Myanmar: Anti-coup demonstrators promise increased turnout after overnight raids
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Locals and anti-coup demonstrators are now taking on a musical flavour to raise their voices against the military coup
Following overnight raids in the properties of officials supporting the ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, anti-coup demonstrators have vowed big turnouts on the streets on Sunday.
The National League for Democracy party confirmed that some officials were raided and arrested overnight. "It's true that in some townships NLD officials were arrested. But we do not know exactly how many persons were taken or arrested," Soe Win, a party official, told the news agency AFP.
NLD MP Sithu Maung also took to social media platform Facebook to report that the Myanmar army went to the party's information officer U Maung Maung's house to search for him, but could not find him there.
He also alleged that "U Maung Maung’s brother was beaten by police and soldiers and his body was held in an upside-down position while he was tortured because there was no one to arrest," the MP's Facebook post read.
The overnight raids have come days after Myanmar witnessed one of the deadliest days so far since the military coup and detainment of the civilian leader, Suu Kyi.
As per a report by the UN, Wednesday was labelled as the deadliest day when at least 38 people were, reportedly, gunned down by the security forces while trying to stop the demonstrators from protesting 'íllegally'. It was also reported that more than 1,700 people have been detained, with the actual number predictably being believed to be higher.
While the Myanmar army is trying to tackle the growing crowd of demonstrators on the streets, locals and anti-coup demonstrators are now taking on a musical flavour to raise their voices against the military coup.
In Yangon's North Okkalapa township, demonstrators can be seen with guitarists, drummers and singers performing revolutionary songs while wearing t-shirts with the face of Aung San Suu Kyi and messages in support of her.
Meanwhile, another situation is building on the border shared by Myanmar and India where Myanmar locals are trying to cross the border.
Around 30 Myanmar police and their family members came across the border seeking refuge in recent days, as the military junta's suppression of protesters has turned increasingly violent, with dozens killed since the February 1 coup.
Myanmar authorities have urged India to return the police officers who have already fled across the border.
"In order to uphold friendly relations between the two neighbour countries, you are kindly requested to detain 8 Myanmar police personnel who had arrived to Indian territories and hand-over to Myanmar," the letter sent to a senior official in Mizoram by Myanmar's Falam district read, as per Reuters.