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Fort Wayne Burmese Community Protests Myanmar Military Coup

ELLA ABBOTT
/
WBOI
Protesters stand at the intersection of South Clinton and Berry Streets holding signs in support of Myanmar's civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday February 3, 2021.

A large group of Fort Wayne’s Burmese community joined together today to protest the military coup in Myanmar, formerly Burma, that took place earlier this week.

The group lined up along the sidewalk in front of the Allen County Courthouse Green, waving the flags of Myanmar and the National League for Democracy, or NLD, and holding signs in support of Aung San Suu Kyi. Organizers handed out red masks with the NLD’s iconography on them.

Credit Ella Abbott / WBOI News
/
WBOI News

The military has claimed election fraud in Myanmar’s November election and detained Suu Kyi on Monday. Since then, Suu Kyi has encouraged her supporters to protest the coup.

Minn Nantin is one of the organizers for the demonstration in Fort Wayne. She said this is the first step in getting the military to hear the voices of the Burmese community around the world.

“We will continue to raise our voice until they release all our leaders and restore democracy in Burma.”

In the next step, community leaders have drafted letters to be sent to federal representatives in the House and Senate, including Senator Todd Young and 3rd District Congressman Jim Banks (R-Columbia City).

Ella Abbott is a multimedia reporter for 89.1 WBOI. She is a strong believer in the ways audio storytelling can engage an audience and create a sensory experience.
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