Tens of thousands of people in ethnic-dominated states in Myanmar have taken to the streets to join protesters in major cities across the country in opposing the military coup that has put an abrupt end to Myanmar’s fragile experiment with democracy.

The Irrawaddy reported that residents in Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Rakhine, Mon and Shan States have joined anti-coup nationwide rallies since early this week.

While their basic demand has been the formation of a federate state, the ethnic groups are now pursuing the same demand as in Burman-dominated areas, according to the Irrawaddy.

It said they are calling for the military to step down, release ousted State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other politicians belonging to the National League for Democracy (NLD), restore power to an elected government and abolish the 2008 military-drafted constitution.

In Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in northern Myanmar, thousands of people have joined protests against the coup despite the fact that most of them had previously criticized the NLD-led government’s failure to amend the constitution and address ethnic rights.

Many of the protesters in those states dressed in their own ethnic attire and heldflags representing each ethnic group, shouting “We want democracy” and “Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint!”

In Kachin state’s capital Myitkyina, protesters also expressed their desire for a new charter. A young Kachin woman activist, who is leading the anti-coup protests in Myitkyina told The Irrawaddy: “Rejecting the military coup is a matter for the future of our country, so I am actively involved in the demonstrations.”

“It is our responsibility to [protest] against the dictatorship…for our future,” she said,

Full story: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmars-ethnic-states-rise-protest-military-coup.html