UN Special Rapporteur: More Than 160 People Detained By Myanmar's Military Junta

Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters protest. (Wikimedia Commons / Syced)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) special rapporteur for Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, asked the UN to seriously support the struggle of the Myanmar people because the generals of the Myanmar military junta tried to stifle the people's resistance.

Andrews also assessed that the Myanmar military junta is trying to cut off relations between the outside world and Myanmar by cutting off almost all internet access so that the outside world remains in darkness with the real conditions in Myanmar.

"More than 160 people have been detained by the Myanmar military since taking power. We must all support the Myanmar people in times of danger and need. They deserve anything", he told Reuters.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people rallied across Myanmar on Sunday to denounce last week's coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in the biggest protests since the 2007 Saffron Revolution that helped lead to democratic reforms.

On the second day of widespread protests, crowds in the largest city, Yangon, wore red shirts, red flags, and red balloons, the colors of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) Party.

“We don't want a military dictatorship! We want democracy!", cried the protester.

A line of police armed with riot shields set up barricades but they did not try to stop the demonstration. Some demonstrators reward the police with flowers.

Protesters salute with three fingers that have become a symbol of protest against the coup. The driver honked and the passenger held up a photo of Suu Kyi.

“We don't want dictatorships for the next generation. We will not finish this revolution until we make history. We will fight until the end", said one of the protesters, Thaw Zin, 21.

The UN staff's internal records estimate that 1.000 people demonstrated in Naypyidaw, while in Yangon the number reached 60.000. Protests also took place in Mandalay and other cities in the Land of the Thousand Pagodas.

Demonstrations were largely peaceful, unlike the bloody crackdowns that took place in 1998 and 2007. This is consistent with the message of the Archbishop of Myanmar Cardinal Charles Maung Bo. He asked the public not to use violence and remain calm in voicing opposition to Myanmar's military coup earlier this week.

“I urge each of you to remain calm, never to become victims of violence. Even at this most challenging time, I believe that peace is the only way. There are always non-violent ways to express our protest", said Cardinal Charles Maung Bo last week.