Pans, Candles, and Three-Finger Salutes: Burma's Civil Disobedience Campaigns Go Live

various civil disobedience movements against the military coup in Burma.

Candles at six in the morning; a crash of pots and pans at eight in the evening. At least in some parts of Rangoon (Yangon), that was how the Civil Disobedience Campaign began. 

In a series of early morning raids on February 1, the Burmese Army detained dozens of NLD (National League for Democracy) leaders, student activists, and known government critics, signaling the beginning of a coup d'etat. The next day, posts like these appeared on Facebook, calling for people to strike their kitchenware -- the brassier the better -- "to drive out the evil spirits." 

This viral meme urges people to light candles in their windows or along the verandahs from six to seven in the morning. The text reads: The light that won't acknowledge the unlawful coup.

There are also memes showing ink-stained pinkies, symbolizing the people's votes that brought victory to NLD in the 2020 General Election. (Voters' pinkies were dipped in ink to prevent duplicate voting.)

Others adopted District 12's three-finger salute from The Hunger Games, reproducing the gesture in selfies and profile photos on social media. This was the same symbol used by the dissidents in neighboring Thailand to protest against their own military rule, which began in 2014.

Nan Khin Zay Yar, the 2012 Miss Myanmar, posted on her profile: I'm an artist. I'm not a civil servant, but I stand in solidarity with the teachers, doctors, and those joining the Civil Disobedience Campaign. 

Photo-journalist Lynn Bobo wrote:  Although I am not a government employee, I am posting this to show my respects and supports to all the health workers and other civil servants who peacefully take part in the Civil Disobedience movement and oppose the illegal coup which is happening in Myanmar. I also want our elected legitimate government and democracy as like the majority of Myanmar people.

Others have written the same message on Facebook, only slightly changing the template to match their own professions.

These social-media driven campaigns, somewhat hastily organized, appeared to have been inspired by a letter supposedly penned by Suu Kyi herself in advance, and posted to her official NLD Facebook page after her arrest by the NLD spokesperson U Win Htein.

Could these acts of defiance be sustained for weeks, for months, or, if it becomes necessary, for years, to keep the pressure on the Burmese Army? 

Soon after the takeover, the military-run Myawaddy TV channel announced the state of emergency will last for one year. But history and precedence cast doubt on the Burmese Army's promise of a brief military rule. 

General Ne Win's coup in 1962 led to an authoritarian rule that lasted until 1988. It ended after a bloody student uprising, only to be followed by more coups, all the way up to Thein Sein's quasi-civilian rule in 2011. 

A return to decades of suffocating military rule is the Burmese people's darkest nightmare. The flickering candle lights and cacophonous pots and pans are fueled by the people's hope that the latest political struggle may be short-lived. 

As I am a Biochemistry student at University of Yangon, I strongly stand with civil servants doing Civil Disobedience.We want our civilian government as we voted.We respect Law.We want Justice and Fair Executive System.#savemyanmar#CivilDisobedience #Myanmar pic.twitter.com/PJNXxhW2EM

— Ei Yadanar (@SumeetK83346223) February 2, 2021

I am a second year from ''History major''student at the Dagon University

We will stand with the brothers and sisters of the senior health workers who are creating civil disobedience.#civil_disobedience#stay_at_home_movement#save_myanmar#AungSanSuuKyi#We_need_democracy🇲🇲 pic.twitter.com/fsiAjoty5b

— 𝑯𝒏𝒊𝒏🖤 (@HninThanDarAun6) February 2, 2021

This is how we're against unlawful Military coup by beating steel & iron pots and honking the car horns in Yangon!!!!#civil_disobedience#Save_Myanmar #Reject_the_Military pic.twitter.com/MOvWcAxC2w

— 🇲🇲 Save Myanmar 🇲🇲 (@Byun_Sori6104) February 2, 2021

Posted by Nobel Aung on Wednesday, February 3, 2021