YANGON – Security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-coup protesters in Myanmar today, as demonstrators around the country defied a military ban on rallies.
Protests erupted for a fourth straight day against last week’s coup to oust civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as international condemnation of the putsch grew.
The rallies came despite a warning from the junta that they will take action against demonstrations that threatened “stability”, and a new ban on gatherings of more than five people.
In Naypyidaw, the remote capital purpose-built by the previous military regime, witnesses said police fired rubber bullets at protesters after earlier blasting them with water cannon.
“They fired warning shots to the sky two times, then they fired (at protesters) with rubber bullets,” a resident said, adding that he saw some people injured.
In Mandalay, the country’s second-biggest city, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.
After watching hundreds of thousands of people rally in opposition to last week’s coup, junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing made a televised speech yesterday evening to justify seizing power.
The first of a series of bans on gatherings in protest hotspots was also announced yesterday, as was a night-time curfew.
But today, fresh protests initially emerged in various parts of Yangon, including near the headquarters of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).
The protesters carried placards, including “We want our leader", in reference to Suu Kyi – who is currently detained by the military – and “No dictatorship”.
In the San Chaung township here, scores of teachers marched on the main road, waving a defiant three-finger salute that has become a signature gesture of the protesters.
“We are not worried about their warning. That is why we came out today. We cannot accept their excuse of vote fraud. We do not want any military dictatorship,” teacher Thein Win Soe said. – AFP, February 9, 2021
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