Mawlamyine, April (14)
Most places in Mon State’s Mawlamyine were eerily quiet and deserted on the first day of Thingyan, which is organized by the military council, the locals told Than Lwin Times.
The military council built central pavilions and entertainment pavilions in various townships to celebrate Thingyan Festival with huge crowds, and opening ceremonies were held on the eve of Thingyan Festival.
But the people did not come to the pavilions of the military council, there were only children splashing water on each other in some neighborhoods and streets.
At the pavilions of the military council, only the departmental staff and military-supporters came to celebrate the festival, and the people did not participate in them.
A local resident said, “Seeing the people’s non-participation in the Thingyan Festival held by the junta shows that the people will never accept the military regime. People don’t celebrate those events, although the junta holds seasonal festivals”.
The military council built a central pavilion, entertainment pavilions, and water-throwing pavilions along Mawlamyine’s Kanna Road to attract more people to the Thingyan Festival at a cost of hundreds of thousands of kyats, but the people are not willing to participate in it.
On the other hand, the junta has beefed up security around the Thingyan pavilions and blocked some roads and streets.
On April 13, on the eve of Thingyan, at least five people were killed when a bomb went off at a Thingyan pavilion near Yan Aung Pagoda in Lashio, Shan State.
The revolutionary forces said that the military council’s Thingyan Festival was just a fake and urged people not to participate in the events and stay away from the regime members.
News – Than Lwin Times
Photo: TLT