Myanmar resistance steadfast against army rule 2 years later

By GRANT PECK and JERRY HARMER
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — The prospects for peace in Myanmar, much less a return to democracy, seem dimmer than ever two years after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. On Wednesday, legions of opponents of military rule heeded a call by protest organizers to stay home in what they termed a “silent strike” to show their strength and solidarity. Small peaceful protests are an almost-daily occurrence throughout the country. But experts say that violence, especially in the countryside, has reached the level of a civil war on the anniversary of the Feb. 1, 2021, seizure of power by the army. At the same time, the grassroots movement opposing military rule has defied expectations by largely holding off the ruling generals.