Myanmar Army detains Suu Kyi, other leaders in early morning coup

GUWAHATI: The army in Myanmar today took into custody the ruling Nation League for Democracy (NLD) state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other senior leaders in an early morning sweep and declared that the army has taken control of the country for a year.

Declaring a state of emergency in the country, the army said power has been handed over to commander-in-chief of the armed forces Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, a military-owned television channel said.

The coup against the government of Nobel laureate Suu Kyi came following allegations of fraud in the general election in November last year, in which the NLD won registered a landslide victory. The army confirmed the coup was due to “election fraud”.

ALSO READ: UP police files FIR against journalist Siddharth Varadarajan for tweet on farmer death

The coup follows weeks of tension between the civilian government and the military over the election outcome.

 The parliament was scheduled to sit today for the first time after the elections. After the NLD swept the November polls to renew Suu Kyi’s lease on power with a fresh five-year term, the military had claimed to have uncovered over 10 million instances of voter fraud.

It demanded the election commission release voter lists for cross-checking – which the commission has not done.

The army had earlier ruled the country for about five decades before Myanmar’s transition to democracy after Suu Kyi won the 2015 election.

Communications networks in Myanmar have been restricted with most of the mobile phone networks snapped. NetBlocks, a non government organisation that tracks internet shutdowns, reported disruptions to web connections in Myanmar. Phones in the capital Naypyidaw were also unreachable.

The NGO said the Myanmar state media MRTV was having technical snags and was unable to broadcast.

Senior General Hlaing’s comments last week that the country’s 2008 constitution could be “revoked” under certain circumstances had prompted alarm from foreign missions and the United Nations.

The last time Myanmar’s constitution repealed was in 1988 – when the military seized power and reinstated a junta government.

Daughter of Myanmar‘s independence hero General Aung San, Suu Kyi was once regarded as a beacon for human rights – a principled activist who gave up her freedom to challenge the ruthless army generals who ruled Myanmar for decades.

She was in detention for nearly 15 years between 1989 and 2010. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, while under house arrest, and was hailed as “an outstanding example of the power of the powerless.”

Her reputation was, however, tarnished in recent years, by the violent campaign against the Rohingya minorities.

The White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the arrest of Suu Kyi.

“The United States opposes any attempt to alter the outcome of recent elections or impede Myanmar’s democratic transition, and will take action against those responsible if these steps are not reversed,” spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken is also stated to have called on Myanmar’s military leaders to release Suu Kyi and other officials.