as they want".

"I have witnessed the police arresting as many people as they can see, even the people who are not joining the protest and standing on the side to just watch or take a photo," he added.

India authorities have "pushed back" eight of those who have crossed the border, the security source said. A local village chief told AFP this week that dozens of others were waiting to enter India.

Burmese in US offered temporary refuge from coup crackdown
Washington (AFP) March 12, 2021 – The US government said Friday that Myanmar citizens stranded by the violence following the country's military coup would be able to remain inside the United States under "temporary protected status."

"Due to the military coup and security forces' brutal violence against civilians, the people of Burma are suffering a complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis in many parts of the country," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, using Myanmar's former name.

"After a thorough review of this dire situation, I have designated Burma for temporary protected status so that Burmese nationals and habitual residents may remain temporarily in the United States."

The United States has granted TPS protection to nationals of a number of countries struck by political upheavals or natural disasters that make their return difficult.

The protection is usually set for a limited period, like 12 months, but can be extended if the hardships or threats remain.

DHS said the February 1 takeover by Myanmar's military has led to an economic crisis and shortages of humanitarian and medical aid.

In addition, it said the people protesting the coup face arbitrary detention, intimidation and lethal violence from the military.

"Such conditions prevent Burmese nationals and habitual residents from returning safely," the department said in a statement.

The initial TPS order will last 18 months. DHS said about 1,600 people in the United States now would qualify for it.

Earlier this week President Joe Biden's administration offered TPS for tens of thousands of Venezuelans who fled political repression and economic chaos in the once wealthy South American country.

At the US State Department, spokesman Ned Price assailed the Myanmar junta Friday for ongoing attacks on protestors.

"The military and police have shown complete disregard for the people of Burma and have targeted young people, doctors, civil servants journalists and political activists," he said.

"We reiterate our calls to the military and the police to stop the violence and arbitrary detention, to release all those unjustly detained and, again, to restore the democratically elected civilian government."

Benetton says suspending new orders in Myanmar
Milan (AFP) March 12, 2021 –

Benetton on Friday announced the suspension of new orders in Myanmar, where the military authorities are cracking down with increasing severity on daily protests against their February 1 coup.

The Italian clothing group's announcement follows a similar one from Sweden's H&M, which suspended new orders on Monday.

"Benetton Group expresses its deepest concerns over the events in Myanmar," it said in a statement.

"The situation presents so many safety issues and violations of rights and freedom that we have decided to suspend all new orders to the country."

CEO Massimo Renon said in the statement that the company "has been a standard-bearer for fundamental values such as inclusiveness, integration, and non-violence".

He said the suspension was intended "to send a strong and concrete signal".

At least 70 people have been killed since the coup, according to the UN's top rights expert on the country.

Before the coup, Myanmar's garment industry was booming thanks to an influx of investments from international fashion brands.

Labels such as GAP, H&M, Primark and Adidas had shifted production to Myanmar factories, and locally-manufactured clothing, footwear and handbags were worth three percent to the country's gross domestic product.