Man Blows Himself Up to Protest Myanmar Dictatorship

On Tuesday, a man blew himself up in protest against the dictatorship implanted in Myanmar since the coup led by General Min Aung Hlain carried out on February 1, 2021.

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"We will not return to the past, we will not return to fear," wrote Ko Aung Aung, who set himself on fire in Kyaukpadaung town, near Mandalay City. He survived the burns but was taken to hospital in critical condition. He died a few hours later.

This electrical worker's desperate action happened on the day when millions of Burmese defied the Military Junta through a "silence strike", which took place from 10 am to 4 pm local time and whose purpose was to show the citizen rejection of the regime by leaving the streets without people or traffic.

"Once again, the brave people of Burma have shown that peaceful silent strikes are much more powerful than the acts of terrorism against the population carried out by the genocidal military junta," said Dr. Sasa, spokesman for the Government of National Unity (NUG).

The threats from the military did not stop the silence strike. Although most businesses opened their doors to comply with the orders of the dictatorship, people did not go to those establishments.

"They forced local sellers to sign a paper in which they promised to open. A futile effort so that the strike failed because there are no buyers. The streets are dead," said Hein, a 25-year-old resident of Mandalay.

Last week, the Myanmar dictators threatened sedition charges against those who engage in acts of peaceful dissent such as sit-ins, mass applause in public, or making noise by banging pots. At the end of the strike day, however, citizens will bang pots.