Yangon\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0 Myanmar\u2019s generals ordered internet providers to restrict access to Facebook Thursday, as UN chief Antonio Guterres said the world must rally to ensure the military coup fails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Southeast Asian nation was plunged back into direct military rule on Monday as de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders were detained in a series of dawn raids, ending the country\u2019s brief experiment with democracy. The coup sparked international condemnation and fears the military will drag 54 million people back to the decades of junta rule that turned Myanmar into one of Asia\u2019s most impoverished and repressive nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With soldiers back on the streets of major cities, the takeover has so far not generated any mass pro-democracy street protests. However hundreds of supporters of the \u201cTatmadaw,\u201d as the military is called, rallied in the capital Naypyidaw Thursday in support of the coup, waving the red flag of the armed forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some carried signs which read: \u201cNational betrayers who depend on foreign countries are not wanted\u201d and \u201cTatmadaw that loves people… may you be successful.\u201d But people have flocked to social media to voice opposition and share plans for civil disobedience — especially on Facebook. \u201cWe have digital power… so we\u2019ve been using this since day one to oppose the military junta,\u201d said activist Thinzar Shunlei Yi, who\u2019s behind a so-called \u201cCivil Disobedience Movement\u201d fanning out across social media platforms. Telenor, one of the country\u2019s main telecoms providers, confirmed Thursday that authorities had ordered it to \u201ctemporarily block\u201d Facebook access. The Norwegian-owned company said it had to comply but \u201cdoes not believe that the request is based on necessity and proportionality, in accordance with international human rights law\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Facebook confirmed access \u201cis currently disrupted for some people\u201d and urged authorities to restore connectivity. \u00a0NetBlocks, which monitors internet outages around the world, said the disruptions were also affecting Facebook-owned apps such as Instagram and WhatsApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many in Myanmar, Facebook is the gateway to the internet and a vital way to gather information. \u201cThe first thing we look at each morning is our phone, the last thing we look at in the night is our phone,\u201d Aye, a 32-year-old entrepreneur opposed to the coup, told AFP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A small rally kicked off Thursday in front of Mandalay Medicine University, with protesters carrying signs that said \u201cPeople\u2019s protest against the military coup!\u201d Local media said police arrested four people, although authorities could not confirm the detentions to AFP. Meanwhile, 70 MPs from Suu Kyi\u2019s National League for Democracy party signed a \u201cpledge to serve the public\u201d while staging their own symbolic parliamentary session in Naypyidaw, according to local media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
sArmy chief Min Aung Hlaing\u2019s coup has left the international community scrambling to respond. On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Guterres said he would pressure the generals to reverse course, in his most forceful comments yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will do everything we can to mobilise all the key actors and international community to put enough pressure on Myanmar to make sure that this coup fails,\u201d Guterres told The Washington Post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely unacceptable to reverse the results of the elections and the will of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Aung Hlaing justified his coup by alleging widespread voter fraud during November\u2019s election. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since she was detained, won a huge landslide with her NLD, while the military\u2019s favoured parties received a drubbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
International and local observers — as well as Myanmar\u2019s own election monitor — reported no major issues that might have affected the integrity of the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Myanmar\u2019s junta-era constitution ensures the military retains considerable influence, including a quarter of parliamentary seats and control of key ministries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But analysts say top generals feared their influence was waning and were dismayed by the enduring appeal of Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Wednesday authorities brought an obscure charge against the 75-year-old to justify her ongoing detention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to her party, she was charged with an offence under Myanmar\u2019s import and export law after authorities found unregistered walkie-talkies at her home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States and Britain condemned the charges and called for her immediate release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Myanmar\u2019s military has declared a one-year state of emergency and said it would hold new elections once its allegations were addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has caused huge anger inside the nation, but opposing the military is fraught with risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During junta rule, dissent was quashed with thousands of activists — including Suu Kyi — detained for years on end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Censorship was pervasive and the military frequently deployed lethal force, most notably during huge protests in 1988 and 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new government has already issued a warning telling people not to say or post anything that might \u201cencourage riots or an unstable situation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UN Security Council met Tuesday but failed to agree on a statement condemning the coup. Diplomats said veto-wielding China and Russia, Myanmar\u2019s main supporters at the UN, had asked for more time to finesse the Council\u2019s response.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yangon\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0 Myanmar\u2019s generals ordered internet providers to restrict access to Facebook Thursday, as UN chief Antonio Guterres said the world must rally to ensure the military coup fails. The Southeast Asian nation was plunged back into direct military rule on Monday as de facto […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4118,4117,4119,4089,1610],"class_list":["post-5754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-world-news","tag-coup","tag-facebook-blocked","tag-must-fail","tag-myanmar","tag-un-chief"],"yoast_head":"\n