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Myanmar has blocked Facebook to stop the protest against the coup
The military junta is denying access to the social network for the sake of the country’s “stability,” in light of growing opposition to overthrowing Su Chi’s rule.
3 were arrested in a first street demonstration in the town of Mandalay, and in other cities residents continued to honk and pound in pans in protest
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Myanmar
Aung San Suu Chi
Reuters
Thursday, 04 February 2021, 10:51
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In the video: The army tightens its grip on Myanmar after the coup (Photo: Reuters)
Myanmar's military junta today (Thursday) blocked access to Facebook and WhatsApp to nearby waters "for stability" to stop resistance to the coup.
Facebook is the main social network in the impoverished country of Southeast Asia, and it serves businesses and the ousted civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Despite the blockade, there was still sporadic access to Facebook and protesters in the town of Mandalay used the social network to broadcast live the city’s first street demonstration since the coup on Monday.
"The people are protesting against the military coup," read one of the signs in the country's second-largest city, which has a history of violent repression of protests against the military.
The demonstration, which was attended by about 20 people, called for the release of Suu Kyi and the rest of the civilian leadership.
According to three student organizations, three people were arrested after the demonstration.
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"The people are protesting against the military coup."
Demonstration in Mandalay, today (Photo: Reuters)
Su Chi, who is apparently detained at a dormitory in the capital Nifido, is accused of violating the Import and Export Law after police allegedly found walkie-talkies in her possession.
She will remain in custody until at least the middle of the month, in parallel with condemnations from Western countries and their calls for the junta to honor the sweeping victory of the Nobel Peace Prize bride's party in the November elections.
Since the coup, Facebook has served as a platform for sharing photos from the civil rebellion campaign of government hospital workers across the country.
The striking doctors wear red or black ribbons, making the three-finger gestures taken from the fantasy series "The Hunger Games" which also appeared during protests in Thailand last year.
Yesterday, pictures were published of workers in the Ministry of Agriculture who also joined the protest.
The world is calling on the junta to respect the election results.
Demonstrator burns image of army leader (Photo: Reuters)
At the same time, in other cities, including the largest city in Yangon, residents continued to honk and pound in pans in protest of the coup for the second night in a row.
"Lights glow in the dark," said Min Koe Naing, who took part in past protests against the country's military rule and called for action.
"We need to show how many people oppose this unfair coup."
Su Chi Chi's party, the National Democracy League, garnered about 80 percent of the vote in the Nov. 8 election, according to the election commission, but the military refused to accept the results and claimed forgeries, without substantiation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said tonight in an interview with the Washington Post that he would work to increase international pressure on Myanmar to ensure that the will of the people is respected and "the failure of this coup."
The White House said the coup in Myanmar was a top priority for the United States and that Washington was considering sanctions in response.
President Joe Biden discussed the situation with South Korean and Australian leaders tonight.
Charles Santiago, a member of parliament for the Human Rights of the Southeast Asian Union, said the charges against Suu Kyi were "absurd" and aimed at legitimizing the junta. Without approval, Suu Kyi's party has not yet commented on the allegations.
"Lack of understanding"
The Ministry of Communications and Information said that Facebook, which is used by about half of the country's more than 53 million citizens, was blocked until Sunday because surfers "spread false news and misinformation and cause misunderstandings."
The Norwegian company Telnor, which operates Myanmar's main cellular network, said it had no choice but to obey the order to block Facebook.
"Telnor does not believe the request is well-founded and proportionate, in accordance with international human rights law," the company said in a statement.
Facebook spokesman Andy Stone urged authorities to reinstate the connection "so that people in Myanmar can communicate with their families and friends with access to important information."
Some residents use a VPN to bypass the block.
Twitter, which has not been blocked, has seen an increase in the number of new users.
The hashtag "Civil Uprising Movement" is among the most disguised in the country, followed by "Justice for Myanmar".
Accused of illegally importing radios.
A demonstration in support of Su Chi in Bangkok, yesterday (Photo: Reuters)
The coup puts an end to the young democracy in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi was held under house arrest for about 15 years between 1989 and 2010 when she led the pro-democracy movement in a country controlled by the military for almost most of its 60 years of independence.
She remained very popular in Myanmar, the former Burma, although her international image was tarnished by her military support and inaction against the 2017 Rohingya Muslim minority carnage.
The de facto leader of the state is Chief of Staff Min Oung Haling, who has promised to hold new elections, but did not specify in a timely manner.
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