Myanmar protesters wear flowers to mark Suu Kyi’s birthday

YANGON: Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar donned flowers in their hair on Saturday to mark the birthday of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest and is due to face court again next week.

Suu Kyi’s elected government was overthrown in a February 1 coup that sparked mass protests and renewed clashes between the military and ethnic rebel armies in border regions.

Flowers tucked into a bun have long been a signature look of Suu Kyi, who turned 76 on Saturday.

Many replicated the floral hairstyle and uploaded pictures onto social media across Myanmar for the occasion.

Among them was Myanmar Miss Universe beauty queen Thuzar Wint Lwin, who wore red flowers in her hair and wrote: “May our leader be healthy.”

In commercial capital Yangon, protesters put up posters on power lines wishing Suu Kyi a happy birthday and expressing solidarity.

“Happy Birthday Mother Suu. We are right behind you,” the signs read.

Some marched with black umbrellas and banners that read “freedom from fear” alongside pictures of Suu Kyi.

In the border region of Karen state, some rebel soldiers were photographed holding their guns and yellow, white and purple posies, as well as single flowers tucked behind their ears.

Demonstrators in the southeastern city of Dawei made a giant pink birthday cake and took it to their street protest.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner’s international reputation was damaged after she defended Myanmar’s military over allegations of genocide against the ethnic-minority Rohingya population in troubled Rakhine state in 2017.