‘We stand with the people’: US State Department on Myanmar protest ban

The United States on Monday said its requests to meet deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi were denied as the State Department voiced solidarity with the people of Myanmar over protest ban.

Myanmar’s military leadership has banned people from gathering in groups of more than five and imposed a nighttime curfew in areas including parts of the largest city Yangon.

“We stand with the people of Burma and support their right to assemble peacefully, including to protest peacefully in support of the democratically elected government,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said, using Myanmar’s former name.

“We are of course very concerned about the military’s recent announcement restricting public gatherings,” he added.

New junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing, in his first televised speech since taking over a week ago, promised a lighter touch than the last military regime with eventual new elections.

Also read: ‘Voter fraud’: Myanmar coup chief’s justification for power grab

“It’s a non-starter,” Price said of the general’s promises. “We’ve been very clear where we stand. We stand with the duly elected representatives of the people of Burma.”

Price said the United States has not been able to speak to Aung San Suu Kyi, the top civilian leader and Nobel laureate who was arrested.

“We made an effort to reach out to Aung San Suu Kyi. We did that both informally and formally,” Price said.

“Those requests,” he said, “were denied.”

He also called on China, the historic partner of Myanmar’s military, to join major democracies in condemning the coup.

President Joe Biden has threatened new sanctions against Myanmar unless the military regime relinquishes power.