Aung San Suu Kyi will hold her November 1 rally at Thuwanna Pagoda, on the eastern outskirts of Yangon, instead of at People’s Park as originally planned.
She was refused access to the venue, next to Shwedagon Pagoda where she gave her first official political address lambasting the former ruling military junta in 1988.
The request was passed between regional and city authorities before the regional government finally denied it on the basis that it would disrupt traffic, raising safety concerns, the Irrawaddy reported.
Online commentators blasted the decision, speculating that it was made in an attempt to lower the turnout.
“People’s Park is easy to go but Thuwanna Pagoda is not… Anyway, we will go however far it is!” the Myanmar Times quoted one user as saying.
Photo / Aung Naing Soe / Coconuts Yangon
