YANGON: A call for a general strike on Monday by demonstrators in Myanmar protesting against the military coup has been met by the ruling junta with a thinly veiled threat to use lethal force, raising the possibility of major clashes.
Civil Disobedience Movement on Sunday calls for a general strike, asking people to gather together for the Five Twos — referring to the digits in Monday’s date — to make a “Spring Revolution.”
Later, the state television carried a public announcement from the junta, formally called the State Administration Council, warning against the general strike. “It is found that the protesters have raised their incitement towards riot and anarchy mob on the day of 22 February,” it said.
“Protesters are now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youths, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life,” it said in an English language text shown onscreen.
Another part of the statement blamed protesters whose numbers allegedly included criminal gangs for violence at demonstrations, with the result that “the security force members had to fire back.” Three protesters have been shot dead so far.
The protest movement has embraced nonviolence and only occasionally gotten into shoving matches with police and thrown bottles at them when provoked.
Earlier on Sunday, trucks took the streets of Yangon blaring announcements that people should not attend protests Monday and must honor a ban on gatherings of five or more people.
Many social media postings ahead of the scheduled nightly 1 a.m. cutoff of internet access service said security forces had set up roadblocks at strategic points in the city, including bridges and on streets leading to foreign embassies.
The ominous signs of potential conflict drew attention outside Myanmar, with the U.S. reiterating that it stood with the people of Myanmar. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would take firm action against those who perpetrate violence against the people of Burma.
“We call on the military to stop violence, release all those unjustly detained, cease attacks on journalists and activists, and respect the will of the people,” spokesman Ned Price said on Twitter.
