Protesters run after tear gas is fired during a demonstration against a military coup in Yangon, March 9, 2021.
Hundreds of young protesters in Yangon’s Three Bridges district, Myanmar’s largest city, were involved in an all-night terror standoff with security forces on the night of March 8, with 25 to 50 people rumored to have been arrested after security forces went door-to-door. Thousands of people then violated the curfew on the streets to protest and international solidarity before security forces retreated, these young people were able to leave at about 5:00 a.m. on the 9th. In addition, a National League for Democracy (NLD) cadre died in detention after being arrested in the early morning.
Hundreds of young people under siege
Burmese security forces have cracked down on the demonstrations in an increasingly bloody manner. As the military imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night after the coup, protesters took to the streets during the day to confront the military and police, and then dispersed to their homes after nightfall, but Yangon military and police opened fire on homes in several areas and arrested people on the roads during the night of the 6th.
Late Monday night, at least 200 protesting youths in a large number of military and police surrounded Sanchuang district (Sanchuang) can not leave, an unnamed protester told the Central News Agency, protesters from 1 p.m. onwards to hide around, but the military and police search homes door-to-door, he was also forced to flee his own place of residence, looking for a safe place to hide.
Late Monday night, security forces shot at residential areas, threw tear gas and threatened door-to-door searches of protesting youths.
News of the siege quickly spread after some youths posted it to social media. Thousands of people then broke the curfew and filled the streets in solidarity with the trapped youths, expressing their discontent with the actions of the military and police, demanding that security forces end the siege and chanting “release the students.
The news also quickly reached outside Myanmar, where a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Guterres said he called for “maximum restraint” and the “safe release of all without violence or arrest. The U.N. noted that many of those trapped were women who marched peacefully to mark International Women’s Day.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy said, “We call on those security forces to withdraw and allow people to return Home safely.” The diplomatic missions of Britain, Canada and the European Union also issued statements urging Myanmar security forces to allow the trapped people to return home safely.
One protester said on social media that they were able to leave the Three Bridges area at around 5 a.m. after security forces withdrew. It is understood that prior to this, security forces had conducted a house-to-house search of the Three Bridges area and 25 to 50 people were arrested.
All NLD cadres die in detention
There were also sporadic anti-junta demonstrations in Yangon and other towns across Burma on the 9th, but security forces quickly dispersed these demonstrations with tear gas and shock grenades.
Local media reported that at least two people were injured in Mohnyin township in northern Burma, including one with a gunshot wound.
Zaw Myat Linn, a National League for Democracy (NLD) cadre, was killed in custody after being arrested at around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to a former Burmese parliamentarian. The NLD is the political party of elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Zaw Myat Linn’s Family is trying to retrieve his body from a military hospital.
More than 60 people have died and more than 1,800 have been arrested since the Burmese junta overthrew the civilian government in a coup d’état on Feb. 1 and has carried out a bloody crackdown in major cities.
Protesters erect temporary roadblocks to obstruct security forces during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon on March 9, 2021.
Protesters hold bricks to erect temporary barricades to block the movement of security forces during a demonstration against a military coup in Yangon on March 9, 2021.
People use cell phones to photograph a used shotgun shell believed to contain rubber bullets as protesters confront security forces during a demonstration against a military coup in Yangon on March 9, 2021.
A resident is attended to by medical personnel after being hit by a rubber bullet from security forces in Yangon on March 9, 2021.
A resident is attended to by medical personnel after being hit by rubber bullets from security forces in Yangon on March 9, 2021.
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