YANGON – Myanmar’s military raided the Yangon headquarters of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party last night, officials said, as the United States joined the UN in “strongly” condemning violence against protesters demanding a return to democracy.
The latest assault on Myanmar’s civilian leadership came as anger at last week’s coup and the detention of Suu Kyi by the generals has driven hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, defying a junta ban on rallies.
“The military dictator raided and destroyed NLD headquarters at around 9:30pm,” the National League for Democracy announced on its Facebook page.
The party’s short statement gave no further details.
The raid came after demonstrations erupted for a fourth straight day, with police using water cannons in several cities, firing rubber bullets at protesters in the capital Naypyidaw and deploying tear gas in Mandalay.
At least one emergency room doctor said the military were also using live rounds, leaving a 23-year-old man and 19-year-old in critical condition in hospital.
The rallies came despite a warning from the junta that it would take action against demonstrations that threatened “stability”, and a new ban on gatherings of more than five people.
The United States yesterday renewed its call for freedom of expression in Myanmar – and for the generals to step down.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that people in Myanmar “have rights to peaceful assembly.”
Price has previously said US requests to speak to Suu Kyi had been denied.
As night fell, the United Nations also voiced its “strong concern” over the violence.
“The use of disproportionate force against demonstrators is unacceptable,” said Ola Almgren, the UN resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc could impose fresh sanctions on Myanmar's military, but warned any punishment should not hit the population.
New Zealand yesterday became the first foreign government to take concrete public action, announcing the suspension of high-level military and political contacts with Myanmar.
The UN Human Rights Council said it would hold a relatively rare special session on Friday to discuss the crisis.
Earlier this week, the protests by hundreds of thousands appeared to have rattled the military, with junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing making a televised speech Monday to justify seizing power, citing election fraud claims.
He promised things would be different from the army’s previous 49-year reign, which ended in 2011. The military also announced a curfew and a ban on protest gatherings.
But yesterday, fresh demonstrations erupted as thousands gathered with umbrellas and raincoats as they faced off against police, who had water cannon trucks blocking protesters from marching.
Meanwhile, civil aviation workers and air traffic controllers have joined a civil disobedience movement, with their strike set to impact international flights wanting to pass through Myanmar’s air space.
It will also hit the military government’s coffers, which are set to lose overflight fees paid by airlines that could be worth up to US$182,000 per day. – AFP, February 10, 2021
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