Despite curfew, huge protests in Myanmar

Yangon (Myanmar), Feb. 10: Large crowds demonstrating against the military takeover in Myanmar again defied a ban on protests Wednesday, even after security forces ratcheted up the use of force against them and raided the headquarters of the political party of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Witnesses estimated that tens of thousands of protesters, if not more, turned out in Yangon and Mandalay, the country’s biggest cities. Rallies also took place in the capital Naypyitaw and elsewhere.

The protesters are demanding that power be restored to Ms Suu Kyi’s deposed civilian government. They’re also seeking freedom for her and other governing party members since the military detained them after blocking the new session of Parliament on February 1.

“As part of Generation Z we are first-time voters. This is our first time to protest as well,” said one student who declined to give her name for fear of harassment.

“They negated our votes and this is totally unfair. We do not want that. We hope they release our leaders and implement a real democracy.”

The military says it acted because November’s election, which Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won in a landslide, were marred by irregularities. The election commission had refuted the allegation.

Some demonstrators in Yangon gathered at foreign embassies to seek international pressure against the coup.

A small group outside the Japanese embassy held signs and chanted “We want democracy, we get dictators!”

THE MILITARY says it acted because Nov’s election, which Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won in a landslide, were marred by irregularities

Yangon, Feb. 10: Myanmar’s military raided the Yangon headquarters of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party late Tuesday, 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 9:30 pm,” 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 Tuesday, with police using water cannon in several cities, firing rubber bullets at protesters in the capital Naypyidaw and deploying tear gas in Mandalay.

The rallies came despite a warning from the junta

THE UNITED STATES, which has led global censure of the coup, on Tuesday renewed its call for freedom of expression in Myanmar — and for the generals to step down.

that it would take action against demonstrations that threatened “stability”, and a new ban on gatherings of more than five people.

The United States, which has led global censure of the coup, on Tuesday renewed its call for freedom of expression in Myanmar — and for the generals to step down.

“We strongly condemn violence against demonstrators,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, adding that people in Myanmar “have rights to peaceful assembly.” “We repeat our calls for the military to relinquish power, restore democratically elected government, release those detained and lift all telecommunication restrictions and to refrain from violence,” he said.

Price has previously said US requests to speak to Suu Kyi had been denied. —