After many took to Facebook to resist the Tatmadaw’s military takeover of the country, the regime ordered mobile network operators to shut it down. The Burma Army’s newly minted Transportation and Communication minister issued the order on Thursday, February 4.
The ban is release in this Sunday. But some have already bypassed the shutdown on the social media platform, which is very popular in Burma, by using a virtual private network (VPN).
“We condemned the military coup by protesting on our social media. We didn’t commit violence but they banned it so we’ll find other ways,” said Sai Aung, who lives in northern Shan State.
According to the Transport and Communication minister, people were using Facebook to create instability in the country.
“We didn’t go out in the streets to protest,” Khun Myo, from Taunggyi, told SHAN. “We protested from our homes using the internet. But they’re intentionally trying to make us take to the streets. They’re the ones who are creating instability in our country.” If they can’t use Facebook to resist against the military government they’ll use the other social media platforms, he said.
After refusing to accept the National League for Democracy’s (NLD) landslide victory during Burma’s recent election, the Tatmadaw staged a coup d’etat. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s president, Win Myint, were arrested before the first session of Parliament could be held to enshrine the election results.
