“I’m a minority
from Rakhine state. I’ve
faced discrimination
all my life,” says this
28- year- old research
consultant. “We need
a new federal system
that gives real power
to ethnic minorities.
That’s what I’m protest-
ing for.” The consultant
was photographed at a
demonstration where
people burned copies
of Myanmar’s 2008
constitution, which
gave the military sig-
nificant political power.In Myanmar’s
largest city, members
of the LGBTQ com-
munity gathered to
protest the recent
military coup. The
leading civilian party
had won a Nov ember
2020 parliamentary
election; the military
disputed the results.
On February 1, just
before the new par-
liament was to be
seated, the military
seized control. Tens of
thousands of people
took to the streets.Yangon, Myanmar PHOTOGRAPHS BY YU YU MYINT THAN
Photographer Yu Yu
Myint Than super-
imposed portraits
of protesters over
images from the
protests. Although
more than a thou-
sand people have
been killed by the
junta, resistance to
the regime continues.
“Rather than being
scared, I’m angry,”
says this 30-year-old
businessperson and
activist (at left), who
is not being identified
for their safety.