Anti-coup protests held in Myanmar

Hundreds of people, led by students and teachers, have staged several protests across Myanmar to denounce the recent military coup in the country and call for a return to civilian rule.

According to Press TV, people held protests at two universities in Yangon on Friday, chanting “We don’t want a military dictatorship.”

About 200 people participated in the demonstration at the Yangon University of Education in the city, and a similar number marched at the Dagon University, also in Yangon.

They were the largest demonstrations since the military takeover of power in Myanmar on Monday.

The protesters flashed a three-finger salute that they adopted from anti-government demonstrators in neighboring Thailand, and held papers printed with images of red ribbons — the symbol of a civil disobedience campaign that ousted de facto Leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has called for.

Students have played a major role in previous protest movements against military dictatorship.

“I believe we will have to lead this movement,” said student Min Han Htet, adding, “All the people, including the students, will have to bring down the military junta. We will have to make sure that juntas never appear again in the next generation.”

The military said on February 1 that it had arrested Suu Kyi and her associates over accusations of voter fraud in favor of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in November 2020 elections.

ME