Myanmar: Anti-coup protesters strike ‘silent strike’ today

Protesters in Myanmar closed their shops and stayed at home today in a “silent strike” against the junta that toppled the country’s democratically elected government on February 1st.

Photos posted on Myanmar media showed empty streets and markets in various cities, while protesters in the northern city of Swabo wore black clothes and marched in silence.

“We must send a message to the world about the horrific human rights abuses in Myanmar,” said Kin Sadar, one of the leaders of the mobilization.

“Silence is our strongest cry. We want our rights back. We want revolution, we want to express our grief for our lost heroes,” he added.

The leaders of the mobilizations had asked the citizens to participate in the silent strike from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon today, but almost all the businesses and shops were closed earlier.

Similar mobilizations took place in March, a month after the coup, when citizens remained in their homes and refused to participate in any activity.

Myanmar has plunged into chaos following the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government army in February. Since then, demonstrations and mobilizations against the coup have taken place almost daily, while the militia of the People’s Defense Forces (PDF) has been created, which fights against the army. At the same time, fighting has intensified between the army and rebels belonging to various ethnic minorities.

The Association for the Aid of Political Prisoners (AAPP) has announced that more than 10,700 civilians have been arrested and 1,300 killed by security forces since the coup.

Last Sunday, five people were killed and at least 15 were arrested when soldiers crashed their vehicle into a crowd of anti-Rangoon protesters. Myanmar state media dismissed the incident as misinformation.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ