‘Silent strikes’ against military government emptying Myanmar’s streets | Military news

These strikes are seen as a safer way to protest, as security forces have killed 1,300 people since a military coup in February.

Pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar’s towns and villages have staged “silent strikes” in the latest act of resistance against the military government that ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi more than 10 months ago.

These actions are seen as a safe way to express opposition to the military authorities, as protests over the February 1 coup have led to brutal repression by security forces. More than 1,300 people have been killed, according to a local monitoring group.

The streets of Yangon, the largest city in the country, were empty on Friday, with all businesses closed and the normally busy highways extremely quiet. The famous Shwedagon Pagoda, a Buddhist site that often attracts many visitors and pilgrims, was also quiet.

The U.S. embassy in Yangon warned its citizens to stay out of the streets on Friday, citing security forces that increased the risk of violence against any gathering or protests.

At 4:00 p.m., local time, some Yangon neighborhoods echoed with thunderous applause to signal the end of the strike.

In Mandalay’s second largest city, a resident said the restaurant, shop and main market were closed. “There have been no street vendors since this morning, no one walking early in the morning,” the person told AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.

Images from local media also showed empty streets in the southeastern city of Mawlamyine and villages in the northern Sagaing region.

As protesters have become increasingly dangerous, those who still take to the streets do so in smaller flashmobs that last a few minutes to avoid arrest. Myanmar soldiers drove into a car in Yangon last Sunday, killing five people, according to local media. Military officials said only three protesters were injured.

Friday’s “silent protests” came after Min Aung Hlaing, the country’s military leader they complained Before the International Criminal Court, for committing crimes against humanity, as a military leader, to oversee the deadly crackdown on protesters and activists against the coup.

The Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) has asked the Hague tribunal to open a criminal investigation into Myanmar “as part of a crackdown on the widespread and systematic use of torture in protest of the protest movement.”

Meanwhile, a court on Monday Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned for two years his party won the election last year for pushing against the military and violating coronavirus restrictions. He was initially given a four-year term. Min Aung Hlaing’s sentence was reduced after a partial pardon, according to state television.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate faces other charges, including breaches of the law on official secrets, corruption and electoral fraud. A 76-year-old man should face a prison sentence if convicted on all grounds.