Myanmar opposition movement calls ‘silent strike’ against junta
Bangkok, Dec 10 (EFE).- The opposition movement against Myanmar’s military junta called a “silent strike” for Friday aimed at paralyzing the country amid outrage over the sentencing of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and flagrant human rights abuses by security forces.
The strike, which coincides with International Human Rights Day, aims to stop all public activity across the country between 10am and 4pm in protest of the military that seized power in a coup on Feb. 1.
“It would be best if every shop and market closed for the day and everyone stayed home,” an activist told Myanmar Now. “You could visit click-to-donate websites, spend time with your family, read, clean your house, whatever. But just stay home.”
He added that the success of the strike would be a huge boost to public employees taking part in the civil disobedience movement, which seeks to paralyze activity in protest of the junta, as well as for the thousands of people who have been arrested by the military.
A similar call against the military junta on Mar. 24 left the streets of the country’s main cities empty.
The rejection of the coup, which overthrew the democratically elected government of Suu Kyi and ended Myanmar’s young democracy, has led to huge protests across the country, which security forces have tried to quell with extreme violence.
Outrage against the military has been growing in recent days after Suu Kyi and other members of her government were sentenced on Monday to four years in prison in a closed-door trial, which has drawn strong international condemnation.
The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner faces other trials, and consequently, possibly the rest of her life in prison if convicted.
On Sunday, a military vehicle rammed into a group of people protesting in Yangon, killing several.
Another recent episode that has generated outrage both within and outside the country is the alleged killing by the military of 11 people in Sagaing region.
Since the military coup, the country’s security forces have killed more than 1,300 civilians, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. EFE
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