Protests continue in Myanmar

Amid continuing protests in Myanmar, the military government has stepped up efforts to control the movement by assuming vast powers for arrests and detention and show of strength by moving armoured vehicles on roads. 

Armoured vehicles were seen on the roads of Yangon on Sunday even as protests continued in the town. The American Embassy issued an advisory to its people asking them to stay at home as there are indications of military movement and possibility of telecom interruption between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time. 

As part of the continuing Civil Disobedience Movement, trains in parts of the country stopped running after staff refused to work, reports Reuters. Hundreds of Railway workers joined demonstrations in Yangon on Sunday, defying orders from the Army Chief Gen. Hlaing asking government employees to go back to work. In Kachin state army was deployed at power plants to control electricity supply which was opposed by workers leading to confrontation.

The Myanmar military Tatmadaw issued arrest warrants against seven well known artists and democracy activists accusing them of inciting people against the government and



disturbing public peace. It includes singer Linn Linn, Insein Aung Soe, the director of Bayda Institute for a Just Society Myo Yan Naung Thein, presenter Maung Maung Aye and Facebook celebrity Ei Pencilo. 

According to the organisation tracking political prisoners in Myanmar, till now 360 people supporting  the protests are under arrest or detention in Myanmar.

The military government also announced a series of amendments to the constitution giving it sweeping powers to search houses and arrest people without warrant. The highest decision making body of the Myanmar military government State Administration Council headed by Gen Min Aung Hlaing enacted a law under which authorities  can enter residential premises of people without warrant and detain them for upto 24 hours without orders from court.

The military government also notified another amendment on the official website on Sunday according to which the people will be required to report if any guest from other wards stays overnight at their homes. This law was abolished earlier under the government headed by deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.