Myanmar junta blocks internet access as coup protests expand

Myanmar's new military authorities appeared to have cut most access to Internet on Saturday as y faced a rising tide of protest over ir coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's elected civilian government. Numerous internet users ted a slow disappearance of services, especially from mobile service providers, that accelerated sharply late Saturday morning.

broband connection also later failed, while re were mixed reports on wher landline telephone service was still working.

Netblocks, a London-based service that tracks internet disruptions and shutdowns, said Saturday afteron that “a near-total internet shutdown is w in effect" in Myanmar, with connectivity falling to just 16% of rmal levels.

bro out followed Friday's government order to block Twitter and Instagram that said some people were trying to use platforms to spre what it deemed fake news. Facebook h alrey been blocked earlier in week — though t completely effectively.

communication blocks are a stark reminder of progress Myanmar is in danger of losing after Monday's coup plunged nation back under direct military rule after a nearly dece-long move toward greater openness and democracy.

During Myanmar's previous five deces of military rule, country was internationally isolated and communication with outside world strictly controlled.

Suu Kyi's five years as leer since 2015 h been Myanmar's most democratic period despite military retaining bro powers over government, continued use of repressive colonial-era laws and persecution of mirity Rohingya Muslims.

blocks are also ding greater urgency to efforts to resist coup, with Saturday seeing some of largest street protests against takeover. In what appeared to be main one, about 1,000 protesters — factory workers and students prominent among m — marched Saturday morning down a main street in Yangon, country's biggest city, and were met by more than 100 police in riot gear.

Members of crowd shouted “Military dictatorship should fall” and “Down with dictatorship.”

y marched with ir hands in air, formed into three-fingered salutes, a symbol of defiance opted from protesters in neighboring Thailand, who borrowed gesture from “Hunger Games” movie franchise. demonstration ended peacefully with clashes reported. It dispersed around time communications were cut, and it was unclear if marchers later regrouped.

Teler Myanmar, a major mobile operator, confirmed it h received Friday's order to block Twitter and Instagram. In a statement, Twitter said it was deeply concerned” about order and vowed to “vocate to end destructive government-led shutdowns.

“It undermines public conversation and rights of people to make ir voices heard,” its spokesperson said.

Since coup, social media platforms have been major sources of independent news as well as organising tools for protests.For fourth night Friday, those opposed to coup and arrests of activists and politicians that have accompanied gared at windows and on balconies around Yangon to make a cacophony of ise in protest.Earlier Friday, nearly 300 elected lawmakers from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party declared mselves as sole legitimate representatives of people and asked for international recognition as country's government.

y were supposed to take ir seats Monday in a new session of Parliament following vember elections when military anunced it was taking power for a year. military accused Suu Kyi and her party of failing to act on its complaints that last vember's election was marred by fraud, though election commission said it h found evidence to support claims.In New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged Friday that United Nations will do everything it can to unite international community and create conditions for military coup in Myanmar to be reversed.

He told a news conference it is “absolutely essential” to carry out Security Council's calls for a return to democracy, respect for results of vember elections, and release of all people detained by military, “which means reversal of coup that took place.”

Guterres said Christine Schraner Burgener, UN special envoy for Myanmar, h a first contact with military since coup and expressed UN's strong opposition to takeover.In dition to 134 officials and lawmakers who were detained in coup, some 18 independent activists were also held, said Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Myanmar, which ded that some have been released.

office of Australia's foreign minister said in a statement Saturday that government was deeply concerned about reports of Australian and or foreign nationals being detained arbitrarily in Myanmar.

statement said government was concerned in particular about one Australian who was detained at a police station. statement did t provide details on identities of those being held or reasons for ir detention.

On Friday, Suu Kyi's senior aide, Win Htein, was picked up in Mayangone township.

Suu Kyi and President Win Myint are also under house arrest and have been charged with mir offenses, seen by many as merely providing a legal veneer for ir detention. Suu Kyi was described by her party as being in good health.