World News: Protests Continue in Myanmar Two Months After Coup

Since a successful military coup in Myanmar on Feb. 1, protestors have been arrested, killed, and trade with the Asian nation suspended. Few American outlets are covering the story.

Summary

Protests demanding the reinstatement of the detained Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi’s government continued through the Easter weekend, with six people killed.

• The military shut off all access to wireless and mobile networks last Friday, cutting most civilians off from news and communications outside of Myanmar.
• Reports indicate people who previously spoke with CNN had been taken into custody by Myanmar police.
• Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from their facilities in Myanmar.
• The latest round of protests took advantage of Easter Sunday, using eggs painted with “phrases and imagery” relevant to the protests.

• CNN covered the arrest of Myanmar citizens who spoke to them and local news blackout, who agreed with a non-profit group saying “there is no longer a free press.”
• The New York Times detailed the horrifying numbers of the more than 500 people killed since the coup, including more than 40 children.
• The Guardian ran a Reuters wire report describing the Easter Sunday protests, which also noted dozens of celebrities with arrest warrants in Myanmar for speaking out against the military coup.

• The Wall Street Journal reported on the United States suspending a trade agreement with Myanmar as a result of the coup and subsequent violence, while the editorial board encouraged the U.S. to continue standing with protestors.
• The latest report from Daily Caller covered the suspension of trade between the United States and Myanmar, quoting the U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai “We support the people of Burma’s efforts to restore a democratically elected government, which has been the foundation of Burma’s growth and reform.”
• Most other right-leaning outlets have either not covered the latest in the coup and protests, or like DailyMail, ran wire reports from Associated Press, Reuters, or Agence France-Presse.

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© Dallas Gerber, 2021