Demonstrations resume in Myanmar despite crackdown on protests
Groups of demonstrators turned out early in Yangon and other cities to protest against the February 1 coup and demand that the nation’s elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi
Demonstrators display pictures of detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Picture: AP
TUE, 16 FEB, 2021 - 08:30
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER
Peaceful demonstrations against Myanmar’s military takeover resumed, following violence against protesters a day earlier by security forces and after internet access was blocked for a second straight night.
Groups of demonstrators turned out early in Yangon and other cities to protest against the February 1 coup and demand that the nation’s elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and members of her ousted government be freed from detention.
In Yangon, police blocked off the street in front of the Central Bank, which protesters have targeted amid speculation online that the military is seeking to seize money from them.
Buddhist monks demonstrated outside the UN’s local office.
The protests are taking place in defiance of an order banning gatherings of five or more people.
Around 3,000 demonstrators, mainly students, returned to the streets in Mandalay, the country’s second biggest city, carrying posters of Ms Suu Kyi and shouting for the return of democracy.
Security presence was low-key around the march, with most police guarding key buildings in the city, such as state banks branches.
On Monday in Mandalay, soldiers and police violently broke up a gathering of more than 1,000 protesters in front of the Myanmar Economic Bank.
They attacked the protesters with slingshots and sticks, and police could be seen aiming long guns into the air amid sounds that resembled gunfire.
Local media reported rubber bullets were fired into the crowd and that a few people were injured.
No reason has been announced for why the government ordered internet access blocked on Sunday and Monday nights.
It has in the past few weeks imposed selective and ineffective blocks on social media platforms and prepared a draft internet law that would criminalise many online activities.
There is also widespread speculation that the government is installing a firewall system that can monitor or block most or all online activity.
State media were acknowledging the protest movement with indirect references.
The Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper reported about a meeting of the State Administration Council, the new top governing body, and quoted its chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, saying the authorities “are handling the ongoing problems with care”.
It said the council discussed taking legal action against protesters, providing “true information” to the media, and resuming public transport, an apparent reference to strikes and slowdowns by hauliers and state railway workers.
The newspaper also said the council members discussed acting against a “parallel government” established by some elected politicians of Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, who were prevented from taking their seats when the military stopped Parliament from opening its session February 1
The self-styled Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw has 15 members who met online and said they have enough support to convene Parliament.
It stakes a claim to being the sole legitimate government institution and has appealed to foreign powers and the UN and other multilateral institutions for recognition, with no known positive responses.
Committee members believe warrants have been issued for their arrests.
Ms Suu Kyi is under house arrest on a minor charge of possessing unregistered imported walkie-talkies.
It is likely that she will appear in court by videoconference on Wednesday, according to Khin Maung Zaw, a lawyer asked by Ms Suu Kyi’s party to represent her.
The military contends there was fraud in last year’s election, which Ms Suu Kyi’s party won in a landslide, and says it will hold power for a year before holding new elections.
The state election commission found no evidence to support the claims of fraud.
The military says its takeover is legitimate under a 2008 constitution that was drafted under military rule and ensures the army maintains ultimate control over the country.
The UN, US and other governments have urged it to return power to the elected government and release Ms Suu Kyi and other detainees.
Myanmar security forces crack down on anti-coup protesters
Security forces in Myanmar have intensified their crackdown against anti-coup protesters.
They are seeking to quell the large-scale demonstrations calling for the military junta that seized power earlier this month to reinstate the elected government.
More than 1,000 protesters were rallying in front of the Myanmar Economic Bank in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, when at least 10 trucks full of soldiers and police arrived.
They started firing catapults towards the protesters before they even got out of the trucks, according to a photographer who witnessed the events.
The soldiers and police then attacked the protesters with sticks and catapults, and police could be seen aiming long guns into the air amid sounds that resembled gunfire.
Local media reported that rubber bullets were also fired into the crowd, and that a few people were injured.
Police were also seen pointing guns towards the protesters.
In the capital, Naypyitaw, protesters gathered outside a police station demanding the release of a group of high school students who were detained while joining in anti-coup activities.
One student who managed to escape told reporters that the pupils – thought to range in age from 13 to 16 – were demonstrating peacefully when a line of riot police suddenly arrived and began arresting them.
It was not clear exactly how many students were rounded up, but estimates put the figure at between 20 and 40.
Earlier on Monday, Myanmar’s military leaders extended their detention of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose remand was set to expire and whose freedom is a key demand of the crowds of people continuing to protest against the February 1 coup.
Ms Suu Kyi will now be remanded until February 17, when she is likely to appear in court by video conference, according to Khin Maung Zaw, a lawyer asked by Ms Suu Kyi’s party to represent her.
The Nobel laureate remains under house arrest on a minor charge of possessing unregistered imported walkie-talkies.
Ms Suu Kyi’s extended detention is likely to further inflame tensions between the military and the protesters who have taken to the streets of cities across the South East Asian nation seeking the return of the government they elected.
Protesters continued to gather across Myanmar on Monday, following a night in which authorities cut the country’s internet access and increased the security presence in major cities seeking to curtail demonstrations.
Thousands of engineers marched on the streets of Mandalay chanting and holding signs that read: “Free our leader,” “Who stands with justice?” and “Stop arresting people illegally at midnight.”
In Yangon, the country’s most populous city, fewer protesters gathered on Monday due to the loss of the internet and reports of military vehicles on the streets.
Nevertheless, more than 1,000 anti-coup demonstrators were outside the Central Bank of Myanmar building, where there were also military trucks full of soldiers, riot police, water cannon trucks and armoured personnel carriers.
Demonstrators carried placards that read “#SupportCDM #SaveMyanmar.”
CDM refers to the civil disobedience movement that has seen doctors, engineers and others in Myanmar refuse to work until the military releases elected political leaders and returns the country to civilian rule.
Some protesters posed for photographs in front of military vehicles while holding red signs that read “Join in CDM.”
When the military seized power, it detained Ms Suu Kyi and members of her government and prevented recently elected legislators from opening a new session of parliament.
The junta, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, said it stepped in because the government failed to properly investigate allegations of fraud in last year’s election, which Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won in a landslide.
The state election commission rejected that contention, saying there is no evidence to support it.
The military justified its move by citing a clause in the 2008 constitution, implemented during military rule, that says in cases of national emergency, the government’s executive, legislative and judicial powers can be handed to the military commander-in-chief.
It is just one of many parts of the charter that ensured the military could maintain ultimate control over the country it ruled for 50 years following a 1962 coup.
The military is allowed to appoint its members to 25% of seats in parliament and it controls several key ministries involved in security and defence.
An order on Sunday that appeared to be from the Ministry of Transport and Communications told mobile phone service providers to shut down internet connections from 1am to 9am on Monday.
It circulated widely on social media, as did a notice said to be from service provider Oredoo Myanmar containing the same details.
On Sunday, ambassadors from the United States and Canada and 12 European nations called on Myanmar’s security forces to refrain from violence against those “protesting the overthrow of their legitimate government”.
They condemned the arrests of political leaders and activists as well as the military’s interference with communications.
“We support the people of Myanmar in their quest for democracy, freedom, peace, and prosperity,” they said in a joint statement issued late on Sunday night.
“The world is watching.”
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