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Protesters in Myanmar have vowed to continue their protests until their elected leaders are released and democracy returns, as tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of cities across the country for a second day.
Large crowds gathered in the main city of Yangon and elsewhere, condemning the military for overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup.
“Today is democracy in Myanmar,” said protester Myint Oo, 23. “Our hero Aung San Suu Kyi and our president U Win Myint must be released.
“There may be soldiers tomorrow, but I’m not afraid,” he said, adding that he would return to the streets.
Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint have not been seen in public since they were detained during early morning raids last Monday. Their party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a resounding election victory in November, but the military refused to accept the results of the vote. He alleged widespread electoral fraud, a claim that observers rejected.
The junta blocked internet access for about 24 hours from Saturday afternoon in an attempt to stop the protests, but large crowds have continued to join the country’s biggest protests since the 2007 “saffron revolution” , when thousands of Buddhist monks marched against the military regime.
By mid-morning on Sunday, demonstrators took to the streets of Yangon, as well as in the town of Mandalay in central Myanmar and the coastal town of Mawlamyine in the southeast. Hundreds more camped overnight outside a police station in Payathonzu town, Karen state, where local NLD politicians were reportedly arrested. They stayed outside on Sunday morning, singing pro-democracy songs, Reuters reported.
“We will protest until our lady and our president have been released and reinstated. We know it is dangerous but we will continue to protest. We want our lady to be safe, ”said Htet Thar, who demonstrated in Yangon.
People marched across town to Sule Pagoda, a rallying point for previous protest movements, raising their hands in a three-fingered salute, a gesture used by pro-democracy activists in neighboring Thailand, which signals opposition to the military. Many wore red shirts or red balloons, the color of the NLD. As they drove through town, drivers sounded their horns, while young children passing by with their families waved small NLD flags.
“Are we united? Yes we are! ”Crowds of people chanted.
“This is our last chance to get rid of this evil dictatorship. If we don’t destroy the root of it now, then it will be easier for them to continue the dictatorship, “said Hnin, 24.” We must continue to protest for our freedom. We are worried about our future and the next generation. We risk losing our jobs because freelancers and small businesses will no longer be able to function. “
Sunday’s protest was the biggest yet, but it’s unclear whether people will continue to come out in such large numbers during the work week.
The protests were largely peaceful, although in a video taken on Sunday gunshots were heard as police disrupted a protest in the southeastern town of Myawaddy, according to Reuters. The video showed uniformed police armed with rifles rushing at a crowd of a few hundred people. It is not known what type of ammunition was used or whether there were any casualties.
In Yangon, protesters, who hope to rally police, gave police soft drinks, cakes and other refreshments. On Saturday afternoon, some sat and smoked cigarettes with the police.
A campaign of civil disobedience has also developed in recent days, with many doctors and teachers refusing to work. Every evening, the clamor of echoing metal echoes through Yangon as locals smash pots and pans in solidarity. A revolutionary song from the 1988 pro-democracy movement is also sung throughout the city.
The country previously spent half a century under military rule before beginning to move to a more democratic system in 2011. Monday’s coup put an abrupt end to the country’s democratic transition and rekindled dark memories of life under repressive military regimes.
More than 160 people have been arrested since the military took power, according to Thomas Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, who called on the junta to allow him, and other rights experts , to visit the country. Andrews also urged the UN Human Rights Council to convene a special session to deal with the crisis.
“The generals are now trying to cripple the citizen resistance movement – and keep the outside world in the dark – by cutting off virtually all internet access,” he said.
Telephone line cuts, as well as the near-total shutdown of the internet, have hampered efforts by media and rights groups to monitor developments. They also allowed rumors to spread quickly. On Saturday night, crowds started celebrating in the streets after false reports that Aung San Suu Kyi had been released. His lawyer later clarified that was not the case.
Aung San Suu Kyi faces charges of illegally importing walkie-talkies, which could lead to two years in prison. Win Myint is accused of breaking coronavirus laws by meeting people on the election track.
Internet watchdog group Netblocks said on Sunday afternoon that there had been a “partial restoration of Internet connectivity” from around 2 p.m. local time, but social media was still blocked.
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