Table of Contents
FEB 1, 2021
Myanmar’s military staged a coup on Monday, detaining de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi (who led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to a landslide win in the 2020 elections) and declaring it had taken control of the country for one year under a state of emergency. (Through TV Broadcast)
FEB 1, 2021
President Win Myint has also been detained.
WHAT IS THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND?
- Mobile internet data connections have been disrupted in major cities.
- The state broadcaster MRTV says it is having technical issues and is off air.
- Communications with Nay Pyi Taw are down.
- In Yangon, phone lines and internet connectivity is limited.
- International Broadcasters are blocked while local stations are off air.
- Banks have temporarily halted all financial services.
MILITARY QUESTIONING ELECTIONS
- The reason: the military says the November 2020 general election was full of “irregularities” , and has maintained that the results are therefore not valid.
- It is questioning the authenticity of some 9 million votes cast in the election. Military gave a deadline of 1 Feb to UEC to prove elections were fair.
- {United Elections Commission-UEC}
ARMY CHIEF SPEECH 27 JAN
Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the Tatmadaw, or the Myanmar military, “needs to abide by the Constitution” , which is the “mother of the law” .
THE MILITARY’S CONSTITUTION
- Drafted by the Military in 2008. Military reserved for itself 25 per cent of seats in both Houses of Parliament, to which it appoints serving military officials. NLD had boycotted the 2010 elections that were held under the Constitution.
- Its (Military’s) share of seats fell further this time because of the NLD’s sweep. The UEC has said it had found no evidence of any voting malpractice or fraud. It has said that each vote was “counted transparently and witnessed by election candidates, election staff, the media, observers and other civil society organizations”.
REACTION BEFORE THE COUP
- United States embassy and diplomatic missions of 15 other countries and the European Union in Yangon to issue a joint statement “oppos[ing] any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmar’s democratic transition” .
- Note: India and China were not among the signatories.
- “We affirm our support for Myanmar’s democratic transition and efforts to promote peace, human rights, and development in the country. We look forward to the peaceful convening of the Parliament on February 1 and the election of the President and speakers. Once again, we congratulate the people of Myanmar on their historic participation in the country’s recent general election. We urge the military, and all other parties in the country, to adhere to democratic norms, and we oppose any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmar’s democratic transition. We support all those who work toward greater democratic freedoms, lasting peace, and inclusive prosperity for the people of Myanmar.”
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