Protesters in Myanmar commence national strike, vow to defeat Army

Myanmar protesters marched in some of the country’s biggest cities, part of another nationwide strike to pressure the military to relinquish power after a February 1 coup.
 
Thousands of demonstrators hit the streets in Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar’s biggest cities, as well as other cities to keep up momentum for the pro-democracy movement. In the southeastern city of Dawei, the Karen National Union —Myanmar’s longest standing ethnic armed group — stood guard protecting protesters.
 
At least three deaths were reported by witnesses and local media outlets across the Southeast Asian nation Monday taking the death toll in the harsh crackdown on protesters to at least 64 since the coup. Two protesters died of bullet wounds in Myitkyina city in Kachin State and a 30-year-old man was shot dead in Pyapon of Ayeyarwady Region, news reports said. Police also cracked down on protests in Yangon and Mandalay.

 

Eighteen labour organisations working in Myanmar jointly called for a nationwide work stoppage Monday in a bid to restore democracy after the military failed to recognize the November election win by detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party.