A
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
began on the morning of 1 February 2021, when
democratically elected members of the country's
ruling party
The ruling party or governing party in a democratic parliamentary or presidential system is the political party or coalition holding a majority of elected positions in a parliament, in the case of parliamentary systems, or holding the executive ...
, the
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy ( my, အမျိုးသား ဒီမိုကရေစီ အဖွဲ့ချုပ်, ; abbr. NLD; Burmese abbr. ဒီချုပ်) is a liberal democratic political party in Myanmar (Burma). It ...
(NLD), were deposed by the
Tatmadaw—Myanmar's military—which then vested power in a
military junta
A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...
. Acting president
Myint Swe proclaimed a year-long
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
and declared power had been transferred to
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services
The commander-in-chief of Defence Services () is the commanding officer of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar. Since a state of emergency was declared following the 2021 military coup d'état, the commander-in-chief has been the highes ...
Min Aung Hlaing
Min Aung Hlaing ( my, မင်းအောင်လှိုင် abbreviated: MAL ; born 3 July 1956) also known as Alaungsithu is a Burmese politician and army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Co ...
. It declared the results of the
November 2020 general election invalid and stated its intent to hold a
new election at the end of the state of emergency.
The coup d'état occurred the day before the
Parliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected at the 2020 election, thereby preventing this from occurring.
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Win Myint
Win Myint ( ; born 8 November 1951) is a Burmese politician who served as the tenth president of Myanmar from 2018 to 2021. He was removed from office in the 2021 Burmese coup d'état. He was the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Myan ...
and
State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2 ...
were detained, along with
ministers, their deputies, and members of
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
.
On 3 February 2021, Win Myint was charged with breaching campaign guidelines and
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
restrictions under section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law. Aung San Suu Kyi was charged with breaching emergency COVID-19 laws and for illegally importing and using radio and communication devices, specifically six
ICOM devices from her security team and a
walkie-talkie, which are restricted in Myanmar and need clearance from military-related agencies before acquisition. Both were
remanded in custody for two weeks. Aung San Suu Kyi received an additional criminal charge for violating the National Disaster Act on 16 February, two additional charges for violating communications laws and an intent to incite public unrest on 1 March and another for violating the official secrets act on 1 April.
, at least 1,719 civilians, including children, have been killed by the junta forces and 9,984 arrested. Three prominent NLD members also died while in police custody in March 2021, and four pro-democracy activists were executed by the junta in July 2022.
Background
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been beset with political instability since it was
granted independence from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
in January 1948. Between 1958 and 1960, the military formed a temporary
caretaker government
A caretaker government is a temporary ''ad hoc'' government that performs some governmental duties and functions in a country until a regular government is elected or formed. Depending on specific practice, it usually consists of either randomly se ...
at the behest of
U Nu, the country's democratically elected prime minister, to resolve political infighting. The military voluntarily restored
civilian government after holding the
1960 Burmese general election. Less than two years later, the military seized power in the
1962 coup, which under the leadership of
Ne Win
Ne Win ( my, နေဝင်း ; 10 July 1910, or 14 or 24 May 1911 – 5 December 2002) was a Burmese politician and military commander who served as Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974, and also President of Burma ...
, precipitated 26 years of
military rule.
In 1988, nationwide protests broke out in the country. Dubbed the
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Uprising ( my, ၈၈၈၈ အရေးအခင်း), also known as the People Power UprisingYawnghwe (1995), pp. 170 and the 1988 Uprising, was a series of nationwide protests, marches, and riots in Burma (present-day Myanmar) th ...
, the civil unrest was sparked by economic mismanagement, leading Ne Win to step down.
In September 1988, the military's top leaders formed the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which then seized power.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of the country's modern founder
Aung San, became a notable pro-democracy activist during this period. In 1990,
free elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...
were allowed by the military, under the assumption that the military enjoyed popular support. Ultimately, the elections resulted in a landslide victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy. However, the military refused to cede power and placed her under house arrest.
The military remained in power for another 22 years until 2011, following the military's
roadmap to democracy, during which the
2008 Constitution of Myanmar was drafted. Between 2011 and 2015, a
tentative democratic transition began, and
elections held in 2015 resulted in a victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy ( my, အမျိုးသား ဒီမိုကရေစီ အဖွဲ့ချုပ်, ; abbr. NLD; Burmese abbr. ဒီချုပ်) is a liberal democratic political party in Myanmar (Burma). It ...
(NLD). However, the military retained substantial power, including the right to appoint of all
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
members.
The 2021 coup occurred in the aftermath of the
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
on 8 November 2020, in which the NLD won 396 out of 476 seats in parliament, an even larger margin of victory than in the 2015 election. The military's proxy party, the
Union Solidarity and Development Party, won only 33 seats.
The army disputed the results, claiming that the vote was fraudulent. The coup attempt had been rumored for several days, prompting statements of concern from Western nations such as the United Kingdom,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
,
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
.
Unfolding of the coup
On 1 February 2021, NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt said that Aung San Suu Kyi, Win Myint,
Han Tha Myint, and other party leaders had been "taken" in an early morning raid. Myo Nyunt added that he expected to be also detained shortly. Numerous communications channels stopped working – phone lines to the capital,
Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw, officially spelled Nay Pyi Taw (; ), is the capital and third-largest city of Myanmar. The city is located at the centre of the Naypyidaw Union Territory. It is unusual among Myanmar's cities, as it is an entirely planned city o ...
, were interrupted, state-run
MRTV
Myanmar Radio and Television ( my, မြန်မာ့အသံနှင့်ရုပ်မြင်သံကြား, abbreviated MRTV), formerly the Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS), is the parent of the state-run Myanmar Radio National ...
said it was unable to broadcast due to "technical issues", and widespread Internet disruptions were reported beginning around 3 a.m. The military disrupted cellular services throughout the country, mirroring "kill switch" tactics previously employed in combat zones in
Chin
The chin is the forward pointed part of the anterior mandible ( mental region) below the lower lip. A fully developed human skull has a chin of between 0.7 cm and 1.1 cm.
Evolution
The presence of a well-developed chin is considered to be one ...
and
Rakhine states. All the member banks under the Myanmar Banking Association suspended their financial services.
Around 400 elected members of parliament (MPs) were placed under house arrest, confined to a government housing complex in Naypyidaw. Following the coup, the NLD arranged for the MPs to remain housed in the complex until 6 February.
Social media users began calling on MPs to convene a parliamentary session within a government guesthouse, since the group met the Constitution's quorum requirements.
In response, the military issued another order giving MPs 24 hours to leave the guesthouse premises.
On 4 February 70 NLD MPs took an
oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Suc ...
, in clear defiance of the coup.
During the coup, soldiers also detained several
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monks who had led the 2007
Saffron Revolution
The Saffron Revolution ( my, ရွှေဝါရောင်တော်လှန်ရေး) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September, and October 2007 in Myanmar. The pr ...
, including the Myawaddy Sayadaw and
Shwe Nyar War Sayadaw, outspoken critics of the military.
8888 Uprising activist leaders, including
Mya Aye, were also arrested. As of 4 February, the
had identified 133 officials and lawmakers and 14 civil society activists in detention by the military as a result of the coup.
Soldiers were seen in Naypyidaw and the largest city,
Yangon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
. The military subsequently announced on military-controlled
Myawaddy TV that it had taken control of the country for one year. A statement signed by acting president
Myint Swe declared that responsibility for "legislation, administration and judiciary" had been transferred to Min Aung Hlaing. The
National Defence and Security Council – chaired by acting president Myint Swe and attended by top military officers – was convened, following which a statement was issued by the military declaring that fresh elections would be held, and that power would only be transferred after they had concluded. The military also announced the removal of 24 ministers and deputies, for whom
11 replacements were named.
February
On 2 February 2021, Min Aung Hlaing established the
State Administration Council, with 11 members, as the executive governing body.
On 3 February 2021, Myanmar police filed criminal charges against Aung San Suu Kyi, accusing her of violating the Export and Import Law, for allegedly importing unlicensed communications devices used by her security detail, after conducting a raid on her home in the capital.
The Export and Import Law carries a potential prison term of 3 years and/or a fine, and was previously used in 2017 to prosecute journalists for flying a drone above the Assembly of the Union.
Meanwhile, Win Myint was charged with violating the Natural Disaster Management Law, specifically for waving at a passing NLD convoy in September 2020, thereby violating rules against election campaigning during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
On 6 February 2021,
Sean Turnell, the Australian economic advisor to the civilian government, was arrested.
On 8 February 2021 and 9 February 2021, the military government issued orders to impose curfew from 8:00pm to 4:00am in Yangon and other major cities and restrict gatherings of 5 or more people in the public spaces.
On 9 February 2021, the NLD's headquarters in Yangon was raided by
Myanmar police. Myanmar military regime distributed a draft for the controversial Cyber Security Law to internet service providers, asking them to provide comments by 15 February 2021. The law was widely criticised by IT communities as it violates human rights by putting citizens under digital surveillance and severely restricting freedom of speech. News of
China's
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones ...
involvement in building the firewall were widely circulated among Myanmar social media users, which prompts protestors to demonstrate outside the Chinese Embassy. China denied the news as rumours.
On 10 February 2021, civil servants at
Kayah State
Kayah State ( my, ကယားပြည်နယ်, formerly Karenni State) is a state of Myanmar. Situated in eastern Myanmar, it is bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and on the south and we ...
protested against the coup, which also included police officers stationed there when they refused orders from their superior to return to work.
On 12 February 2021, at midnight, members of Myanmar's military and police arrested government ministers, election officials, senior members of the NLD, activists, and a former general.
On 13 February 2021, a viral post online showed that the military-run
Ministry of Information (MOI) pressured the press not to use the words "junta" and "regime" in the media in the military's first attempt to restrict the freedom-of-press. The military regime issued an arrest warrant for seven well-known activists and influencers including
Min Ko Naing for using their fame to spread writing and speaking on the social media that would disturb the nation's peace process.
On 15 February 2021, the military deployed armoured vehicles across the cities, in an attempt to silence the demonstrations in the country. Thousands of protestors in different cities across Myanmar had been calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. On 16 February, as protests continued, Aung San Suu Kyi was given a new criminal charge on allegations of violating the country's National Disaster Law.
On 17 February 2021, the military issued arrest warrants on six more celebrities for urging civil servants to join the civil disobedience movement.
On 26 February 2021, the Myanmar ambassador to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
,
Kyaw Moe Tun, condemned the coup by the Tatmadaw. He was sacked from his post the next day. On the same day, a Japanese freelance journalist named Yuki Kitazumi was detained by Myanmar officers at the
Sanchaung township police station, but he was released hours later after Kitazumi explained that he clearly identified himself as a reporter.
Later developments
On 8 March 2021, state-controlled channel MRTV announced that the Ministry of Information revoked the licences for five local media outlets:
Mizzima,
Myanmar Now
Myanmar Now is a news agency based in Myanmar (Burma). Myanmar Now journalists publish bilingual Burmese and English articles on an eponymous online news portal. The agency provides free syndication throughout the country, with a distribution net ...
,
DVB
Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) is a set of international open standards for digital television. DVB standards are maintained by the DVB Project, an international industry consortium, and are published by a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) o ...
,
7 Day News, and Khit Thit Media. The announcement stated that the outlets were prohibited from publishing and broadcasting in any type of media and by using any sort of technology.
On 9 March 2021,
Kyaw Zwar Minn, the Burmese ambassador to the United Kingdom, was recalled after he called for release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
On 18 October 2021, Min Aung Hlaing announced the release of 5,636 prisoners jailed for protesting against the coup. According to the
, more than 7,300 protesters remained imprisoned across the country following the announcement.
On 10 January 2022,
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2 ...
was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison for possessing walkie-talkies in her home and for violating
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
protocols.
On 1 August 2022, Myanmar junta’s extended the state of emergency for another six months, after the leader
Min Aung Hlaing
Min Aung Hlaing ( my, မင်းအောင်လှိုင် abbreviated: MAL ; born 3 July 1956) also known as Alaungsithu is a Burmese politician and army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Co ...
’s request to “serve for an additional 6 months”. The decision was unanimously taken by the junta's
National Defence and Security Council.
Motives
The military's motives for the coup remain unclear. Ostensibly, the military has posited that alleged voter fraud threatened
national sovereignty. A few days before the coup, the civilian-appointed
Union Election Commission had categorically rejected the military's claims of voter fraud, citing the lack of evidence to support the military's claims of 8.6 million irregularities in voter lists across Myanmar's 314 townships.
The coup may have been driven by the military's goal to preserve its central role in Burmese politics. The Defence Services Act imposes a mandatory retirement age of 65 for the Armed Forces' Commander-in-Chief.
Min Aung Hlaing
Min Aung Hlaing ( my, မင်းအောင်လှိုင် abbreviated: MAL ; born 3 July 1956) also known as Alaungsithu is a Burmese politician and army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Co ...
, the incumbent, would have been forced to retire on his 65th birthday in July 2021.
Further, the Constitution empowers solely the President, in consultation with the
National Defence and Security Council, with the authority to appoint Min Aung Hlaing's successor, which could have provided an opportunity for the civilian arm of the government to appoint a more reform-minded military officer as Commander-in-Chief.
Hlaing's lack of power would have exposed him to potential prosecution and accountability for alleged
war crimes during the
Rohingya conflict in various international courts.
Min Aung Hlaing had also hinted a potential entry into politics as a civilian, after his retirement.
The activist group
Justice for Myanmar
Justice For Myanmar (abbreviated JFM) is a covert group of activists campaigning for justice and accountability for the people of Myanmar. Justice for Myanmar's public website launched on 28 April 2020. Since its launch, the group has published a ...
has also noted the significant financial and business interests of Min Aung Hlaing and his family, as a potential motivating factor for the coup.
Min Aung Hlaing oversees two military conglomerates, the
Myanmar Economic Corporation
The Myanmar Economic Corporation ( my, မြန်မာ့စီးပွားရေး ကော်ပိုရေးရှင်း; abbreviated MEC) is one of the two major conglomerates and holding companies operated by the Burmese militar ...
(MEC) and
Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), while his daughter, son, and daughter-in-law have substantial business holdings in the country.
IMF aid
A few days before the coup, the
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...
(IMF) had released in cash loans to the
Central Bank of Myanmar
The Central Bank of Myanmar
(; ; abbreviated CBM) is the central bank of Myanmar (formerly Burma).
Organisation
Its headquarter located in Naypyidaw, and it has branches in Yangon and Mandalay. The Governor is Kyaw Kyaw Maung and three Vi ...
, as part of an emergency aid package, to address the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
The funds came with no conditions, and without any precedent for refunds.
In response to potential concerns regarding proper use of the funds by the military regime, an IMF spokesperson stated "It would be in the interests of the government, and certainly the people of Myanmar that those funds are indeed used accordingly."
The IMF did not directly address any concerns regarding the independence of the Central Bank, given the military's appointment of Than Nyein, an ally, as governor.
On 16 September, the IMF acknowledged it was unable to ascertain whether the military regime was using the funds as intended (i.e., "to tackle COVID and support the most vulnerable people.")
Myanmar's
Ministry of Planning and Finance did not respond to a request for comment on how funds had been appropriated.
A lobbyist for the military junta reported that the junta would like to improve relations with the United States and distance Myanmar from China, believing Myanmar had grown too close to China under Aung San Suu Kyi.
Geopolitical considerations
China is depicted in Western media as having hegemony over Myanmar.
China and
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
vetoed a
United Nations Security Council resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a United Nations resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council (UNSC); the United Nations (UN) body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international pea ...
condemning the coup. China and Russia are reportedly the main suppliers of weapons to the Myanmar Army.
Chinese foreign direct investment in Myanmar totalled $19 billion in 2019, compared with $700 million from the EU.
The ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'' argues that Russia is supportive of the junta in order to sell more arms to them.
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
has been known to supply small arms, drones, patrol boats and spyware to the Myanmar military. On September 27, 2017, Israeli court issued an order banning Israeli arms industries from exporting weapons to Myanmar. Despite the ban order, Myanmar military received training and weapons from Israeli defense companies. Myanmar army officers continued their visits to Israeli arms shows.
The Myanmar military government did not attend the 27 October 2021
East Asia Summit. The United States and
ASEAN
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, milita ...
(chaired by
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
) criticised the junta's treatment of political prisoners, and
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
n Prime Minister
Hun Sen
Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
described Myanmar's decision to skip the summit as "regrettable".
U.S. President Joe Biden stated:
" ��We must address the tragedy caused by the military coup which is increasingly undermining regional stability," and called for the "military regime to end the violence, release all political prisoners and return to the path of democracy."
While ASEAN urged constitutional government, it also officially "reiterated that Myanmar remains a member of the ASEAN family."
Legal basis
The legality of the coup has been questioned by legal scholars, including Melissa Crouch.
The
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is an international human rights non-governmental organization. It is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists—including senior judges, attorneys and academics—who work to develop national and inte ...
found that, by staging a coup, the military had violated Myanmar's constitution, since the alleged election irregularities did not justify the declaration of a state of emergency in comport with the Constitution. Further, the jurists found that the military's actions had violated the fundamental
rule of law
The rule of law is the political philosophy that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers and leaders. The rule of law is defined in the ''Encyclopedia Britannic ...
principle.
The NLD has also rejected the legal basis for the military takeover.
During its announcement of the coup, the military invoked Articles 417 and 418 of the
2008 Constitution as the legal basis for the military takeover. However, Article 417 of the Constitution authorises only a sitting president to declare a state of emergency, following consultation with the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC).
The incumbent civilian president Win Myint had not voluntarily ceded his role; instead, the state of emergency was unconstitutionally declared by vice-president Myint Swe.
During Win Myint's court testimony on 12 October, he revealed that on 1 February before the coup, two senior military generals had attempted to force him to resign, under the guise of "ill health."
The declaration of a state of emergency then transfers legislative, executive, and judicial authority to the Commander-in-Chief per Article 418.
Half of the NDSC's members at the time of the coup were civilians, including the
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
, the civilian-elected
second vice-president, and the speakers of the upper and lower houses, all of whom had been arrested by the military. The military claims that the NDSC was convened, chaired by Min Aung Hlaing, to invoke Articles 417 and 418. However, this session was held in the absence of the civilian members of the NDSC, and it is unclear whether the military had the constitutional authority to reconstitute a session of the NDSC, or to unilaterally declare a state of emergency through a vice-president,
since the Constitution grants the president, who at the time had not voluntarily vacated his role, the sole authority to declare a state of emergency.
On 23 March 2021, during a news conference in Naypyidaw, the Tatmadaw defended the reimposition of the junta and claimed that ousted national leader Aung San Suu Kyi was corrupt, tantamount to
graft. No supporting evidence for these allegations was offered outside of the taped testimony of a former colleague of Kyi,
Phyo Min Thein, who has been detained by the military since the coup began.
Reactions
Domestic
Protests
Civil resistance efforts have emerged within the country, in opposition to the coup, in numerous forms, including acts of civil disobedience, labour strikes, a military boycott campaign, a
pot-banging movement, a red ribbon campaign, public protests, and formal recognition of the election results by elected representatives. The
three-finger salute Three-finger salute may refer to:
*Three-finger salute (Serbian), a salute used by Serbs
*Three-finger salute (Sicilian), a salute used by Sicilian nationalists and separatists
*Three-finger salute (pro-democracy), a gesture originally from the Hun ...
has been widely adopted as a protest symbol, while netizens joined the
Milk Tea Alliance, an online democratic solidarity movement in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
. "Kabar Makyay Bu" (ကမ္ဘာမကျေဘူး), a song that was first popularised as the anthem of the 8888 Uprising, has been revitalised by the civil disobedience movement as a
protest song
A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre.
Among social mov ...
.
Since the onset of the coup, residents in urban centres such as Yangon staged
cacerolazos, striking pots and pans in unison every evening as a symbolic act to drive away evil, as a method of expressing their opposition to the coup.
On 2 February, healthcare workers and civil servants across the country launched a national civil disobedience campaign, in opposition to the coup, with workers from dozens of state-run hospitals and institutions initiating a
labour strike.
A Facebook campaign group dubbed the "Civil Disobedience Movement" has attracted 150,000 followers, within 24 hours of its launch on 2 February.
As of 3 February, healthcare workers in over 110 government hospitals and healthcare agencies
have participated in the movement.
The labour strikes have spread to other parts of the civil service, including union-level ministries and universities, as well as to private firms, such as factories and copper mines, students, and youth groups.
On 3 February, healthcare workers launched the
red ribbon
The red ribbon, as an awareness ribbon, is used as the symbol for the solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS, and for the awareness and prevention of drug abuse and drunk driving. In Canada the red ribbon represents Canadians with Multiple S ...
campaign (ဖဲကြိုးနီလှုပ်ရှားမှု), the colour red being associated with the NLD.
The red ribbon has been adopted by civil servants and workers across Myanmar as a symbol of opposition to the military regime.
On 3 February, a domestic boycott movement called the "Stop Buying Junta Business" campaign also emerged, calling for the boycott of products and services linked to the Myanmar military.
Among the targeted goods and services in the Burmese military's significant business portfolio include
Mytel, a national telecoms carrier, Myanmar, Mandalay, and Dagon Beer, several coffee and tea brands,
7th Sense Creation
7th Sense Creation ( my, သတ္တမမြောက်အာရုံ) is a major film production and media company in Myanmar. 7th Sense was cofounded by Khin Thiri Thet Mon, the daughter of Myanmar's commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing, San Ko ...
, which was co-founded by Min Aung Hlaing's daughter,
and bus lines.
Public protests have also emerged in the wake of the coup. On 2 February, some Yangonites staged a brief 15-minute protest rally at 8 pm, calling for the overthrow of the dictatorship and Aung San Suu Kyi's release. On 4 February 30 citizens protested for the very first time against the coup led by
Tayzar San, in front of the
University of Medicine in Mandalay, an act that led to four arrests. On 6 February, 20,000 protestors took part in a street protest in Yangon against the coup, calling for Aung San Suu Kyi to be released.
Workers from 14 trade unions participated in the protests. Protests spread to
Mandalay
Mandalay ( or ; ) is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. Located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631km (392 miles) (Road Distance) north of Yangon, the city has a population of 1,225,553 (2014 census).
Mandalay was fou ...
and to the Pyinmana township of Naypyidaw on the afternoon of 6 February. The Mandalay marches started at 1 pm. Protestors continued on motorbikes at 4:00pm in reaction to police restrictions. Police were in control by 6 pm.
On 9 February 2021, the military used violence to crackdown on peaceful protests, injuring six protestors, including a 20-year-old woman who was shot in the head. About 100 demonstrators were arrested in Mandalay. On 10 February 2021, most of the arrested demonstrators from Mandalay were released.
Youth groups protested on the roads by wearing cosplay costumes, skirts, wedding dresses, and other unusual clothing for daily life while holding signboards and vinyl banners that break with the country's more traditional protest messages for the purpose of grabbing attention from both domestic and international press media.
On 12 February, the
Union Day in Myanmar, junta's crackdown in
Mawlamyine
Mawlamyine (also spelled Mawlamyaing; , ; th, เมาะลำเลิง ; mnw, မတ်မလီု, ), formerly Moulmein, is the fourth-largest city in Myanmar (Burma), ''World Gazetteer'' south east of Yangon and south of Thaton, at t ...
became more intense as shots were fired. Gunfire was heard in
Myitkyina,
Kachin State
Kachin State ( my, ကချင်ပြည်နယ်; Jingpho language, Kachin: ), also known by the endonym Kachinland, is the northernmost administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. It is bordered by China to the north and east ...
, when security forces clashed with protesters on 14 February. Five journalists were arrested afterwards. Troops joined police in forcefully dispersing marchers using rubber bullets and slingshots in the city of
Mandalay
Mandalay ( or ; ) is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. Located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631km (392 miles) (Road Distance) north of Yangon, the city has a population of 1,225,553 (2014 census).
Mandalay was fou ...
.
Activities on social media and internet blackout
Facebook had been used to organise the civil disobedience campaign's labour strikes and the emerging boycott movement.
On 4 February, telecom operators and internet providers across Myanmar were ordered to block
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
until 7 February, to ensure the "country's stability."
MPT, a state-owned carrier, also blocked
Facebook Messenger
Messenger is a proprietary instant messaging app and platform developed by Meta Platforms. Originally developed as Facebook Chat in 2008, the company revamped its messaging service in 2010, released standalone iOS and Android apps in 2011, and ...
,
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
and
WhatsApp
WhatsApp (also called WhatsApp Messenger) is an internationally available freeware, cross-platform, centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by American company Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). It allows use ...
services, while
Telenor Myanmar
Telenor Myanmar ( Burmese: တယ်လီနော မြန်မာ) was a telecommunications brand in Myanmar (Burma) between 2014 and 2022. It was established as a subsidiary of the Norwegian Telenor Group, and was sold off to the Lebanese M ...
blocked only Facebook.
Following the Facebook ban, Burmese users had begun flocking to
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, popularising hashtags like #RespectOurVotes, #HearTheVoiceofMyanmar, and #SaveMyanmar. On 5 February, the government extended the social media access ban to include Instagram and Twitter. On the morning of 6 February, the military authorities initiated an
internet outage nationwide. Internet access was restricted by the government again since 14 February 2021 for 20 days, from 1:00am to 9:00am.
People use social media Facebook and Twitter to reach their voices to international communities and also to share photo and video evidences of brutality of military forces on the protestors.
Religious response
Various
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monasteries and
educational institutions
An educational institution is a place where people of different ages gain an education, including preschools, childcare, primary-elementary schools, secondary-high schools, and universities. They provide a large variety of learning environments an ...
have denounced the coup,
among them the
Masoyein and
Mahāgandhārāma monasteries.
Sitagu International Buddhist Academy also released a statement imploring against actions that run
counter to the ''Dhamma''.
Aside from the Buddhist ''
saṅgha
Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context ...
'', local
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
and
monastics of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
have similarly voiced their opposition to the military takeover.
As the
military response to the
ensuing protests started taking a violent turn, the
Shwekyin Nikāya, Burma's second largest
monastic order
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important ro ...
, urged Min Aung Hlaing to immediately cease the assaults on unarmed civilians and to refrain from engaging in theft and property destruction.
Its leading monks, including
Ñāṇissara Bhikkhu, who is known for his amicable relationship with the military, reminded the general to be a good Buddhist,
[ which entailed keeping to the ]Five Precepts
The Five precepts ( sa, pañcaśīla, italic=yes; pi, pañcasīla, italic=yes) or five rules of training ( sa, pañcaśikṣapada, italic=yes; pi, pañcasikkhapada, italic=yes) is the most important system of morality for Buddhist lay peo ...
required for at least a human rebirth.
Commercial reactions
Thailand's largest industrial estate developer, Amata
According to Roman mythology, Amata (also called Palanto) was the wife of Latinus, king of the Latins, and the mother of their only child, Lavinia. In the Aeneid of Virgil, she commits suicide during the conflict between Aeneas and Turnus over ...
, halted a $1 billion industrial zone development project in Yangon in response to the coup, after commencing construction in December 2020. Suzuki Motor, Myanmar's largest automaker, and several manufacturers halted domestic operations in the wake of the coup. The Yangon Stock Exchange
The Yangon Stock Exchange ( my, ရန်ကုန်စတော့အိတ်ချိန်း; abbreviated YSX) opened on December 2015, at the former Central Bank of Myanmar and Myawaddy Bank headquarters in Yangon. On 23 December 2014, two ...
has also suspended trading since 1 February. Myanmar's real estate market crashed as a result of the coup, with sales and purchase transactions dropping by almost 100%.
On 4 February, French oil multinational Total SE announced it was reviewing the impact of the coup on its domestic operations and projects. On 4 April, it issued a statement saying it would not withhold payments to the military junta and would not cease operations in its Yadana offshore gasfield where electricity is generated for public use. A couple of weeks later there were reports of U.S. oil giant Chevron
Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to:
Science and technology
* Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines
* Chevron (anatomy), a bone
* '' Eulithis testata'', a moth
* Chevron (geology), a fold in rock la ...
lobbying against United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other na ...
sanctions restricting the company in its capacity as "a non-operating partner" in the Yadana field through an affiliate.
On 5 February, Kirin Company ended its joint venture with the military-owned Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL). The joint venture, Myanmar Brewery, produces several brands of beer, including Myanmar Beer, and has an 80% market share in the country. Kirin's stake had been valued at US$1.7 billion.
On 8 February, Lim Kaling, co-founder of Razer announced he was divesting his stake in a joint venture with a Singaporean tobacco company that owns a 49% stake in Virginia Tobacco, whose majority stake is owned by MEHL. Virginia Tobacco, Myanmar's largest cigarette maker, owns the Red Ruby and Premium Gold brands. That evening, Min Aung Hlaing made a televised address, aiming to ease concerns about Myanmar's foreign investment climate.
US President Joe Biden announced his administration will impose sanctions on the military leaders of the coup in Myanmar and freeze 1 billion dollars in government assets held in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
on 11 February.
After several protesters were shot dead by the military during the protests on February, Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
responded by suspending several accounts belonging to governments including Tatmadaw and its news website, Tatmadaw True News, and MRTV
Myanmar Radio and Television ( my, မြန်မာ့အသံနှင့်ရုပ်မြင်သံကြား, abbreviated MRTV), formerly the Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS), is the parent of the state-run Myanmar Radio National ...
, due to these pages linked to promoting violence. On 25 February, Facebook banned all accounts of the Tatmadaw, along with its related commercial entities. The tech giant also implemented the move on Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
. Other tech companies follow suit, with YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
terminated several channels belonging to governments including MRTV
Myanmar Radio and Television ( my, မြန်မာ့အသံနှင့်ရုပ်မြင်သံကြား, abbreviated MRTV), formerly the Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS), is the parent of the state-run Myanmar Radio National ...
and Myawaddy TV, and TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version o ...
restricts several violence contents from being available in their platform.
On 16 April 2021, South Korean steel giant Posco
POSCO (formerly Pohang Iron and Steel Company) is a South Korean steel-making company headquartered in Pohang, South Korea. It had an output of of crude steel in 2015, making it the world's fourth-largest steelmaker by this measure. In 2010, i ...
announced that its Myanmar subsidiary, POSCO C&C, would end its relationship with military-owned Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL). On 27 October, Indian-owned Adani Ports & SEZ
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (Adani Ports & SEZ; also APSEZ) formerly known as Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited, is an Indian port operator. APSEZ represents a large network of ports with India's largest SEZ at Mu ...
announced it would terminate its US$127 million investment in Myanmar to construct a container terminal in the country. Foreign direct investment
A foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country. It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct c ...
in Myanmar fell to an eight-year low, dropping 22% to US$3.8 billion in Myanmar's 2020 fiscal year (September 2020 and September 2021), due to the combined pressures of COVID and political unrest following the February coup.
Defections
As the protests have started, there have been reported defections from the Myanmar Police Force. On 5 March 2021, 11 officers have crossed the India–Myanmar land border to Mizoram state with their families due to refusing orders to engage protestors by using lethal force. Myanmar officials have reached out to India to repatriate the defecting police officers located in Mizoram, with the reply that the Indian government will make a final decision. The Assam Rifles were given orders to tighten security along the India–Myanmar border. As of 5 March 2021, more than 600 police officers have joined the anti-regime movement, some of whom have served as police officers for many years and have collected awards for their outstanding performances. From 10 March, the border has been closed after 48 Burmese nationals have crossed it.
Some military personnel from Tatmadaw also left their posts to stand with the people against the military junta. Among them are Captain Tun Myat Aung from the 77th Light Infantry Division and Major Hein Thaw Oo from the 99th Light Infantry Division who holds the highest rank among the known defectors from Myanmar's military as of 21 April 2021. Both of them cited the corruption among the high-ranked military officers and the lack of will to kill their own people as main reasons for their defection.
International
Governmental responses
Many countries, including Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...
, China, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, and Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, encouraged dialogue between the government and the military in order to resolve the issue, many of which expressed concern in response to the coup. Australia, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
, France, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...
, New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
, South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
, Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
, the United Kingdom, and the United States on their part condemned the coup and called for the release of detained officials; the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
also threatened to impose sanctions on coup perpetrators. Subsequently, President Biden approved an Executive Order for new sanctions on the coup perpetrators which would enable his administration to affect the perpetrator's business interests and close family members." President Biden also stated that he would freeze $1 billion US assets belonged to the Myanmar's government while maintaining support for health care, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people of Burma directly."
In response of the coup, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country had suspended its diplomatic ties with Myanmar a week after the coup; the New Zealand government also banned some high ranking elites in military government. Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
, Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
explicitly refused to support a side, characterising the coup as an internal matter. On 9 February 2021, New Zealand suspended all high-level contact with Myanmar and imposed a travel ban on its military leaders because of the coup. On 25 February 2021, Tokyo considered halting projects in Myanmar in response to the coup. On 24 February, the new Myanmar foreign minister visited Thailand, marking the first high official visit since the coup. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Indonesian President Joko Widodo
Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), popularly known as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician and businessman who is the 7th and current president of Indonesia. Elected in July 2014, he was the first Indonesian president not to come from an elit ...
also called a special meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers to discuss the issue during Muhyiddin's visit to Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital city, capital and list of Indonesian cities by population, largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coa ...
. In March, the Thai military
The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) ( th, กองทัพไทย; ) are the armed forces of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The nominal head of the Thai Armed Forces (จอมทัพไทย; ) is the King of Thailand. The armed forces are ...
was accused of supplying aid to the Myanmar military, which it denied.
On 26 February 2021, the South Korean National Assembly
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, often shortened to the National Assembly in domestic English-language media, is the unicameral national legislature of South Korea. Elections to the National Assembly are held every four years ...
passed a resolution condemning the coup. On 5 March 2021, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato urged the SAC-led government to stop using lethal force to disperse protests. Singaporean foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan also called the military to stop using lethal force.
South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 12 March 2021 that South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
will suspend defense exchanges with Myanmar and ban arms exports, and would limit exports of other strategic items, reconsider development aid and grant humanitarian exemptions for Myanmar nationals to allow them to stay in South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
until the situation improves.
On 27 March 2021, eight countries sent representatives to attend the Myanmar Armed Forces Day parade.
Intergovernmental responses
Intergovernmental organisations, including the United Nations, ASEAN, and the European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...
expressed concern and called for dialogue from both sides. In addition to concern, the European Union also condemned the coup and urged the release of detainees.
In response to the coup, the United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, ...
held an emergency meeting, where a British-drafted resolution urging the "restoration of democracy" in Myanmar, condemning the Myanmar military's action, and calling for the release of detainees was proposed. The first draft of the statement was not issued because of failure to garner support from all 15 council members; the diplomats of China and Russia reportedly had to relay the draft to their respective governments for review. China and Russia, as permanent members of the council and therefore having the power of veto, refused to back the statement. India and Vietnam, two non-permanent members, also "voiced reservations" about the resolution.
However, through negotiations, by 10 March 2021 — with explicit condemnation of the Myanmar military and its coup removed from the statement, along with removal of the threat of U.N. sanctions — a consensus was reached among the 15 Security Council members, resulting in a "presidential statement" from the Security Council (a step below a "resolution.") The statement condemned the violence, called for its end, and restraint by the military, and the prompt release of the detained civilian government officials (including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint), and a negotiated settlement between the parties within the framework of the Myanmar Constitution.["UN calls for reversal of Myanmar coup and condemns violence"](_blank)
10 March 2021, Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
(also at:
U.S. News & World Report
'' an
CTV News
, retrieved 9 April 2021["U.N. Security Council agrees to condemn Myanmar violence, urge military restraint,"](_blank)
10 March 2021, Reuters News Service
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was establ ...
, (also in the
Straits Times
'') retrieved 9 April 2021["U.N. Security Council Strongly Condemns Myanmar Military's Violence,"](_blank)
11 March 2021, Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.
AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, ...
in ''The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
''["Issuing Presidential Statement, Security Council Expresses Deep Concern about Developments in Myanmar,"](_blank)
Press Release SC/14462, 10 March 2021, United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, ...
, retrieved 9 April 2021
The UNSC presidential statement further urged all parties to cooperate with mediation efforts of the ASEAN, and the U.N. envoy to Myanmar, and to ensure access to humanitarian aid for all in Myanmar. The resolution also addressed the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State (which had targeted the Rohingya Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
minority, there, most of whom were driven out of the country) — noting that the current conditions were preventing the Rohingya's "voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return" to Myanmar. ASEAN called for a special ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Jakarta on 24 April 2021, with Min Aung Hlaing in attendance along with other member states' heads of government and foreign ministers. Members of the National Unity Government formed in response to the coup and consisting of ousted lawmakers were reported to have been in contact with ASEAN leaders, but were not formally invited to the meeting. During the summit, Min Aung Hlaing was not referred to as a head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...
. ASEAN released a statement that it had agreed to a "five-point consensus" with Min Aung Hlaing on the cessation of violence in Myanmar, constructive dialogue among all parties concerned, and the appointment of a special envoy by ASEAN to facilitate the dialogue process.
On 28 May 2021, the governments of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam proposed that a U.N. draft resolution on Myanmar be watered down, including removing a call for an arms embargo
An arms embargo is a restriction or a set of sanctions that applies either solely to weaponry or also to " dual-use technology." An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:
* to signal disapproval of the behavior of a certain actor
* to maintai ...
against the country.
On 27 July 2021, U.N. Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews urged the U.N. Security Council and member states to advance a "COVID Ceasefire" in Myanmar. At the time of his report, over 600 healthcare professionals were eluding outstanding arrest warrants and 67 had already been detained in the midst of soaring COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
infections and deaths throughout the country.
Protests outside Myanmar
A group of about 200 Burmese expatriates and some Thai pro-democracy activists including Parit Chiwarak and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul protested the coup at the Burmese embassy on Sathon Nuea Road in Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
, Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. Some protesters reportedly showed the three-finger salute, the symbol used in the protests calling for democracy in Thailand. The protest ended with a police crackdown; two protestors were injured and hospitalised, and two others were arrested. Burmese citizens in Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
gathered in front of the United Nations University
The (UNU) is the think tank and academic arm of the United Nations. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a UN institution, its mission is to help resolve global issues related to human development and welfare thr ...
, also to protest against the coup. On 3 February, more than 150 Burmese Americans protested in front of the Embassy of Myanmar in Washington, D.C.
The Singapore Police Force issued warnings on 5 February 2021 against foreigners planning to participate in anti-coup protests in Singapore. On 14 February 2021, SPF officers arrested three foreigners for protesting at the outskirts of the Myanmar embassy without permits to participate in a public assembly. In March 2021, the Public Security Police Force of Macau
The Public Security Police Force (;https://www.ssm.gov.mo/docs/414/414_99a608ac6d9e4c035e0e4eb47ab1f62cfc7a0c38_000.pdf pt, Corpo de Polícia de Segurança Pública de Macau, abbreviated ) is the non-criminal police department of Macau and ...
has warned Myanmar residents that they are not allowed to conduct anti-coup protests as Article 27 of the Macau Basic Law only allows Macanese residents the right to do so.
Evacuations
On 4 February 2021, Japanese expats living/working in Myanmar were evacuated from Yangon International Airport to Narita International Airport after the coup on 1 February. On 21 February, Taiwanese government started the evacuation process of Taiwanese expatriates in Myanmar, Taiwanese government also urged Taiwanese expatriates who wished to go back to get in touch with China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; ) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of its two major airlines along with EVA Air. It is headquartered in Taoyuan International Airport and operates over 1,400 flights weekly (in ...
. On 7 March, the South Korean government ordered a chartered Korean Air flight from Yangon to Seoul to return South Korean expatriates from Myanmar. On the same day, the Indonesian and Singaporean governments urged their citizens to leave Myanmar as soon as possible due to safety reasons. The British government also urged British citizens who stayed in Myanmar to immediately leave the country due to rising violence.
Warnings
On 4 March 2021, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Singaporeans living or working in Myanmar to immediately leave while they still can due to growing clashes between the protestors and police. It also warned Singaporeans to avoid all travel to Myanmar.
See also
* 2014 Thai coup d'état
* 2020 Myanmar general election
* 2021–2022 Myanmar protests
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myanmar coup d'etat
2020s coups d'état and coup attempts
2021 in Myanmar
February 2021 events in Asia
Conflicts in 2021
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
History of Myanmar (1948–present)
Internal conflict in Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi