Myanmar’s Military Denied It’s a Coup & Will Hand Back Power After a New Election

By
Rachel Leong
-

What has been dubbed as “The Myanmar Crisis” continues to plague the nation. The country has remained embroiled in unrest, tensions, and anger since the military seized power on 1 Feb.

Despite tough international pressure and widespread global criticisms, the Myanmar military has denied the ousting of the elected government as being a coup. It has also condemned protestors for rousing violence and threatening civil servants.

It has justified its takeover as necessary due to unaddressed electoral fraud in the November 2020 election, in which Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League of Democracy (NLD), won by a landslide. This substantiation comes after days of continued protests and a warning from the United Nations.

Furthermore, the military has promised to hand back power after a new election. Though it has not stated an exact date for this new election, it has imposed a one-year long state of emergency.

“Our objective is to hold an election and hand power to the winning party,” said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the ruling council, at the military’s first news conference since its takeover.

Aung San Suu Kyi Slapped With A Second Charge

The raid of 1 Feb saw Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures of the NLD detained. Aung San Suu Kyi was then charged for breaching import and export laws and for possession of illegal communication devices after walkie-talkies were found in her home.

But that’s not all: Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged yet again.

She now faces a second charge by the military, this time for violating the country’s disaster management law.

Khin Maung Zaw, Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, told AFP Tuesday that “she was charged under section 8 of the Export and Import law and section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management law as well.”

Deposed president Win Myint, who was also arrested on 1 Feb, has been charged under the disaster law as well. In his case, his charge was related to a campaign event that, according to the military, broke Covid-related restrictions.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s second charge has drawn international outcries of criticism, particularly from the US and Britain.

Protesters Continue Demonstrations, Staying Undeterred

The domestic situation in Myanmar remains unstable, and angered civilians have taken to the streets ever since the military junta seized power.

In the two weeks since the 1 Feb raid, citizens residing in both big cities and rural villages alike have conducted open protests.

The Myanmar military has responded to these protests in a heavy-handed manner. Security forces have been using increasingly aggressive measures to quell large nationwide street protests, and have also implemented a disobedience campaign encouraging civil servants to fight back.

Troops have spread out throughout the country, and are making use of rubber bullets, tear gas, and even slingshots.

Yet, protesters have remained steadfast in the face of harsh military crackdowns. Crowds regathered in Yangon and in other parts of the country on Tuesday (16 Feb).

Train drivers have also joined the anti-coup effort, putting a halt to the military’s attempts to restart the national railway network after Covid-19 ravaged Myanmar’s transportation systems.

“I want more people to join the protests, we don’t want to be seen as weak,” said university student Thwe Ei Sann.

Myanmar’s youths have taken to actively demonstrating, especially online. Myanmar nationals in other countries have also joined in on the anti-coup effort from afar, and Myanmar civilians are seeing a strong bout of international support from governments around the world.

Featured Image: Chaiwat Subprasom / Shutterstock.com

Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:

Read Also:

Advertisements
 
Rachel Leong
Email: [email protected]