Police break up protest, journalist arrested

YANGON: Myanmar police launched a crackdown overnight in a Yangon district after breaking up a protest to oppose a military appointed local official, as the World Bank halted payments to projects in the country that were made after the February 1 coup.

The country has been in crisis since the army seized power and detained the civilian government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership after the military complained of fraud in a November election. There have been daily protests and strikes by prodemocracy supporters for about three weeks.

Violence broke out on the streets of the commercial hub of Yangon yesterday after some in a crowd of about 1000 military loyalists attacked prodemocracy supporters and media.

Several people were beaten by groups of men, some armed with knives, others firing catapults and hurling stones, witnesses said. At least two people were stabbed, video footage showed.

In a separate incident, riot police fired tear gas into the Tamwe neighbourhood of Yangon to disperse a crowd protesting the replacement of a local official by the military, according to a witness and video.

Residents later said they heard shots and that police had remained in some parts of the district until about 2am (local time).

Suu Kyi supporters posted on social media they intended to hold another protest in Tamwe today.

Military chief General Min Aung Hlaing says authorities are using minimal force, but at least three protesters and one policeman have been killed in violence.

The World Bank has halted payments to projects in Myanmar on withdrawal requests that were made after the coup, the bank said in a letter to Myanmar’s finance ministry seen by Reuters.

World Bank President David Malpass said last week it was taking an ‘‘extra cautious’’ approach to Myanmar.

Myanmar police detained a Japanese journalist at a protest in Yangon, a colleague said.

Yuki Kitazumi, who runs a media production company and used to be a journalist for the Japanese business daily, The Nikkei, was arrested yesterday.

‘‘According to witnesses, he was beaten on his head but he was wearing a helmet so it didn’t cause him much harm. I have contacted the embassy and haven’t heard much more information yet,’’ said Kitazumi’s Myanmar colleague Linn Nyan Htun in a Facebook post. — Reuters