Anti-coup activists hold 'blue shirt' protests
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A photo released by Dawei Watch yesterday showing protesters during a rally against the military coup in Dawei, Myanmar. The country has been in crisis since the military seized power from Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government on Feb 1, with almost daily protests against the coup.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
YANGON • Myanmar anti-coup activists launched protests yesterday calling for the release of detained prisoners, as reports emerged that junta chief Min Aung Hlaing would attend a regional summit to discuss the crisis in the country.
Spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the military commander would attend the Asean leaders' meeting in Jakarta on Saturday, the online service of Japanese news magazine Nikkei Asia reported.
Meanwhile, a United Nations rights envoy said yesterday that the military's crackdown on anti-coup protesters has displaced close to a quarter of a million people.
"Horrified to learn that... the junta's attacks have already left nearly a quarter (of a) million Myanmar people displaced, according to sources," UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews tweeted yesterday.
"The world must act immediately to address this humanitarian catastrophe."
The South-east Asian country has been in crisis since the military seized power from Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government on Feb 1, with almost daily protests against the coup despite a lethal crackdown by the junta in which hundreds have been killed.
Asean has been trying to guide fellow member Myanmar out of the bloody turmoil triggered by the coup. Myanmar's military has shown little willingness to engage with its neighbours and no sign of wanting to talk to members of the government it ousted, accusing some of them of treason, which is punishable by death.
People yesterday shared photos on social media of themselves wearing blue shirts and holding up a hand with the name of an arrested person written on it.
The shirts are a tribute to pro-democracy activist Win Tin, who was imprisoned by the military for 19 years and died on April 21, 2014. After his release, he pledged to wear a blue shirt until all political prisoners were freed.
"Please raise your voice and demand the release of all the people who are being unfairly detained under the junta government," protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung said on Facebook.
The junta has released thousands of people from jail since the coup but relatively few have been linked to the protests.
REUTERS
