Myanmar’s anti-regime protests in many cities have continued on Tuesday despite intensified crackdowns, detentions and raids over the previous days.
On Monday night, after the 8pm curfew, thousands of protesters took to the streets in many Yangon townships. People left their homes after news spread that hundreds of young protesters had to hide in strangers’ homes in Sanchaung after the security forces began rounding people up after Monday’s protests.
The news of potential raids and hundreds of detentions in Sanchaung spread quickly on social media.
Thousands of people took to the streets in many townships to show solidarity with protesters in Sanchaung. The US, UK, Canada and United Nations diplomatic missions immediately issued statements condemning the security forces for blocking streets to prevent demonstrators returning home.
Earlier, the security forces announced that they would search every home to hunt down protesters and told residents to hand over anyone they were sheltering.
After the nighttime protests started elsewhere in Yangon and the diplomatic community condemned the regime’s response, the security forces only searched a few homes. Most protesters managed to escape on Tuesday morning with residents’ help.
Around 50 protesters who had been hiding were reportedly detained during the night.
A protester, who hid overnight in Sanchaung, told The Irrawaddy this morning that she and her friends were trapped after soldiers and police blocked exit routes from the township after a crackdown on their protest near the corner of Kyuntaw and Bargayar streets at midnight.
In Lanmadaw, central Yangon, residents reported that soldiers arrested at least 25 male residents in the township at around 1am. Lanmadaw vigilantes stopped a carload of strangers in the neighborhood wearing civilian clothes during the curfew and found weapons in the car. The men, who were soon released by the residents, said they were military personnel. Residents claimed the captured soldiers returned later, raided homes and seized residents.
More arrests and raids
In Nyaungdon Township, Ayeyarwady Region, two women and five men were detained in a crackdown on Tuesday, a resident told The Irrawaddy. The security forces used rubber bullets to disperse protesters. On Monday, at least 15 protesters were detained in Ayeyarwady Region.
Two civilians were injured and several others detained when police and military personnel clamped down on anti-regime protests in Mohnyin, Kachin State, at around 10am on Tuesday. A man was hit in his arm by a live bullet and a woman was injured by at least three rubber bullets.
A Tanintharyi Region news outlet reported that at least 50 student protesters and some residents who hid them in Myeik Township were detained.
In Hakha Township, Chin State, a charity clinic opened by doctors who had joined the civil disobedience movement was raided at around 11:30am and a doctor was detained, according to the Hakha Post.
In Ye Township, Mon State, an ethnic Kayin protest was broken up with three young Karen protesters detained and others injured, Myanmar Now reported.
At least 2,000 people have been detained by the regime since the Feb. 1 coup, including elected leaders, lawmakers, election officials, protesters and civil servants who joined the civil disobedience movement.
Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said on Monday that protests had been staged in more than 200 townships and 29 men and five women had died due to security forces’ response to “rioters” while operating legally.
The military regime said riot police had not been ordered to use live ammunition to control crowds.
The media has counted at least 60 deaths since mid-February with many victims shot in the head.
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