Myanmar military blocks Facebook for sake of ‘stability’ after coup

April Roach @aprilroach284 February 2021

Myanmar’s new military government has blocked access to Facebook as calls grow for the country’s residents to protest the detainment of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Officials said they were blocking access to the social media platform for the sake of “stability”.

Facebook is particularly popular in Myanmar and was often used by the ousted government to make announcements.

Mobile service provider Telenor Myanmar confirmed in a statement that mobile operators and internet service providers in Myanmar had received a directive from the communications ministry to temporarily block the social media platform.

A Facebook spokesperson said: “Telecom providers in Myanmar have been ordered to temporarily block Facebook.

“We urge authorities to restore connectivity so that people in Myanmar can communicate with family and friends and access important information.”

It comes after the military announced on Monday that it was taking control of the country for a year and the nation’s top leader, Ms Suu Kyi, had been detained.

Myanmar Coup: In Pictures

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The military, known as the Tatmadaw, alleged massive voting fraud in the election, though it has failed to provide proof. The state Union Election Commission last week rejected its allegations.

Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party urged Myanmar's people to oppose the military take-over and any return to "military dictatorship".

Residents in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, engaged in “noise protests” on Wednesday evening with people banging pots and pans and honking car horns under the cover of darkness.

The NLD party said Ms Suu Kyi is being charged with possessing illegally imported walkie-talkies that were found in her house in the capital Naypyitaw. The communication devices are believed to be used by her bodyguards.

The charge carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominica Raab today demanded the release of Ms Suu Kyi.

He said: “We condemn the detention and charges against Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected officials.

“They must be released immediately and have charges removed. There must be no backsliding from democracy. The UK is consulting with international partners on next steps.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for international leaders to unite in efforts to ensure the coup fails.

He told the Washington Post that although there was no unity in the UN Security Council on the issue “we will 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 was “absolutely unacceptable to reverse the result of the elections and the will of the people”.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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