Soldiers arrested 11 people in Mandalay on Tuesday after residents banged pots and pans to protest a military massacre of men and boys in Sagaing Region earlier the same day.
The troops arrived at the city’s Mingone ward in Mahar Aungmyay Township at around 10:30pm and arrested three women–a mother and her two daughters–and eight men, according to four locals who spoke to Myanmar Now.
Noise protests started across Myanmar immediately after the February 1 coup then died down, but some people resumed the practice after junta forces reportedly killed five protestors in Yangon on Sunday. The Salingyi massacre led to more noise demos.
A man who would like to remain anonymous for his security said one of those arrested was Tin Myo Aung, the owner of the local Mya Ayeyar restaurant, where people took part in the noise protest at around 8pm.
“They banged pots and pans and yelled chants while the people in the neighbourhood cheered for them,” he said. “Then, at around 10:30pm the soldiers raided the ward. A flash grenade was used and two gunshots were fired.”
He added: “I think there were 10 civilian vehicles and a jail vehicle. The personnel were armed to the teeth. They brought along a military informant on a motorcycle who had a list of names and photos.”
Two other locals said soldiers checked house guest lists until past midnight and threatened members of some households and banged on their doors when they weren’t allowed in.
A man who lives in Mahar Aungmye said the mother who was detained was a relative of his named Hnin Marlar Win. Her daughters are two university students named Aye Nyein Thuzar and Myint Myat Thuzar.
The detained other men who were detained are: Thant Zin Oo, 41, Khine Soe Min, 38, Than Htoo Zaw, 31, Htet Aung Phyo, aged 27, Aung Paing Soe, 25, Nay Tun Lin, 24, and 20-year-old Zaw Lin Tun.
Hnin Marlar Win and her daughters were detained on the basis of photos of the protest posted online, the man said.
“We started banging pots and pans again after the incident in Salingyi where innocent people were burned to death. So many people from our neighborhood have joined the movement,” said the man.
“We haven’t banged pots and pans for quite a while as the whole thing started to get cold. The incident basically thawed people’s emotions,” he added.
All 11 detainees were being held at the No. 7 Police Station in Mahar Aungmye. Their family members have been allowed to send them food but unable to meet them in person, said a friend of Thant Zin Oo.
“They didn’t use brute force during the arrests. They just said that they needed to come with them for some questioning. They didn’t do anything wrong except bang pots and pans,” the friend said.
Calls to the No. 7 Police Station seeking comment went unanswered.
Anti-junta protests have continued in one form or another in Myanmar’s urban hubs despite months of murderous crackdowns. On Sunday junta forces rammed a vehicle into a group of demonstrators in Yangon’s Kyimyindine Township, killing five.
Eight men and three women were also arrested during the incident.
