Myanmar security forces fire to disperse protest at power plant in Kachin state

Yangon

MYANMAR'S security forces fired to disperse protesters outside a power plant in the northern state of Kachin, footage broadcasted live on Facebook showed, although it was not clear if they were using rubber bullets or live fire.

Hundreds had gathered late on Sunday outside a power plant that soldiers had occupied in the city of Myitkyina. As darkness fell, riot police accompanied by soldiers arrived to drive away the crowds, the footage showed.

The security forces doused the crowds with a water cannon and shots were heard.

"A few minutes ago the Tatmadaw reinforced with military tanks and now they started shooting," said one resident who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, using the Burmese term for the armed forces.

The US embassy in Myanmar had also warned of military troop movements and possible "telecommunications interruptions" in Yangon. "There are indications of military movements in Yangon and the possibility of telecommunications interruptions overnight between 1:00 am and 9:00 am" on Monday morning local time, the US embassy tweeted on its official American Citizen Services account on Sunday night.

These developments come as the military regime warned the public not to harbour fugitive political activists on Sunday after issuing arrest warrants for veteran democracy campaigners supporting massive nationwide anti-coup protests.

Security forces have stepped up arrests of doctors and others joining a civil disobedience movement that has seen huge crowds throng streets in big urban centres and isolated frontier villages alike.

Police are now hunting seven people who have lent vocal support to the protests, including some of the country's most famous democracy activists. AFP, BLOOMBERG