Donning face masks and red ribbons on their medical gowns, the medical staff at Yangon General Hospital in Myanmar posed with three-finger salutes as a gesture of resistance after Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted in a military coup recently.
But why? What is the significance behind the salute?
IMAGE: Gizmodo
The salute is a simple one. Three fingers pointing upwards. It stems from the popular Hunger Games films, based on the books by young adult genre author, Suzanne Collins.
In the Hunger Games universe, the main character, Katniss Everdeen uses the salute as a symbol of revolution and rebellion against totalitarian rule.
IMAGE: Syracuse
In recent times, the symbol has been adopted by Asian countries such as Thailand and now Myanmar to protest against authoritarian rule.
The salute first got picked up in Thailand, shortly after a military coup in 2014. It got banned that same year but Thai protestors persisted and the symbol is very much alive and well in 2021.
2020 protests in Thailand. IMAGE: NBC News
The three-finger salute is now spreading in Myanmar to resist the military coup that ousted democratically elected members of the government.
IMAGE: The New York Times
Following the coup, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will also be tried by the new military government for treason which could lead to the death penalty as an outcome.
It's hard to say what's going to happen next but on February 2, 2021, the people of Myanmar took to the streets, clattering pots and pans to protest the military coup.
IMAGE: South China Morning Post
People in Yangon chanted “evil be gone” and banged on metal pots in a traditional gesture to drive away bad karma.
Regardless of whether they're banging on pots and pans or holding up three fingers, one thing is for sure, they want freedom from military rule.
Read more about Myanmar:
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Oblivious Myanmar woman does aerobics as military organizes coup behind her
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Cover image sourced from The New York Times
