The United States on Monday condemned protest bans in Burma, where martial law has been enacted in several cities, and lamented that their requests to speak to Aung San Suu Kyi were rejected.
"
We are on the side of the Burmese people and we support their right to assemble peacefully, and in particular to demonstrate peacefully in favor of the democratically elected government
," said US diplomacy spokesman Ned Price.
"
We are of course very worried about the recent announcements of the army limiting public gatherings
", he added to journalists.
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The soldiers declared martial law on Monday in several districts of Rangoon, the economic capital, of Mandalay (center), the second city of the country, as well as in other parts of the territory.
Demonstrations and gatherings of more than five people are prohibited and a curfew is in place from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. local time.
The move follows the rally of numerous pro-democracy demonstrators on Saturday and Sunday in Yangon against the February 1 coup that overthrew the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Despite their attempts, the United States has not been able to communicate with the former leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is being held incommunicado, the State Department spokeswoman reported.
“
We tried to get in touch with Aung San Suu Kyi.
We did it informally and formally,
”said Price.
“
These requests,
” he said, “
were rejected
”.
Read also: Coup d'état in Burma: what impact for the Rohingyas?
Ned Price also called on China, a historical ally of the Burmese army, to join the main democracies in condemning the coup in Burma.
The White House, for its part, threatened the putschist military with "
targeted sanctions
" if they did not relinquish power.
