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đšWhy do we need to #SaveMyanmar? Everything you need to know about Myanmar since the coup d'Ă©tat!
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar â The 1st of February 2021 marked the beginning of a period of terror and violence for Myanmar. On the same day, the military detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures from the ruling party National League for Democracy (NLD) and ordered the Internet and all communication channels to be shut down.
From then on, protests swept across the country and people took the streets in the main cities of Myanmar, only to be brutally suppressed by the military. On March 5, a 19-year-old protestor Angel was shot in the head and died. The day of Angel's death was one of the bloodiest since protests against the military coup broke out, as security forces opened fire on crowds of people across the country, killing at least 38.
Angel was part of a core group of activists on the front lines. Footage shows Angel shouting: "I'm afraid, but we will fight for our freedom" and "we won't run." The military junta has sought to distance itself from her death, saying security forces used "minimum force" to disperse protesters that day. The conclusion from the police's autopsy was that the wide piece of lead lodged in Angel's head did not come from a police bullet. The 19-year-old quickly became a symbol of the country's deadly fight for democracy, her image carried high on signs at protests.
âĄïž The military has responded to the people of Myanmarâs peaceful protests with murders, beatings, intimidation, and systematic repression of civil and political rights. Thousands of people, including reporters and journalists, were arbitrarily detained by the police, tortured and some of them later died. Soe Naing is the first journalist known to have died in custody since the army seized power, read more about his case here. There also have been extensive testimonies of torture and inhuman treatment of the detainees across rural areas of the country, in a methodical and systematic way, targeting even more indigenous peoples. Women are kept in prison in constant fear of torture and rape.
#StopDigitalDictatorship âïž Freedom of expression, including online and in the press, the right to peaceful assembly and association, as well as the right to privacy no longer exist. Phone lines and the Internet were cut off, and State TV and radio went off-air. The junta also ordered the Internet providers to block access to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, & Whatsapp! The Military Junta has illegitimately amended existing legislation and imposed new laws to do so. For example, the 1923 Official Secrets Act was used to hide human rights violations committed by the military junta. New laws, such as the Cyber Security Law and the amendment of the Penal Code impose higher penalties and longer jail time.
đ„ In January 2022, the fighting between Myanmar's military regime and resistance groups escalated. The junta launched airstrikes on Loikaw, Kayah State, which opposes the military regime and has provided refuge for protesters and striking workers. Six civilians were killed, and thousands of ethnic Karen people sought refuge in Thailand before being turned back by Thai authorities, provoking a huge humanitarian crisis at the border of Thailand.
Meanwhile, the civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced to four more years in prison for the illegal possession and import of walkie-talkies and breaking Covid-19 rules. The sham trials have been widely condemned as unfair and an attempt of the junta to keep her in jail indefinitely.
#WeAreManushyan - Equal Human Beings
â Manushya Foundation condemns the military brutality and violation of freedom of expression both online and offline! We stand in solidarity with brave Myanmar people fighting for democracy and human rights!
What can you do to help Myanmar?
đ Like, share, and comment on this post to raise awareness with your community!
đ Keep an eye on the situation in Myanmar & show your support to the people of Myanmar who fight for true democracy and their rights and freedom!
đ Follow and use the hashtag #StopDigitalDictatorship to keep up with digital rights issues in Myanmar!
References :
CNN news, She was shot dead, her body dug up and her grave filled with cement (March 13, 2021), available at : https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/12/asia/myanmar-protester-angel-democracy-martyr-intl-hnk/index.html
Voanews, Myanmar Journalist Reported to Have Died in Army Custody (December 15, 2021), available at:
The Associated Press, Myanmar military uses systematic torture accross country (October 28, 2021), available at: https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-torture-military-prisons-insein-abuse-390fe5b49337be82ce91639e93e0192f
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