Even as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been reaching out to regional leaders in Asia to call for collective and bilateral action to create conditions for the recent military coup in Myanmar to be reversed, demonstrators against Myanmar’s military takeover took to the streets again on Tuesday in defiance of new rules that make their protests illegal. Police were arresting protesters and using water cannons to try to disperse the crowd in Mandalay, and a crowd also gathered in Yangon despite a heightened security presence.
Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said at the daily press briefing that Guterres continues to follow the situation in Myanmar closely and with grave concern. He and his Special Envoy have been reaching out to key international actors, including regional leaders, in calling for collective and bilateral action to create conditions for the recent coup in Myanmar to be reversed. Dujarric said the UN welcomes the fact that there are discussions for a Human Rights Council special session to take place soon, which will help to keep the momentum following the Security Council’s discussion on the situation earlier this month.
Meanwhile, in Myanmar, the decrees issued Monday night for some areas of the two cities banned rallies and gatherings of more than five people, along with motorized processions, while also imposing a 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew. Yangon is Myanmar’s biggest city and Mandalay its second, where thousands of people have been demonstrating since Saturday. The protesters are demanding that power be restored to the deposed civilian government and seek freedom for the nation’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other ruling party members detained when the military blocked the new session of Parliament from convening on 1 February. Myanmar’s military last week toppled the government and seized power for one year, detaining top political figures, including de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Democracy is the only way forward.