Hundreds of Myanmar Defy Army and Demonstrate Against Coup

Hundreds of teachers and students have demonstrated against the coup at a university in Myanmar. Protesters chanted “Long live Mother Suu”, a reference to Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrested political leader.

They also waved flags that had the red colour of the National League for Democracy (NLD) of the Nobel Prize winner.

About 200 people had come to the protest at Dagon University in Yangon. “As a civilian, I absolutely cannot accept this military coup,” said a teacher. “We must oppose this dictatorship.” Campaigners also made a gesture of raising three fingers.

That greeting could also be seen at protests in Thailand and comes from the book and film series The Hunger Games.

Civilians also defied the coup plotters in the capital Naypyidaw. Dozens of ministry employees posed for group photos wearing red ribbons. Meanwhile, the military rulers also arrested a close associate of Suu Kyi, her 79-year-old right-hand man Win Htein. He is said to have been arrested at his daughter’s house.

The army seized power early this week, just before parliament was due to meet. Suu Kyi’s NLD party would dominate that parliament. In last year’s elections, it defeated a political party affiliated with the military. The military then complained that fraud had been committed.