[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282938__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"282938","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/282938","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282938__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282938__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282938__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003E(Mandalay)\u00a0- On October 28, the National League for Democracy (NLD) held a rally in the form of a late afternoon songfest on the outskirts of Mandalay. About ten thousand people attended the event, which was held in an area of entertainment complexes southeast of the city center.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-left embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--left\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/26457\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/burma2.jpg?itok=xvNpLt4U 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/burma2.jpg?itok=Zv6MJsUM 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/burma2.jpg?itok=Zv6MJsUM\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022638\u0022 alt=\u0022NLD supporters climb a tree to see the rally in Mandalay on October 28.\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ENLD supporters climb a tree to see the rally in Mandalay on October 28.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2015 Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003EStarting from early in the day, youth and other NLD activists had been helping organize party enthusiasts to attend: distributing red and gold party T-shirts, headbands, flags, and face-stickers \u2013 all emblazoned with the NLD peacock symbol or images of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003EOther party supporters who opted not to attend also picked up NLD paraphernalia. Many of them gathered in pro-NLD tea shops around town, watching the gathering on TV while served by waiters and waitresses wearing the distinctive red and gold tops. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003ESome gathered at tea shops near a pagoda dominated by Buddhist monks of the Ma Ba Tha movement, whose leadership has attempted to play on racist sentiments in Burma by accusing the NLD of being sympathetic to Muslims in Burma. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003EThe multi-religious crowd at the rally was boisterous, comprised of many full families with babies, toddlers, and other children in tow or on their parent\u0027s shoulder. The crowd often swayed and sang along in unison as the onstage celebrities belted out familiar Burmese and Western melodies. They chanted NLD slogans loudly in reaction to prompts from the performers.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003EThere was no sign of interference from the authorities or hostility from opponents to the NLD, and any overt security force presence appeared miniscule. Observation among the crowd on the periphery of the event found only three uniformed police officers, and only one of whom had a pistol holster \u2013 empty.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003EThis picture of seemingly unfettered freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom however is belied by chats with veteran activists in Mandalay, from the NLD and other groups. They point to legislation that gives the military-backed government the power to greatly restrict peaceful gatherings whenever it wants. They add that the NLD, confident of its popular support but worried about the possible reaction of the army and police, is limiting campaign activities to avoid providing any sort of pretext for a crackdown. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022docs-internal-guid-d03ac85d-ca22-877c-57bb-bc19a0c0e065\u0022\u003ENon-NLD activists also assert the party is very worried about being associated with Muslim communities and some social movements in Mandalay, whose rights and causes it is failing to defend in what they maintain is the NLD leadership\u0027s quest for acceptability to the political, military, and economic powers-that-be, both on the political stage and behind the scenes.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u00a0\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]