Do not doubt for one moment that it was easy to defy the military junta and stand in front of armed soldiers, who in the past had not hesitated to shoot down unarmed protesters. The hope is that this movement will grow and will reach out to the organized working class. But this will take time. It may well be a case of “two steps forward, one step back.”
After the spectacular anti-coup protests in late May, the junta systematically arrested and detained key pro-democracy activists, forcing them to promise not to engage in politics. The military made it clear that any further activities would result in jail sentences handed down via military courts. Some of those who were detained have been indicted with lèse-majesté charges that carry long prison sentences. Others were tortured into making confessions.