Opponents of Myanmar’s military coup went against major protests for an eighth straight day on Saturday when persistent critics expressed anger over the detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Thousands gathered in the industrial hub, Yangon, as protesters took to the streets of Naypyitaw’s capital, Mandalay’s second city and other cities a day after the country’s biggest protests to date. southeast Asia.
“Stop eviction at night,” was among the signs held by protesters in Yangon in response to the arrest raids in the past few days.
Among those arrested was a doctor named on social media as Pyae Phyo Naing, who was conducting patient consultations in the Ayeyarwaddy area, when the attack took place on Thursday. Video of his arrest on social media provoked anger among residents.
Internet memes titled “Our nights are no longer safe” and “Myanmar weapons evict people at night” have circulated widely on social media.
The government did not respond to requests for comment on the arrests.
The CCTV footage of the police arrested Dr. Pyae Phyo Naing, Station Medical Officer in Ayeyarwaddy Region, for his involvement #CivilDisobedienceMovement during patient consultation. Our lives are no longer safe under the junta.#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar #militarycoup pic.twitter.com/ddxHyqqwa6
– Ei Mon Thinn Kyu (@EiMonThinnKyu) February 12, 2021
Stressing the military is a request from the UN Human Rights Council to restore the civilian rule of arms and release the civilian civil leaders.
During a rare special session on Friday called for by the UK and the European Union, the council passed a resolution calling for the release of all “illegally detained” and Modernize the “elected government”.
“The world is watching,” UN deputy head of rights Nada al-Nashif said at the beginning of the session.
In addition to Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, more than 350 others were detained from the Feb. 1 putt, including activists, journalists, students and monks, al-Nashif said.
In addition, “magic orders were issued this week to prevent peaceful assembly and free feeling,” she said, disallowing “unparalleled use of members.” – lethal weapons or less than deadly ”.
However, traditional Myanmar military allies, including Russia and China, referred to the crisis session as an intervention in “issues within Myanmar”.
‘Fight to victory’
With teachers, bureaucrats and air traffic controllers among government workers walking off work this week to halt arms control, new army leader Min Aung Hlaing told workers strikers returned to their offices.
But hundreds of thousands still came out Friday in national gatherings – the seventh straight day of protests – calling for the country’s generals to relinquish power.
Many of the protesters stayed long into the night in Yangon, protesting against the curfew imposed by the military.
In Pazundaung and Sanchaung districts in the country’s largest city, people took to the streets in search of police, following reports that a local medical officer had been arrested.
Thousands of residents across many cities in Yangon have stormed the streets since 10pm – going against an 8pm curfew – following rumors that police were arresting local riots. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Read more on our liveblog: https://t.co/3I5sZ5Pxb4 pic.twitter.com/0JpjTmZWdb– Frontier Myanmar (@FrontierMM) February 12, 2021
There have also been reports on social media of authorities taking protesters off the streets.
The demonstrations so far have been peaceful, although police this week used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against protesters.
Survivors were shot dead at a rally in Naypyidaw on Tuesday, seriously injuring two people – including a woman who was shot in the head.
On Friday, in the port city of Mawlamyine, police fired rubber bullets at students as they spread a sit-down protest.
Some of the demonstrators were briefly taken to hospital, and nine were taken to jail. They were later released when a mob stormed a police station and demanded their release.
Prison amnesty
Earlier in the day, state media announced the release of more than 23,000 inmates as part of a prison amnesty – a mass cleanup of the country’s prisons while authorities cracked down on a ban. on striking workers.
1 neighborhood in #Myanmar #Yangon now as a community pushing pots to warn others if any #Police/#military start holding people and to try to save someone from being taken away say someone who gave / sent a video to me. Many uses: #peoplecannotsleepwellatnight #WhatIsHappeningInMyanmar pic.twitter.com/pfS8eJsIOu
– May Wong (@MayWongCNA) February 12, 2021
In the Irrawaddy Delta, home of many Myanmar rice crops, police stopped a medical clinic and detained a doctor who had been supporting the civil disobedience campaign while treating patients.
“He was in the middle of putting strips in his patient’s head,” Pyae’s wife Phyo Naing, 38, told AFP news agency Friday, a day after photos of the arrest went viral on social media .
“For no reason, they took him,” said Phyu Lae Thu’s wife, crying.
“I want to persuade those who are [protesting], please continue … fight to victory and help release it. “
Demonstrations so far have been peaceful, with police this week using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against protesters. [Stringer/Reuters]
News of the incident did not stop other medical workers from taking part in another day of major rallies in Yangon’s commercial hub.
“No matter how much pressure the army commander comes, we will not pay attention,” said Wai Yan Phyo, a doctor.
Internet disruption
The coup has confronted various strands of society, with some reports of police officers breaking standards to accompany demonstrations with celebrities, students and clothing workers.
They have called on the military government to honor the results of the November elections, which won the Aung San Suu Kyi National Democracy League (NLD) party in a landslide.
The military was justified in taking over with widespread voter fraud claims, although local and international analysts said there were no major issues that could have changed the outcome of the election.
The Min Aung Hlaing government has moved swiftly to stack political courts and offices with loyalists after the country’s abrupt ten-year democracy came to an abrupt end.
The military also appeared to be preparing a wider ban on internet freedom – the military government has already blocked Myanmar’s access to Twitter and Facebook.
A draft cybersecurity bill – which will give the government the power to order black internet orders and ban websites – has raised alert tech giants, civil society organizations and even the private sector.
It “goes against the fundamental principles of digital rights, privacy and other human rights,” said a letter released late Friday signed by 50 private companies.
The military government has carried out a siege of international condemnation.
In the most important concrete action, the U.S. announced sanctions this week against top senior military government officials, warning that further action would be taken if they do not change. ” course “
Aung San Suu Kyi has not been seen since her arrest on February 1.