Protests in Myanmar against the military coup that put Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in power has increased in recent days despite official efforts to make its organization difficult or even illegal. Here’s a look at who is organizing the protests and the obstacles they face:
IS PROTESTS ALLOWED?
It was a gray area for days after the February 1 coup, which also saw a state of emergency. But with protests growing and spreading in recent days, the military issued decrees on Monday effectively banning peaceful public protests in the country’s two largest cities.
Gatherings and gatherings of more than five people, along with motorized processions, have been banned and a curfew from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM has been instituted for the Yangon and Mandalay areas, where thousands of people have demonstrated since Saturday.
The restrictions have raised concerns about the possibility of violent action.
WHO LEADS THE PROTESTS?
The protests have largely grown organically.
“This movement is leaderless – people take to the streets in their own way and at their own will,” said Thinzar Shunlei Yi, a prominent activist.
Activist groups, professional working groups, trade unions and individuals across Myanmar are all opposed to the coup, as is Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.
Shortly after reverting to direct military rule – which Myanmar continued for five decades until 2012 – a Facebook page entitled “Civil Disobedience Movement” began calling for peaceful protests. The page now has more than 230,000 followers and the hashtags associated with it are widely used by Twitter users in Myanmar.
Health workers also began a protest campaign, wearing red ribbons, holding signs, and urging other medical personnel not to work in state-run health facilities.
During the street protests over the weekend, the presence of unions, student groups and other groups of professions was as diverse as park rangers and book printers.
Inhabitants of Yangon have expressed their views by hitting pots and pans across town at night.
WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS?
One of the biggest challenges for protesters has been the military’s attempts to block communications.
Authorities first went after Facebook – which has more than 22 million users in Myanmar, or 40% of the population – but people just moved to other platforms like Twitter.
During the rounds, copies were made of security protocol information sheets, some of which were originally from Hong Kong, with instructions on how to encrypt communications and how to stay safe during protests.
On weekends, the military temporarily stopped Internet access and some telephone services. Protesters quickly adapted, with some even using phones registered in neighboring Thailand.
“Even when the internet was completely shut down for 24 hours on Saturday, people within Myanmar were able to communicate via phone and text,” said Clare Hammond, a senior campaigner for the rights group Global Witness.
For some who lack phone service or Internet access during power outages, word of mouth and simply a historical precedent has brought them to protest sites, many of which are the same as in previous uprisings against military rule.
WILL THE PROTESTS CONTINUE?
So far, protesters seem undaunted, even with the new restrictions on demonstrations.
Nonetheless, some are concerned that the military is laying the groundwork for a crackdown like the one that ended protest movements in 2007 and 1988.
Linda Lakhdhir, a legal counsel at Human Right Watch, said the military could try to use the violation of military decrees and other laws already in force as justification for a crackdown.
“They may be terrible, offensive, draconian laws, but the military will justify (using them) if they obey the law,” she said.
Authorities fired water cannons and rubber bullets in some protests on Tuesday, adding to tensions.