Protesters risk legal action as civil disobedience movement gains steam in Arakan State

By ီDMG 11 Feb 2021

DMG Newsroom
11 February 2021, Sittwe

After an initial period of quiet in the wake of the Tatmadaw’s February 1 coup, residents of Arakan State have increasingly made their displeasure known as protests have been reported in several townships of Myanmar’s westernmost territory this week.

In Thandwe, Gwa, Taungup, Manaung and Ann townships, local residents have turned out with their fellow citizens elsewhere in the country to denounce the military takeover.

While there have not yet been significant gatherings in the state capital Sittwe, lecturers from Sittwe University arguably got the ball rolling when they launched a red ribbon campaign against the dictatorship on February 4. In the days since, a growing chorus of voices from around the state have expressed anti-coup sentiments on the streets and via social media.

Local residents in Gwa and Thandwe demonstrated against the new Tatmadaw government on Monday, with anti-coups protests spreading to Taungup, Manaung and Ann the following day.

“We will continue our protest as long as we are not detained,” said Gwa resident U Nyan Tun Min.

But arrests have indeed begun; not long after he posted a message on Facebook praising the protesters and encouraging them to press on with their pro-democracy efforts, former Arakan State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu was detained.

Manaung Township has proven to be a relative hotbed of the civil disobedience movement in Arakan State, with protests there on February 6 resulting in charges against two participants under the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law.

A lawsuit was brought against U Win Naing and U Kyaw Swe on Thursday under Section 19 of the law for failing to give advance notice of the protest.

“The duo is detained at the police station,” said U Zaw Win Myint, clerk of the Manaung Myoma police station, who opened the case against the two men.

Family members have expressed concern for their well-being, but police told the families the pair will be sent back home after interrogation, according to Ko Maung Tin Hlaing, a relative of U Kyaw Swe.

Eight other people including Ma Khin Htate Htar Hlaing and Ko Han Min Soe were taken to the police station after participating in the Manaung protest over the weekend, and were told to sign a pledge forswearing further protest without first seeking prior permission from authorities.

“There will be protests until the dictatorship is overthrown and [democratically elected] leaders are released. We have to continue protests until detained students and politicians are released and despots are doomed,” said Ma Khin Htate Htar Hlaing.

Farther north, police in Ann Township arrested seven anti-coup protesters on Tuesday and charged them under the Natural Disaster Management Law and Peaceful Assembly Law.

During another demonstration against the junta on Thursday in Manaung, police ordered protestors to disperse and blocked roads, prohibiting them from continuing their march.