Blockade of a bridge during a demonstration against the coup in Yangon, February 17, 2021 afp_tickers
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–This content was published on February 17, 2021 – 05:29
17 February 2021 – 05:29
(AFP)
Thousands of Burmese took to the streets of Rangoon again on Wednesday to protest against Burma’s military junta despite the United Nations’ fear of escalating violence after reports of troop reinforcement in the economic capital.
The protesters were heading towards the center of the city, responding to the call to protest massively on Wednesday to ask the military junta to return power to the democratic forces and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
“Today, we have to fight to the end, show our unity and our strength to put an end to the military regime. People must go out into the streets,” a student told AFP.
To try to prevent the passage of security forces, the protesters blocked several roads with vehicles, with the excuse that they were damaged.
At the moment there was no significant presence of the military or armored vehicles on the streets, according to AFP journalists.
But the United Nations rapporteur Tom Andrews said he feared a resurgence of violence after receiving information about the dispatch of troops “from the peripheral regions to Rangoon.”
– “Grounded” –
“In the past, these troop movements preceded the mass killings, disappearances and arrests,” warned Andrews, who said he was “terrified.”
Ban on gathering, internet shutdowns, overnight detentions, strengthening of the legislative arsenal: the military has not stopped hardening the tone after its February 1 coup that ended a fragile 10-year democratic transition.
The fear of retaliation is on everyone’s mind in the country where the last popular uprisings of 1988 and 2007 were bloody repressed by the military. The number of protesters dropped in recent days.
Some protesters caused strong tensions. The security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets or even stones with slingshots, leaving several wounded.
A 20-year-old girl who was shot in the head this week – probably with live bullets – is in a state of brain death.
A police officer died Tuesday from injuries he sustained during a demonstration in Mandalay (center), the board said, calling these protests “violent” and repeatedly using threats of “sanctions.”
Despite this, the calls for civil disobedience continue: doctors, teachers, air traffic controllers, railway workers are on strike against the coup. Strikers are particularly targeted for arrests.
– Hundreds of arrests –
More than 450 people have been detained since the coup, according to a list of confirmed arrests by an NGO that assists political prisoners. Of these, 417 remain under arrest. Other unconfirmed reports say there have been more arrests.
The military justified the coup by alleged massive fraud in the November elections in which Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won by an overwhelming majority.
Following her arrest on February 1, Suu Kyi, 75, was charged under obscure commercial law for importing walkie talkies that were found in her home.
She was indicted on Tuesday for violating the law on natural disaster management, according to her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw, who has not yet been able to contact her.
Although it is not clear how this law can be applied to Suu Kyi, it was used against the deposed president Win Myint, also arrested on February 1, in the framework of an electoral act that, according to the board, violated the restrictions imposed against the coronavirus.
Internet connections were practically cut overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday before being restored in the morning.
The junta has also reinforced the repressive arsenal: raids without warrants and detentions for a short period if a judge’s green light is authorized. They are also preparing a very restrictive cybersecurity law.
The generals turn a deaf ear to the international condemnations and sanctions announced by Washington.
They have two important supporters in the UN, such as China and Russia, for which the current crisis constitutes “an internal matter” in Burmese.
“We have not been informed in advance of the political change” that has occurred in Burma, Chen Hai, China’s ambassador to Burma, said on Tuesday. The day before, there were demonstrations before the Chinese diplomatic representation, which accused Beijing of supporting the military.
The current situation “is not at all what China wants to see,” said the ambassador whose country has major projects and investments in Burma.
Washington again urged the release of all detainees and “reestablishing the democratically elected government.”
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