NAYPYIDAW – The streets of Myanmar on Wednesday (1/2) weren’t business as usual. So calm. Only a few passers-by. The vehicles are also quiet. The stores are closed. Residents were asked to stay at home. They followed calls from pro-democracy activists. Namely, a silent strike to commemorate the two years of the military coup in the country.

“This action was taken to prove that the people do not accept the fraudulent elections which are being planned by the military,” said a Facebook post by Burmese activist Tayzar San, quoted by the BBC.

The elections should have taken place this year. The population wanted to return to the civil administration. However, the military junta said the country was facing an unusual situation. Residents also began to doubt the holding of elections. On the other hand, the airstrikes against those who tried to resist became more and more brutal.

Another activist, Thinzar Shunlei Yi, said the action was also a form of respect for the heroes who died fighting the military junta. This action is also a message that the military should not run Myanmar. Resistance in suburban areas continues to this day.

According to data from the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners, more than 2,900 people were killed by the army to suppress opposition groups. Since the coup, around 1.5 million people have fled, 40,000 homes have been burned down, 8 million children are out of school and 15 million people are in dire need of food.

Meanwhile, alongside the action, the UK, US, Canada and Australia imposed the latest sanctions on companies associated with Myanmar’s military. The UK, for example, targets companies that supply aviation fuel to the military. Indeed, the fuel supply allows the military to fly planes to carry out air strikes.

“These sanctions aim to reduce military access to finance, fuel, weapons and other equipment,” said James Cleverly, British Foreign Secretary. (sha/c19/hud)