In a symbolic slap in the face for the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development, U Ohn Myint, more than 1,000 residents of a Magway Region township have held a protest march to call for his resignation.
In an outburst captured on video and released to the media, U Ohn Myint responded to the request by telling Thityarkaut village residents that he was “…brave enough to slap anyone in the face.”
Warning that he would ensure that anyone who criticized the government was jailed, U Ohn Myint added: “I ruled people by holding guns. I don’t take notice of anyone. Today some foolish people are saying there is no development in this country. Don’t believe what they are saying.”
A former commander of the Northern Region Command in Myitkyina, U Ohn Myint warned the villagers not to “question my benevolence … or I will do nothing for you.”
U Ohn Myint returned to Thityarkaut village on February 4 to explain his behavior but residents said he did not apologize.
The February 10 protest march was led by Ko Myat Ko, who said it was intended to show the government that the people would no longer tolerate “dicatatorial” behavior.
The demonstrators displayed posters, including one calling for the minister’s immediate resignation and another which read: ‘Say NO to the minister who would slap the people’.
They also chanted slogans, including ‘We don’t want Union Minister U Ohn Myint who would flap his longyi at the citizens’, and ‘We don’t want Union Minister U Ohn Myint who would slap the citizens’.
