SOCIAL MEDIA RESTRICTED IN MYANMAR AS ANTI-MILITARY PROTESTS GAIN MOMENTUM

04 February 2021

Myanmar’s army has ordered internet service providers to block access to Facebook until 7 February, as it attempts to stamp out signs of dissent, days after it ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The coup, led by armed forces chief Min Aung Hlaing, installed an 11-member junta, ending a short period of majority civilian rule. The military said an election in November had been fraudulent – though the country’s election commission said there was no evidence to back up such claims. The elected civilian leaders, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with President Win Myint, were detained and yesterday police filed charges against them.

Officials said the social media platform would be blocked for the sake of “stability”. Facebook has become a key rallying point for opposition to Monday’s coup.  NetBlocks, which monitors internet outages around the world, said service providers in Myanmar were also restricting access to Instagram and WhatsApp.

The first street protest against the military coup took place in the city of Mandalay with sporadic protests also taking place in Yangoon as well as at Sule Pagoda. In further civil disobedience, at least 70 lawmakers with the NLD are refusing to leave a government guest house in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and have declared what they are calling a new parliamentary session.

Adapted from original source:BBCNews

LT