Myanmar military amends rules for more crackdown

Amid continuing protests in Myanmar, the military government has stepped up efforts to control the movement by assuming vast powers for arrests and detention and show of strength by moving armoured vehicles on roads.

Armoured vehicles were seen on the roads of Yangon on Sunday even as protests continued in the town. The American Embassy issued an advisory to its people asking them to stay at home as there are indications of military movement and possibility of telecom interruption between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time.

As part of the continuing Civil Disobedience Movement, trains in parts of the country stopped running after staff refused to work, reports Reuters. Hundreds of Railway workers joined demonstrations in Yangon on Sunday, defying orders from the Army Chief Gen. Hlaing asking government employees to go back to work. In Kachin state army was deployed at power plants to control electricity supply which was opposed by workers leading to confrontation.

The Myanmar military Tatmadaw issued arrest warrants against seven well known artists and democracy activists accusing them of inciting people against the government and disturbing public peace. It includes singer Linn Linn, Insein Aung Soe, the director of Bayda Institute for a Just Society Myo Yan Naung Thein, presenter Maung Maung Aye and Facebook celebrity Ei Pencilo. According to the organisation tracking political prisoners in Myanmar AAPP, till now 360 people supporting  the protests are under arrest or detention in Myanmar.