Members of Myanmar’s myriad ethnic minorities marching behind their groups’ flags joined the large and enthusiastic protests Thursday against the junta that took over the government last week. The resistance to the coup received a major boost from abroad from President Joe Biden, who ordered new sanctions and promised more measures to come.
“The military must relinquish power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people,” he said.
Tens of thousands of protesters, if not more, have marched daily in Yangon and Mandalay, the country’s biggest cities. Large rallies also have been taking place in the capital Naypyitaw and many other cities and towns.
Participants have included factory workers, civil servants, students and teachers, medical personnel and other people from all walks of life. Buddhist monks and Catholic clergy have been visible, as have LGBTQ contingents behind rainbow flags. On Thursday in the southern city of Dawei, protesters wiped their feet and stamped on a poster of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the much-scorned coup leader who now heads the ruling junta.
The protesters are demanding that power be restored to the elected government and detained party officials, including ousted national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, be freed. About 200 politicians and activists have been arrested, according to the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The junta has shown no signs of backing down and on Wednesday night arrested more senior members of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, along with other politicians and activists.