Burmese people protest outside the Chinese Embassy in Burma (Courtesy of Voice of America Burmese)
The situation in Myanmar has entered a stalemate as mass protests and demonstrations enter their second week, and the military shows no sign of compromising with protesters.
Protest rallies in Yangon, Burma’s largest city, continued Saturday (Feb. 13), with people gathering at the Hleden Transportation Center in the commercial center and spreading outward to major locations, such as the U.S. Embassy and the Chinese Embassy. The street gathering order issued by the authorities apparently could not stop the protesters’ activities either. Authorities have stipulated that no more than five people can gather on the streets.
There was also news on Saturday that Myanmar central bank governor Kyaw Kyaw Maung had been removed from his post and his current status was unknown. Deputy Governor Bo Bo Nge has been detained. The news is worrying for the global financial community. Tan Ying, who served as governor of the central bank under Myanmar’s former military government, is said to have taken over as governor.
The Burmese public sees the U.S. as their ally in the fight against the military coup, especially after President Joe Biden announced his decision to impose sanctions on key figures in the Burmese military, which has strengthened pro-U.S. forces in the country. The Chinese Communist Party, on the other hand, is seen as an ally of the military and is loathed by the Burmese public.
Protests have also resumed in Mandalay, Burma’s second-largest city. Lawyers were the mainstay of Saturday’s protests there.
The Burmese military arrested democratically elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others earlier this month, preventing the new parliament from functioning. For now, Aung San Suu Kyi and other government leaders remain under house arrest.
The military leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, said the operation was a last resort and that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government had failed to properly investigate the fraud that occurred during last year’s election. Aung San Suu Kyi’s Myanmar National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the election.
The election commission says there is no evidence to support the military’s allegations.
Saturday’s protests coincided with the birth anniversary of Myanmar’s founding father, General Aung San. Aung San is the father of Aung San Suu Kyi. People participating in the march and rally hold up signs with Aung San’s name and portrait.
Protest rallies in Myanmar’s largest city Yangon continued on Saturday (Feb. 13), with people gathering at the Hleden Transportation Center in the commercial center and spreading outward to major locations such as the U.S. Embassy and the Chinese Embassy. The street gathering order issued by the authorities apparently could not stop the protesters’ activities either. Authorities have set a limit of 5 people to gather in the streets. https://t.co/Kr4rCiuvIV pic.twitter.com/XWr6dkawew
- Voice of America Chinese Network (@VOAChinese) February 13, 2021
Burmese authorities are still arresting politicians and activists. Protests on the outskirts of Yangon have been forcefully dispersed by security personnel. Many reports say security agents have used the curfew to conduct raids for three nights in a row, storming the homes of arrest targets and taking them away.
At least 326 people have been arrested since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the non-partisan Political Prisoners Assistance Association. Currently, 303 of them are still in custody.
According to the Associated Press, people in Yangon organized themselves to prevent security personnel from making the arrests. With their large numbers, they repeatedly rushed the security personnel and forced them to abandon their arrests. A number of short videos of such scenes were posted on social media.
The Political Prisoners Aid Association said bomb police fired rubber bullets at people in Mawtan Meanchey, south of Yangon, on Friday, injuring five students and taking nine people away.
Among those arrested were political leaders, government officials, civil servants, activists, student leaders and others. Medical personnel launched a disobedience campaign against the military, rushed to the front and were targeted by the authorities as a result.
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