Myanmar okays protests

Myanmar’s military-dominated parliament has passed a bill allowing citizens to protest peacefully, a lawmaker said on Thursday — the latest in a rapid series of reformist moves in the isolated country.

Myanmar’s military-dominated parliament has passed a bill allowing citizens to protest peacefully, a lawmaker said on Thursday — the latest in a rapid series of reformist moves in the isolated country.

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The bill, which needs to be signed off by President Thein Sein to become law, requires demonstrators to “inform the authorities five days in advance,” said upper house member Aye Maung, of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.

Protesters would be allowed to hold flags and party symbols but must avoid government buildings, schools, hospitals and embassies, he said.