JAKARTA - Citizens across Myanmar vowed to take part in a "silent strike" on Friday, with many businesses and shops announcing they would close, planning to stay at home with the aim of closing entire cities in a symbol of their rejection of military rule.
To coincide with Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10, the strike is a deliberate attempt by the Myanmar people to oppose the military regime, making it clear they have no authority to regulate people's lives and activities.
A slogan linked to the strike stated: "We own our city. Stay active or be silent is our choice. They [regimes] will absolutely never be allowed to rule," citing The Irrawaddy December 9.
The Homalin People's Administration team in Sagaing Region, formed by anti-regime protesters said in a statement on Wednesday they were urging local residents to join the strike.
"On Friday, as the world reaffirms its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights for all, the people of Myanmar will continue to face the maelstrom of repression and human rights atrocities by the junta, which is accused of crimes against humanity. Therefore, a silent strike planned on that day to demonstrate the continued resistance of the Myanmar people to the junta," the statement read.
Meanwhile, general strike committees, as well as student unions and local public administration groups across the country, have urged the public to stay indoors and businesses closed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, to show solidarity with the silent strike.
"Silent voices are the loudest. Through strikes, we will show that we have not let our blood run cold (and become complacent), that human rights have been extinguished (at the hands of the junta), and we will remember our heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in revolution," said Tayzar San, a prominent protest leader from Mandalay.
The military regime's latest act of brutality, ramming a vehicle into a group of protesters in Yangon on Sunday and burning villagers to death in Salingyi, Sagaing County on Tuesday, has sparked outrage and sent calls for a strike to go viral, both online and online. word of mouth in the marketplace and among vendors.
Many business and shop owners, as well as online sellers and vendors, said on Wednesday and Thursday they would take time off on Friday, while others said they would stay home to participate in the strike.
Not only that, activists and other civilians are also planning to hold a 'Black Campaign' on this day, where they will post photos of themselves wearing black clothes and saluting the three fingers of resistance.
In response, military regime forces reportedly issued threats against vendors in the Magwe Region, warning them to open their stalls.
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To note, the military seized power from the democratically elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 and established the so-called governing body, the Council for State Administration.
Struggling to rule the country in the face of public resistance, the regime has in recent months stepped up its crackdown on opponents of its rule.
According to the Aid Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) data, regime forces have killed at least 1.318 civilians and arrested about 10,700 people over the past 10 months.
Regarding the Myanmar Coup. VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continued to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.
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