Massive protest march as internet access is restored

Crowds of tens of thousands marched through the streets of Myanmar’s largest city this Sunday protest against the coup from last week. The news that Internet connection restored, blocked the day before, were the main motivation of the demonstration.

Protests that started in various parts of Yangon converged on Sule Pagoda in the center of the city. The demonstrators chanted “Long live mother Suu” and “Down with the military dictatorship”.

Authorities cut off internet access when protests began to escalate on Saturday, fueling fears of a blackout. On Sunday afternoon, however, users in Yangon reported that access from their cell phones was suddenly restored.

Protesters wanted to revoke the military-led takeover last Monday and demanded the release of the deposed leader of the country, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other prominent members of his party, the National League for Democracy.

The military has accused Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi and her party of ignoring their complaints of widespread fraud in last November’s election, although the election commission said it did not find no evidence to support these charges.

The growing protests recalled the long and bloody fight for democracy in a country which, in practice, was under military rule for more than five decades, until the gradual opening of 2012.

Suu Kyi’s government, which overwhelmingly won the 2015 election, was the first civilian in several decades, though its power was limited by a constitution drafted by the military.

During Myanmar’s years of isolation under military rule, Sule Pagoda was a regular site of pro-democracy political protests, especially during the massive 1988 uprising and the 2007 uprising led by Buddhist monks.

The army crushed both uprisings by force and it is estimated that in 1988 there were hundreds if not thousands of deaths. Although riot police were dispatched to monitor protests last week, no soldiers were deployed or reported clashes.

(Source: agencies)