YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – Protesters in Myanmar’s largest city came out on Monday night for their first mass protests, defying a fire at 8pm, trying to show support for about 200 students trapped by security forces in the -a small area of a neighborhood.
Students and other civilians earlier took part in one of the country’s numerous daily protests against the army’s takeover last month, which ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.
The military government has also placed a major limit on the media coverage of the crisis. He announced that the licenses of five local media outlets – Mizzima, DVB, Khit Thit Media, Myanmar Now and 7Day News – have been canceled.
“These media companies are no longer allowed to broadcast, write or provide information using any kind of media platform or using any media technology,” he told state television station MRTV.
All five had provided extensive coverage of the protests, often with live online videos. Myanmar Now’s offices were attacked by authorities Monday before the measure was announced. The government detained dozens of journalists from the coup, including a Myanmar Now reporter and Thein Zaw from the Associated Press, both were charged under a public order law that sentenced them to up to three years in prison.
Night street protests began after police cordoned off part of Yangon’s Sanchaung district and were believed to be conducting door-to-door searches for those fleeing security forces to seek shelter in the homes of nice strangers.
News of their situation spread quickly on social networks, and people poured into the streets in neighborhoods across the city to show solidarity and hope to attract some pressure from hunted protesters. On some streets, they built makeshift barricades with everything at hand.
In the Insein neighborhood, they spread out on road intersections, singing songs, chanting pro-democracy slogans and hitting objects together.
Diplomatic missions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union have issued statements urging security forces to allow those trapped to return safely to their homes. Although everyone has been extremely critical of the February 1 coup and police violence, it is unusual for such diplomatic statements to be issued in connection with a specific, ongoing incident.
“There are increased tensions caused by security forces surrounding the Kyun Taw Road in Sanchaung City, Yangon. We call on those security forces to withdraw and allow people to go home safely, “said the US Embassy statement.
Until midnight, Myanmar, there were no reports of clashes between police and protesters, although security forces pursued the crowds, harassed residents watching from the windows and fired stun grenades. There have also been some reports of injuries caused by rubber bullets.
The night hours have become more and more dangerous in Myanmar. Police and military units typically run through neighborhoods, shooting at random to intimidate residents and disrupt their sleep and make specific arrests.
Security forces shot and killed two people in northern Myanmar during the day, local media reported.
The online newspaper Irrawaddy said the victims were shot in the head during anti-coup protests in Myitkyina, Kachin state. The graphic video on social media showed the protesters moving away from the tear gas, responding with stones and running after a shooting of what appeared to be automatic gunfire.
Demonstrators rushed to the wounded, including an apparently dead man, a person with a serious head injury. A second body was later seen on a stretcher, with its head covered with a cloth.
Another shooting death occurred in Pyapon, a city about 120 kilometers south of Yangon.
So far, the government’s violent crackdown has left more than 50 protesters dead. At least 18 people were shot dead on Wednesday (February 28th and 38th), according to the UN Office for Human Rights.
Security forces also stopped on Monday anti-coup protesters elsewhere, firing tear gas to smash a crowd of about 1,000 people protesting in Pyinmana, a satellite city of the capital, Naypyitaw. Protesters deployed fire extinguishers to create a smokescreen while fleeing authorities.
Thousands of protesters marching in Mandalay, the second-largest city, dispersed on their own, fearing soldiers and police would break up the demonstration by force.
Meanwhile, an armed force from one of Myanmar’s ethnic groups has been deployed to protect the coup against a brutal repression of the junta.
The Karen National Police unit arrived shortly after dawn to accompany about 2,000 protesters near Myitta in the Tanintharyi region of southeastern Myanmar. They carried an assortment of firearms, including assault rifles, as they walked in front of the column on dusty rural roads.
The Karen police force is under the control of the Karen National Union, one of many ethnic organizations fighting for greater autonomy from the central government for decades. The KNU uses both political means and, through its armed wing, military means to achieve its objectives.
Large-scale protests have taken place daily in many cities and towns since the Myanmar army took power, and security forces have responded with increasing use of lethal force and mass arrests.
On Sunday, police occupied hospitals and universities and allegedly arrested hundreds of people involved in protesting the military takeover.