Myanmar military rulers block Facebook for stability sake

Myanmar’s military rulers have blocked access to Facebook, days after they overthrew the democratic government.

Reports said the social media platform which for many in Myanmar is the only access to the internet, would be blocked for the sake of “stability“.

Facebook has become a key rallying point for opposition to Monday’s coup.

In further civil disobedience, lawmakers are refusing to leave their compound in the capital, and more pot-banging was seen in Yangon.

The Ministry of Communications and Information said access to Facebook would be blocked until 7 February. However, it was still reported to be accessible sporadically.

Anthony Aung, who runs a tour agency in Yangon, the main city, said at one point he still had access to the site through WiFi but not cellular data.

He said “people around me are all rushing to download alternative apps and VPN” which means virtual private networks which allow users to get round internet restrictions.

Hours later, Mr Aung said Facebook had stopped working completely.

Half of Myanmar’s 53 million people use Facebook and activists have set up page to co-ordinate opposition to the coup.

The company allows its app to be used without data costs in Myanmar as a way of avoiding expensive telecoms data charges.

The social media giant acknowledged the disruption, saying “we urge authorities to restore connectivity so that people in Myanmar can communicate with their families and friends and access important information”.

Telecoms company Telenor Myanmar, which is part of the Norwegian Telenor Group, said it would comply with the order to block Facebook, but suggested in a statement that this breached human rights law.

Street demonstration

Reports from Myanmar’s second city, Mandalay, say there was a small demonstration and some arrests.

In the main city, Yangon, residents banged cooking pots for a second night running in a sign of protest.

At least 70 lawmakers are refusing to leave a government guest house in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and have declared what they are calling a new parliamentary session, reports said.

The MPs belong to the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi – the elected civilian leader overthrown and then arrested in the coup. The military filed charges against her and the deposed President Win Myint on Wednesday.

The lawmakers are among hundreds who were confined by the military to guest houses before being told they were free to leave.

The streets are for the most part calm with no sign of major protest and a curfew in force.

However, hospitals have seen protests. Many medics have either stopped work, or continued while wearing symbols of defiance to oppose the suppression of Myanmar’s short-lived democracy.

António Guterres, the UN secretary general, has meanwhile called for constitutional order to be re-established in Myanmar also known as Burma. He said he hoped there would be unity in the Security Council on the matter.

“We’ll do everything we can to mobilise all the key actors of the international community to put enough pressure on Myanmar to make sure that this coup fails,” he said.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable to reverse the result of the elections and the will of the people.

“I hope that it’ll be possible to make the military in Myanmar understand that this is not the way to rule the country and this is not the way to move forward.”

Western countries have condemned the coup unreservedly, but efforts at the Security Council to reach a common position failed as China dissented. China is one of five permanent members with a right of veto in the council.

Beijing has long played a role of protecting the country from international scrutiny, and has warned since the coup that sanctions or international pressure will only make things worse.

Alongside Russia, it has repeatedly protected Myanmar from criticism at the UN over the military crackdown on the Muslim minority Rohingya population.

 

Olusola Akintonde/BBC