Ethnic, LGBT groups take to streets to protest against Myanmar military junta

The ethnic and LGBTQ groups of Myanmar on Saturday came out on the streets to protest against the military junta for overthrowing the democratically elected government.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, members of the LGBTQ community are among the most visible participants in the continuing protests against the coup leaders, expressing their opposition in creative ways, using costumes.

"There are some people who don't like NLD (National League for Democracy) but we're not talking about the NLD," said Salai Mon Boi, a youth leader from the Chin minority.

He further informed that the Saturday's protest, which fell on Chin National Day, was focused on four demands: getting rid of the Constitution, ending dictatorship, a federal system and the release of all leaders, Al Jazeera said.

On Friday, a woman died after being shot in the head last week during an anti-coup protest in Myanmar's capital.

Mya Thweh Thweh Khine, who was 20 years old, is the first known casualty of pro-democracy protests that have been going on since the military's seizure of power on February 1.

Her death sparked calls for an investigation into the use of force by the military's security forces.

Since the shooting, Mya Thweh Thweh Khine has become a symbol of the protests, which have intensified over the past two weeks. Illustrations of her image were seen on signs and banners as protesters called for the military to hand back power to civilian control and for the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected officials, reported CNN.

Moreover, public anger at the coup has intensified in recent days, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets in towns, cities and villages across the country.

The coup has been condemned globally; the UK and Canada had imposed sanctions on three generals from Myanmar's junta.

The United States has sanctioned 10 individuals and three entities for their association with the military apparatus responsible for the coup in Myanmar.

Myanmar is under a state of emergency for one year, after the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing, seized power over alleged voter fraud in the November 2020 elections. That poll gave civilian leader Suu Kyi's NLD a landslide victory and a second term in power.

( With inputs from ANI )