Yangon: Authorities in Myanmar have arrested a political party spokesman for ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi while stepping up efforts to stem the spread of information about escalating protests against last month’s military takeover.
Despite a crackdown that has so far killed more than 200 protesters, protesters took to the streets in several cities and towns on Friday morning. Some rallies took place without incident, but in Aungban city in the eastern state of Shan, the Tachileik news agency reported online that at least seven people were injured when security forces tried to break up their march with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition.
The Independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reported that as of Thursday, it had confirmed 224 murders related to the aftermath of the coup, more than half of which took place in Yangon, the largest city. It is said that 2,258 people were arrested or charged, with 1938 still being detained or arrested.
Kyi Toe, a spokesman for the National League for Democracy, was arrested on Thursday, according to a Facebook message by Phyo Zeya Thaw, an elected lawmaker from his party. The arrest was also reported on Friday by Mr. Kyaw Thu, a respected local journalist.
Kyi Then was an important source of information in the early days after the February 1 coup, after State Councilor Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were arrested by the military along with other senior party members. The takeover prevented the NLD and other lawmakers from taking the seats they won during the November election last year.
The coup turned years of slow progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule. Suu Kyi’s party would take over the government for a second term of five years after winning the election.
No privately owned newspapers have been published in the past week for the first time in eight years, following bans and voluntary suspension. The military government has also banned at least five local news organizations from distributing information on any platform, print, broadcast or online, but its orders have mostly been ignored. About 40 journalists have been arrested, with about half still in custody, including Thein Zaw of the Associated Press.
Restrictions on the internet have been in place since shortly after the coup. They started with a largely inefficient block of social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, followed by a nightly suspension of mobile internet access from 1am to 9am, which has increased to a 24-hour range since last Sunday -stop. Broadband Wi-Fi service remains available, albeit furry.
The flow of information is even more limited in six townships of Yangon, which have been under martial law since Monday. Movement in and out of the neighborhoods is difficult, and some residents have reported that their electricity has been cut off.
Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Sunday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
In one of the strongest statements issued by a fellow Southeast Asian country, Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday called for an end to the violence in Myanmar and called on other leaders to hold a regional summit on the crisis.
Indonesia insists on immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar to avoid more casualties. The safety and well-being of the people must be a top priority, ‘Widodo said in a televised speech, expressing his condolences to the victims and their families.
“Indonesia also urges immediate dialogue and reconciliation to restore democracy, peace and stability in Myanmar.” Widodo, the leader of the largest economy in Southeast Asia, said he would immediately speak with Brunei, the current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to set up a meeting of leaders from its ten member states.
Widodo’s move comes after ASEAN’s foreign ministers held a March 2 meeting at which they reached no consensus on the crisis.
Source: Telangana Today