24th March, 2021 #day52

 

After the massive 22222 protest, another nationwide mass mobilization, dubbed as “Silent Protest,” took place again in Myanmar. This time, the protest did not happen on the streets, but at homes. Public places and streets have been deserted and silent. With the exception of a few towns and villages where internet access is difficult, all major cities and towns across the country have joined the strike despite the controversy saying that it is a strategy to slow down the momentum of the current protests. Young people said that this strike is aimed to pay tribute to the fallen heroes of democracy, to recharge their energies, and to counter the junta’s propaganda that claims the country is back to normal.

Today, 628 protesters were released from various prisons and police stations in Yangon. Among those released are around 300 students arrested on March 3rd in Tamwe Township. At a yesterday press conference, the military council said that the young protesters and students would be released as they are innocent and that only the leaders behind the protests would be arrested. Today, Tin Win, chairman of the NLD's legal aid team in South Dagon, and two NLD members in Hpakan have been arrested. The NLD members have been particularly worried about their safety if they are arrested as some have been tortured to death in custody. Many social media users commented that they are happy with the release, but they will never thank the junta, and some further claimed that they released nearly 700 people just to cover the news of a seven-year-old girl who was killed yesterday. Her funeral was held secretly in Islamic tradition as soldiers tried several times to snatch her body from the family, the family told to media. According to Save the Children, more than 20 children were killed since the coup. AP's photographer Thein Zaw was among those released today. He was arrested on February 27 and charged under Section 505 (a). It is expected that those charged under the same section will be released soon. According to the AAPP, a total of 275 people has been killed and around 2,400 are still in custody.

Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint are scheduled to stand trial in Naypyidaw today, but the court has postponed the hearing for the second time until April 1st due to lack of internet connection. Her lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, told the VOA that she could face more charges including those related to corruption, even though she is currently being prosecuted on four counts. After the junta declared the CRPH unlawful, it announces that it has informed Interpol to arrest the CRPH leaders. As usual, social media users are trolling about this announcement. Yesterday, the CRPH announced that it re-appointed Dr Win Myat Aye as the Acting Minister of Social Welfare. The VOA Burmese reports that the 46th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council has reached a unanimous decision to condemn the military's action of removing the democratic civilian government. The junta has continued to pressure private banks to reopen. According to a today’s leaked letter of the central bank, private banks will have to give fines depending on the size of the banks and they will have to pay 50 lakhs kyat each (≈ 3500 USD) for last week.

According to the New York Times, Myanmar youths those fled to the borderlands are learning basis military trainings. Although the name of the training group(s) and the number of trainees are not disclosed, many protesters including civil servants, soldiers and police reportedly fled to the KNU-controlled areas since the coup. The report said that young people are learning how to use firearms, hand grenades and firebombs to attack military-linked facilities. Protesters have been using handmade tactical vests, smoke bombs, and Molotov which they learn on the internet. The CRPH said earlier that it is 80 percent ready to build a federal army and that protesters could take up arms to defend themselves. In Chin State, the only place in Myanmar where guns are widely used legally for hunting, the junta is urging locals to hand over their weapons, including traditional handmade Tumi rifles. Chin State is also a state where no deaths have been reported during protests. According to the Reporter News, 700 sacks of rice and other provisions were sent back to Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand, last night after a widespread criticism over the Thai military sending supplies to the Myanmar army.

Recent update: About 100 managers and employees of supermarkets that closed today have been detained in the Yangon city hall as the junta assumes that they participated in the silent protest, according to Mratt Kyaw Thu, a well-known freelance journalist.