Myanmar’s head of government Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the army on the night from Sunday to Monday, a spokesman for her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), reports. Several other prominent members of the NLD have also been arrested.
Myanmar’s military declared a state of emergency on Monday. Via a video message on military television, it was announced that power has been transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Min Aung Hlaing.
In recent days, tension between the government and the military of Myanmar has risen in the aftermath of the country’s elections. According to the army, fraud has taken place in the elections. This feared a coup d’état.
According to a spokesman for Suu Kyi, she was “taken” early in the morning. President Win Myint would also be in prison. “I want to ask people not to react too quickly and to obey the law,” said the spokesman, who says he expects to be arrested himself.
Myanmar’s state television has announced via Facebook that it cannot broadcast due to technical problems. All telephone connections with the capital Naypidaw would also have been cut. According to a BBCcorrespondent there are many soldiers on the streets in parts of the country.
The spokesman for the NLD told the news agency AFP that “with the situation we see now, we can assume that the military is committing a coup”.
Australia and US demand immediate release
Australia warns that Myanmar’s military is “trying to take control” of the country and is very concerned about the reporting surrounding the situation. “We call on the military to follow the law, resolve disputes legally and immediately release anyone who has been unlawfully arrested,” Australian Foreign Secretary Marise Payne said in a statement.
US President Joe Biden has also been informed of the arrests. The US government says it will take action if the detainees are not released. “The US will take action if those responsible do not reverse these steps,” said a White House statement.
Australia and the US are calling for the election results to be guaranteed. Japan has announced that it does not yet intend to remove Japanese from Myanmar. The government does say it will keep an eye on the situation. The United Nations Security Council is meeting this week to discuss the “problematic” situation in Myanmar.
International criticism for Rohingya genocide
Suu Kyi has been widely criticized internationally for allegations of genocide against the Rohingya minority, but remains popular domestically. The Rohingya in Myanmar have suffered from government and military repression for decades.
The current head of government was known for her non-violent fight against the oppression of the Myanmar Junta. She won several human rights awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the Sakharov Prize. The European Parliament decided to expel Suu Kyi from the company of Sakharov Prize winners last September.
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