Myanmar military blocks Facebook after coup
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The reading
The Tatmadaw, the military junta that overthrew Myanmar's government on February the 1st, has blocked access to Facebook. The Ministry of Communications issued a statement saying Facebook would be halted in order to maintain "stability". The social media giant is used by a majority of the population and the Tatmadaw sees it as a threat to its rule. In the days after the coup, a civil disobedience page that emerged on Facebook attracted over 200,000 followers. Human Rights Watch Asia said: "The Tatmadaw sees Facebook as its Internet nemesis because it's the dominant communication channel in the country and has been hostile to the military." A Twitter user said it was, "a ban on the Internet".
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The Tatmadaw seized power from Myanmar's democratically elected civilian government. It immediately declared a yearlong state of emergency. The coup took place after days of tension between the military and the government. The Tatmadaw refused to accept the results of November's national election, alleging massive voter fraud. It has arrested former Minister of Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now being held in detention at an undisclosed location. Authorities filed charges against her for allegedly illegally importing six unregistered walkie-talkie radios. The military also arrested former president Win Myint. He is being charged with violating coronavirus containment measures during the election.
Sources:
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-facebook-focus/facebook-faces-a-reckoning-in-myanmar-after-blocked-by-military-idUSKBN2A42RY
- https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/03/myanmar-orders-telecom-networks-to-temporarily-block-facebook/
- https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/myanmar-military-blocks-access-facebook-resistance-coup-grows
