Myanmar Protests Continue, West Denounces Security Forces' Response

On Wednesday, Protests spread across Myanmar, after the fiercest day of demonstrations against a coup that disrupted the transition to democracy under the leadership of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The United States (US) and the United Nations (UN) have condemned the use of force against the protesters, who are demanding a reversal of the February 1 coup and the release of Suu Kyi, activists and leaders of the National League for Democracy party.

Thousands took part in the protests in the main city of Yangon. In the capital, Naypyidaw, hundreds of government employees staged a rally in support of a growing campaign of civil disobedience.

On Tuesday, several people were injured as police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-coup protesters in Myanmar’s capital.

Last week, the army carried out a military coup that shocked a country and brought it back into isolation after only years of leaving it.

Seeking to justify the coup that was condemned by many Western capitals, the army said it was “a necessity to preserve the stability of the country”, accusing the electoral commission of “not addressing the massive irregularities” that took place during the legislative elections last November, in which Suu Kyi’s party won by a landslide.

The United Nations made its first contact with the army in Myanmar, according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who renewed the call for the release of the detained officials.

Guterres described the coup as “totally unacceptable”, but the UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a more flexible speech calling for the release of detainees without officially condemning the coup.