As tens of thousands of people continue to join rallies against the coup in Myanmar, the army officials have shut down internet services. With connectivity falling below sixteen percent, a near-total blackout is in effect across the country.
Moreover, the police officials in Yangon blocked the main highways in the city, while the crowds chanted “Military dictator, fail, fail; Democracy, win, win”. The internet blackout came a day after Instagram and Twitter were blocked by the military. A day earlier, Facebook had also been banned.
More:
- Myanmar coup: Calls for Aung San Suu Kyi Release Grow
- Myanmar Military Takes Control After Detaining Aung San Suu Kyi
Previously, many internet users had protested on social media by using virtual private networks (VPNs). RushHourDaily reported that the civil society urged mobile networks and internet providers to protest the blackout. Besides, Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, said in a statement that the shutdown could put millions of people at risk.
But the military has not commented, and soon after Monday’s coup, the officers in charge imposed a ban on the internet and social media. According to the international media, thousands of people, including students, teachers, and medical workers, took to the streets and called for Aung San Suu Kyi’s immediate release. As the buses in Yangon honked their horns in protest, the demonstrators rallied on the roads across the city.
Meanwhile, the bystanders flashed the famous three-finger sign adopted by regional protestors opposing the authoritarian rule. Reportedly, some residents also flashed the red color on their house windows to support Suu Kyi and other detained leaders of the NLD. Protestors offered roses and water bottles to police officers and urged them to support the people, not the regime. There were also reports that huge rallies were held in Burma’s second-biggest city, Mandalay.
