Burmese people chant slogans in a square in downtown Yangon on Feb. 17, 2021, to protest against a coup by the military.
The situation in Myanmar is becoming increasingly tense. A few days ago, Myanmar’s military government sent armored vehicles to patrol and even used the army to shoot to disperse the protesting crowd. On Wednesday (17), tens of thousands of people in Yangon, the country’s largest city, launched a “peace you plug” action to prevent military vehicles from entering the city to crack down on the people. Many netizens lamented that the Chinese Communist Party‘s crackdown on June 4 was like a reenactment of the scene in Myanmar.
According to AFP, more than 10,000 protesters in Yangon launched the “He You Se” action on Wednesday. They parked a number of private cars and trucks on the bridge and held banners saying “We need support from the U.S. military” and “We will not kneel to the military” in protest to prevent military vehicles from entering the city to carry out the crackdown.
The Burmese military staged a coup earlier this month and seized power by placing substantive leader Aung San Suu Kyi and several political figures under house arrest, sparking ongoing protests. People from all walks of Life, including health care workers, teachers, lawyers, monks and celebrities in the entertainment industry, have joined the strike to condemn the coup.
On Tuesday (16), the military government held a press conference for the first Time, denying that its arrest of elected government officials on Feb. 1 was a “coup d’etat”. Military spokesman Soe Myint Tun claimed at the conference that “our goal is to hold elections and hand over power to the winning party”. However, the military has not yet given a new date for the elections, only declaring a one-year national emergency.
On the same day, several videos surfaced online showing the Burmese army using force to crack down on people.
According to the BBC, gunfire has been heard in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in northern Myanmar, for several days. In addition, soldiers can be seen on the streets of several cities, including Yangon. Another video posted online shows protesters running away while shouting amid gunfire at night.
Myanmar, Begins Forceful Clearance ???? Gunfire erupts ???? pic.twitter.com/TekX1hAjbE
- Hao i✝️i ??????? ?iA2 (@S7i5FV0JOz6sV3A) February 16, 2021
People in Myitkyina also protested outside a power plant on Sunday night as they protested the army’s move into the city in an attempt to take over the nuclear plant, but were eventually dispersed by military fire as well. According to social media reports from sources close to the situation, the army fired more than 40 shots, all of them live ammunition. Some also claimed that the military also fired tear gas canisters.
Netizens have left messages exclaiming, “8964 Myanmar version staged,” “Tiananmen Square recreated in Myanmar,” and “remembering those bloody nights in early June ’89.” “The Burmese military government is becoming more and more like the communists” “There is definitely a communist instigation!” “The communist bandits, the mastermind behind the scenes, are wreaking havoc everywhere they go.”
There are also messages from netizens: “Sternly condemn the violent suppression of civilians!” “It’s late at night and the guns are finally going off on time …… Pray for the Burmese.”
Aung San Suu Kyi, 75, is currently facing two charges of illegally importing at least 10 radio walkie-talkies and violating the country’s National Disaster Management Law. The related trial is set to begin on March 1. There are concerns that Aung San Suu Kyi could be detained indefinitely without trial because of changes the junta made to the Penal Code last week that allow suspects to be detained without court permission.
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