Vancouver-based voice for Rohingya expressing concern as Myanmar embroiled in military coup
Posted February 6, 2021 1:17 pm.
Last Updated February 6, 2021 1:23 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A leading global voice for the Rohingya people of Myanmar — which finds itself engulfed in a military coup — is calling on people in Canada to learn more about the situation.
Less than a year ago, Yasmin Ullah sat in the Hague as the International Court of Justice ruled that Aung San Suu Kyi’s government was obligated to protect her people, the Rohingya.
Today that government remains locked up as part of this month’s military coup.
Myanmar’s new military authorities appeared to have cut most access to the internet on Saturday as they faced a rising tide of protest over their coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected civilian government.
RELATED: Myanmar junta shuts Twitter and Instagram to curb protests
Ullah says while she is able to get some information about what’s happening on the ground, the military’s control is tightening.
“People used to try actually to access internet through VPN network and the military has found a way actually to block that as well,” she explains.
Numerous internet users noted a slow disappearance of data services, especially from mobile service providers, that accelerated sharply late Saturday morning.
Broadband connection also later failed, while there were mixed reports on whether landline telephone service and mobile voice connections were still working.
Netblocks, a London-based service that tracks internet disruptions and shutdowns, said Saturday afternoon that “a near-total internet shutdown is now in effect” in Myanmar, with connectivity falling to just 16 per cent of normal levels.
Now, Ullah watches from Vancouver as that same government has been overthrown, and the military general accused of spearheading the crackdown on her people starting in 2017 now takes control of the country.
“There is a lot of fear around internet shutdowns. There has already been several attempts of internet banned and weakening of the internet network.”
And with civilian leaders, including Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi now detained by the military, she says she would like to see more action in Canada — and not just from Ottawa.
“Looking at this issue and educating yourself about it would be priority number one because there is a lot of complexity but it’s also quite straightforward.”
Ullah is calling on Canadians to reach out to their elected officials here to generate action beyond “condemnation.”
“One last thing is to pray for these people,” she adds.
