Source - Times of India
Myanmar's junta cut the nation's internet and deployed extra troops around the country on Monday as it intensified a crackdown on anti-coup protests, but defiant demonstrators again took to the streets. The military has steadily escalated efforts to quell an uprising against their seizure of power two weeks ago, which saw civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi detained along with hundreds, including members of her democratically elected government. Extra troops were seen in key locations of Yangon, the nation's commercial hub and biggest city, including armoured personnel carriers near the central bank.
Hundreds of engineering and technology students protested in a northern district of the city, according to an AFP journalist. There was a fresh rally in the southern city of Dawei too, a verified live stream on Facebook showed, with hundreds of protesters accompanied by a marching band. Some carried banners against the military that read: "They kill in day. They steal at night. They lie on TV."
A journalist at the scene said it was unclear whether police had used rubber bullets or live rounds. Local media outlets said at least five journalists monitoring the protest were detained and published pictures of some people wounded in the incident. A joint statement from the US, British and European Union ambassadors urged security forces not to harm civilians.
Striking workers who spearheaded the campaign are among at least 400 people to have been detained since the coup, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group. Fear of arrest did not deter big crowds from returning to streets around the country for a ninth straight day of street protests on Sunday.
The country's new military leadership has so far been unmoved by a torrent of international condemnation. The junta insists it took power lawfully and has instructed journalists in the country not to refer to it as a government that took power in a coup.