Military Takeover in Myanmar

2nd February 2021

Some have called the takeover a coup (Getty Images).

The Claim

Under the alleged authority of Myanmar’s constitution, the military has removed top lawmakers from their positions and declared a one-year period of emergency.

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Emerging story

Outcry was drawn from many observers as Myanmar (also known to some as Burma) descended into a state of national emergency amidst a military takeover. Internet and television broadcasting went down in several major cities as leaders of the National League for Democracy were detained.

Amongst the politicians and officials forcibly removed from office was Aung San Suu Kyi, a woman who has been alternatively praised for standing up against the overbearing presence of the military in Myanmar’s governance, and criticized for failing to stop the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims.

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar’s investigation found that Myanmar’s military has justified their actions by claiming that fraud in the major election last November, as well as the government’s subsequent failure to take action on this matter, left them with no choice but to intervene. The exact act invoked states that “acts or attempts to take over the sovereignty of the Union by wrongful forcible means” was the trigger for intervention.

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The election in question was subject to harsh criticism from other nations and international committees, since it excluded certain ethnic groups from voting. Amongst these groups were Rohingya Muslims, who are currently being severely persecuted in Myanmar. In total, 1.5 million people were prevented from voting in the election.

In essence, the nominal reasoning of the military takeover was to save democracy, but very few are buying this excuse. The decades of military rule prior to the establishment of a democratic system have left many suspicious of this takeover, to say the least. Foreign leaders such as U.S. President Joe Biden have threatened Myanmar with sanctions for performing what many abroad have seen as a thinly veiled coup.