Myanmar protesters reunited with families
The Hindu
Over 8,000 were arrested after coup
Newly released anti-coup protesters in Myanmar were reunited with their families outside a Yangon prison on Tuesday in tearful scenes on the second day of a junta amnesty as international pressure mounts on the regime.
The Southeast Asian country has been in chaos since a coup in February, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group.
On Monday, the military said it would free more than 5,000 people to mark the three-day Buddhist Thadingyut festival, sending anxious families rushing to prisons, joyful at the prospect of reunions after months apart. “I’ve missed you so much,” said a mother, who wept over her newly released son. “I’m so proud of you.”