Students vow to continue anti-war protests as court increases activists' sentences to six years

Students vow to continue anti-war protests as court increases activists' sentences to six years

‘We’re not stopping’, says vice chair of students’ group calling for an end to Rakhine conflict

Soe Hla Naing and Kyaw Thiha Ye Kyaw at the Amarapura township court on October 5 (Khin Hnin Wai/Myanmar Now)

A court in Mandalay’s Amarapura township on Wednesday added a year to the sentences of two student protesters jailed for opposing the Tatmadaw’s war in Rakhine state.

Soe Hla Naing and Kyaw Thiha Ye Kyaw, both members of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), have now been given a total of six years in prison under various charges for distributing anti-war flyers and stickers. 

The two have been sentenced for violations of the Peaceful Assembly Law as well as laws aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 and a section of the penal code that punishes causing “fear or alarm” to incite crimes against “the State or against the public tranquility”.

Three different courts in Mandalay region have already handed them sentences for different offenses this month. Thirteen other members of the ABSFU have also been charged for taking part in the protests. 

 

 

“The people profiting from this internal conflict are oppressing the people who are against it, that’s how I see it,” said Aung Pyae Sone Phyo, first vice chair of the ABFSU.

The group would not be intimidated by the jailing of its members, he told Myanmar Now. “We’re not stopping our protests.”  

 

 

The union’s chair, Thet Maung Maung, is among the other 13, who have been charged under the Peaceful Assembly Law for a protest near the clock tower at Mandalay’s Zay Cho market. 

The group are now also being charged under 505b of the penal code.

The students began distributing leaflets and putting up posters last month with slogans including “Oppose murderous fascism” and “Dictatorships must fail”.

The protests continued into this month in Yangon, Mandalay, Monywa, Meiktila, Pakokku, Magwe, and Sittwe. 

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Those arrested include a BBC reporter and a former Mizzima correspondent. 

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A BBC journalist and a former Mizzima News reporter were arrested by men believed to be plainclothes officers in Naypyitaw on Friday afternoon, a family member confirmed.

BBC Burmese journalist Aung Thura was in front of the Dekkhina District court to report on a hearing for National League for Democracy patron Win Htein when he was arrested. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung was with him at the time of the arrest.

No further details of the arrest or the reporters’ detention were known at the time of reporting, according to Aung Thura’s relative. 

“I saw some plainclothes officers dragging away a person in trousers into a car,” lawyer Min Min Soe, who was near the court at the time, told Myanmar Now. The man she saw is believed to be Than Htike Aung.  

“Two other officers in plainclothes were hassling another individual in a paso [traditional sarong for men] and glasses,” she said, referring to Aung Thura. “It was quite a scene so I don’t know what happened next.”

BBC News issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that they are "doing everything [they] can" to find Aung Thura, who they described as being taken away by unidentified men.

“We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe,” the statement said.

As of March 16, a total of 38 journalists had been arrested or targeted for arrest since the February 1 coup. The latest arrests of the BBC and former Mizzima journalists push this number up to 40.  

Only 22 of these reporters have been released. Ten journalists have been charged with violating Section 505(a) of the penal code, which has been used against people who are seen as causing fear, spreading fake news, or agitating government employees. Under recent amendments to the law, the charges come with a three-year prison sentence if convicted.

Online news website The Irrawaddy has also been charged by the junta as violating the same statute for showing “disregard” for the armed forces in their reporting of the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Five publications, including Myanmar Now and Mizzima had their offices raided and their publishing licenses revoked earlier this month by the regime.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include the BBC's statement, which was not available at the original time of publishing.

 

Myanmar Now

Myanmar Now is an independent news service providing free, accurate and unbiased news to the people of Myanmar in Burmese and English.
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KIA attacks police bases in Hpakant

The offensives come in the wake of deadly crackdowns against anti-coup protesters in Myitkyina 

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A KIA soldier watches from an outpost in Kachin state in this undated file photo (Kachinwave) 

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) launched attacks against police bases in the jade mining region of Hpakant on Thursday morning, a local resident told Myanmar Now. 

The attacks targeted police battalions where soldiers were stationed near Nam Maw village in the Seik Muu village tract.

“There are Myanmar police battalions around Nam Maw,” a resident said. At least three bases were attacked, he added. 

A 41-year-old civilian in Seik Muu village injured his left hand during the clash, the Kachin-based Myitkyina News Journal reported.

The KIA has launched several offensives against the coup regime’s forces recently. Fighting has also been reported in Mogaung and Injangyang this month. 

Some 200 people fled the Injangyang villages of Gway Htaung and Tan Baung Yan on Monday after the KIA launched an offensive against the military there. 

The offenses began in the wake of deadly crackdowns against anti-coup protesters in Myitkyina. The KIA has warned the junta not to harm anti-coup protesters. 

 

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Kalay residents move the body of a man who was shot dead on Wednesday (Supplied) 

Four young men were killed and five people were injured in the town of Kalay in Sagaing region on Wednesday as protesters continued their fight to topple the regime despite daily massacres across the country aimed at terrorizing them into submission. 

The Tahan Protest Group gathered in the town at around 10am and police and soldiers began shooting. One young man was shot dead on the spot as he tried to help people who were trapped amid gunfire, residents told Myanmar Now.   

The regime’s forces also shot at and chased fleeing protesters along roads and through narrow alleys, a resident said.

“The crowd of protesters dispersed but one person was shot dead while trying to rescue those trapped in the protest site,” the resident added. 

As the crowd dispersed, a man riding a motorcycle was shot outside a branch of KBZ Bank. “He also died,” the resident said. 

Despite the murders, protesters gathered again in the afternoon around 4pm. Police and soldiers started shooting again and killed two people. 

“They were shot dead while trying to set up barricades at the protest site. They were shot while trying to obstruct the army’s way as the army troops chased and shot the trapped protestors,” the resident said. 

The two who were killed in the morning were identified as Salai Kyong Lian Kye O, who was 25, and Kyin Khant Man, who was 27 and had three children. The identities of the other two have not yet been confirmed.

Five people were also injured and then taken away. Locals said they did not know where they had been taken.   

 

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Myanmar Now is an independent news service providing free, accurate and unbiased news to the people of Myanmar in Burmese and English.
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