Myanmar Journal: The possibility of indefinite internet blackout

Copies of the 2008 constitution are burnt during a demonstration by protesters against the military coup in Yangon’s South Okkalapa township on April 1, 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP)

April 1 – While the likelihood looms of an indefinite and total internet disconnection, which would push the nation into a total electronic communication blackout, Myanmar’s information ministry has ordered an indefinite ban on internet service provision, leaving FTTH fiber as the only remaining path to the World Wide Web.

(Daily round-up of the latest events in Myanmar by ThaiPBS World correspondent David Tun.)

Meanwhile, Facebook has announced a new safety feature, which allows users to lock their profiles. When locked, non-friends will not be able to enlarge, share or download the high-resolution profile or cover photos or see photos and posts, old or new, on the user’s timeline.

As April began, the Defence Services office announced that the military will suspend all operations for one month, except for instances where security peace negotiations with ethnic armed forces and continued political dialogue over all parties joining the National Ceasefire Act, as well as to celebrate the traditional New Year Thingyan festival in April.

Some people believe that, as more ethnic armed forces join the resistance and reject the junta’s nationwide operations to crackdown on dissent, the military’s funding is drying up.

The CRPH announced the official abolishment of the 2008 constitution and presented the first draft of a new one. Anti-coup protesters in Yangon responded by burning flags and copies of the constitution. While South Korean bank Shinhan has closed its doors temporarily, after one of its staff was shot by security forces.

In Kachin state, the Kachin Independence Army announced that it has successfully launched offensive operations against military camps and a police station. While, in Kayin State, the battles continue in both conflict zones and in residential areas. In Kawkareik, a military patrol was doing its rounds, when someone following on a motorbike lobbed a hand grenade at them, killing a policeman and injuring two soldiers.

The state-owned MRTV reported on a jade auction in Nay Pyi Taw, organized by the military. The images show most people not wearing facemasks. More footage, broadcast later, showed coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and other officials masked.

The AAPP reports that the confirmed death toll since February 1^st is now 543.

Myanmar Report: Fueling the fear and division, it all began with the internet cuts

Digital communication has become a key factor in the anti-coup movement in Myanmar, using social media applications, from the most popular platforms like Facebook to more secure messaging apps. It was, initially, a game of cat and mouse. The military government would ban social media apps, so the people used VPNs.