NAYPYIDAW (MYANMAR) – Thousands of anti-coup protesters rallied in towns and cities across Myanmar on Monday, witnesses said. This marked the third straight day against the military’s ouster and detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi a week ago.
There has been calls to join protests and the campaign of civil disobedience have been getting more voice and have become more organised since last Monday’s coup.
The city of Yangon saw a group of saffron-robed monks march, as part of Monday’s protest with workers and students. They flew multicoloured Buddhist flags alongside red banners in the colour of Suu Kyi’s National league for Democracy (NLD), as per witnesses.
“Release Our Leaders, Respect Our Votes, Reject Military Coup,” said one sign. Other signs read “Save democracy” and “Say No to Dictatorship”. Many protesters wore black.
Protests that went across the country on Sunday were the biggest since the “Saffron Revolution” led by Buddhist monks in 2007, which paved way for democratic reforms, that were reversed by the February 1 coup.
Activist Ei Thinzar Maung urged followers on Facebook, using VPN networks to rally protesters in spite of a junta attempt to ban the social media network. “Marchers from every corner of Yangon, please come out peacefully and join the people’s meeting,”
Thousands marched in the coastal city of Dawei, in the southeast, and in the Kachin state capital in the far north, where protesters dressed themselves up in black.
The government removed a day-long internet ban at the weekend that prompted even more anger.
Activists Maung Saungkha and Thet Swe Win posted on their Facebook pages that police had been searching for them at their homes, but that they were not there and were still free.
The campaign of civil disobedience started first with doctors, which was joined by some teachers and other government workers.
Activist Min Ko Naing, a veteran of the demonstrations in 1988 that first brought Suu Kyi to prominence, said, “We request government staff from all departments not to attend work from Monday.”
“Protesters in Myanmar continue to inspire the world as actions spread throughout the country,” Thomas Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar said on Twitter. “Myanmar is rising up to free all who have been detained and reject military dictatorship once and for all. We are with you.”