What’s happening in Myanmar?| Start Here

Summary

Myanmar is under military control after a coup led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who deposed the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The military claims election fraud, though evidence is lacking. Despite Suu Kyi's limited power due to the military's guaranteed 25% of parliamentary seats and control over key ministries, she remains a popular figure. Protests and a civil disobedience movement have emerged, met with internet shutdowns and arrests. The international community, including Russia and China, is closely watching the situation, with some countries condemning the coup. The military plans to rule for a year, but global pressure may influence a return to democracy.

Takeaways

• 🏢 Myanmar is currently under military rule after a coup led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
• 🌍 The military declared a state of emergency for one year and has arrested politicians, shut down social media, and restricted internet access.
• 🏛️ The coup was partially captured on video, showing the unexpected nature of the event.
• 📊 There is a historical rivalry between Myanmar's military and the pro-democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party.
• 🏆 Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent 15 years under house arrest for her opposition to military rule.
• 🗳️ The military disputed the results of the November 2020 parliamentary elections, claiming fraud without providing evidence.
• 💼 The military's power is entrenched through a 2008 constitution that guarantees them 25% of parliamentary seats and control over key ministries.
• 🏦 The military is heavily involved in business, creating conglomerates and wielding significant economic influence.
• 🤔 Aung San Suu Kyi's power was limited, and she was not able to criticize the military, especially during the Rohingya crisis.
• 🌐 International powers like Russia and China have close ties with Myanmar's military and have blocked UN resolutions condemning the coup.

Q & A

What significant event occurred in Myanmar recently?

Myanmar experienced a coup where the military deposed the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, leading to the country being run by a general.

Why was the military's takeover of power in Myanmar referred to as a coup?

The military deposed the democratically elected government, arrested politicians, and declared a state of emergency, which is characteristic of a coup.

What was the military's justification for the coup in Myanmar?

The military claimed there were issues with the parliamentary elections, specifically alleging fraud in the November elections where the NLD won over 80% of the vote.

How has Myanmar's political landscape been shaped by its history?

Myanmar's political landscape has been deeply influenced by almost 50 years of military rule, a period marked by international sanctions, protests, and violent crackdowns.

Outlines

00:00

🏛 Myanmar Coup and Aung San Suu Kyi's Detainment

The video script discusses the military coup in Myanmar, which has resulted in the country being governed by a general after the military deposed the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. It touches on the bizarre incident of the coup being caught on video and the military's declaration of a state of emergency for a year. The script also addresses the military's arrest of politicians and the shutdown of social media. The historical context of Myanmar's struggle with military rule and the rise of Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest and won a Nobel Peace Prize, is provided. It explains the military's claim of fraud in the recent parliamentary elections, which the NLD won with over 80% of the vote, and delves into the military's historical power and its guaranteed 25% of seats in parliament as per the 2008 constitution. The script also covers the military's involvement in business and its influence on politics, as well as Aung San Suu Kyi's limited power and her controversial stance on the Rohingya crisis.

05:02

🚔 Public Reaction and International Response to Myanmar Coup

This paragraph delves into the public reaction to the coup in Myanmar, highlighting the widespread protests and the civil disobedience movement that has emerged in response. It discusses the varied opinions among the populace, with some supporting the military, known as the Tatmadaw, while Aung San Suu Kyi remains the most popular figure. The paragraph also covers the military's secretive nature and potential motivations for staging the coup, including concerns over constitutional reforms and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's self-interest. The international response is examined, noting that countries like Russia and China have close ties with the military and have blocked UN resolutions condemning the coup. The script concludes with a discussion on the potential for a return to democracy in Myanmar, influenced by a combination of incentives and pressure, and Al Jazeera's commitment to staying informed on the situation.

Keywords

💡Coup

A coup, short for coup d'état, refers to a sudden and often violent seizure of power from a government, usually by a small group within the existing regime. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the event on February 1, 2021, when Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, detained the country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other politicians, effectively taking control of the government. This action has led to a prolonged state of emergency and a significant deterioration of the political and humanitarian situation in the country.

💡Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese politician, diplomat, and author who served as the State Counsellor of Myanmar from 2016 to 2021. She is a prominent figure in Myanmar's pro-democracy movement and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In the video, she is mentioned as the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won the 2020 general election by a landslide. Following the coup, she was detained by the military, and her party was effectively disbanded by the junta.

💡State of Emergency

A state of emergency is a situation in which a government suspends normal functions and imposes special restrictions or controls, typically in response to a crisis. In the video, the military declared a state of emergency following the coup, which has been used to justify the arrest of politicians, the shutdown of social media, and the imposition of military rule. This state of emergency has been extended multiple times, further solidifying the military's control and prolonging the crisis in Myanmar.

💡National League for Democracy (NLD)

The National League for Democracy (NLD) is a political party in Myanmar, founded by Aung San Suu Kyi. It is associated with the pro-democracy movement in the country. The video highlights that the NLD won the 2020 general election by a significant majority, which the military disputed, claiming fraud. This dispute led to the coup and the subsequent detention of NLD leaders, including Suu Kyi.

💡Rohingya

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority group居住在缅甸的若开邦。在视频中，他们被提及是因为在缅甸军方的统治下，他们遭受了严重的迫害和人权侵犯，包括暴力镇压、杀害、强奸和焚烧家园。联合国和其他组织将这些行为描述为种族清洗，而昂山素季在处理罗兴亚危机时的立场受到了国际社会的广泛批评。

💡Ethnic Groups

Myanmar is a diverse country with over 130 ethnic groups, which have historically experienced tensions and conflicts. The video discusses how these ethnic divisions have been a challenge for the country's governance and have been exacerbated by periods of foreign rule. The military's control has also been linked to managing these ethnic tensions, although the coup has further complicated the situation and led to increased violence in ethnic minority regions.

💡Civil Disobedience Movement

The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) is a non-violent resistance approach adopted by citizens and workers in response to the coup. As described in the video, this movement involves widespread strikes, refusal to cooperate with the military government, and public demonstrations. It has been a significant factor in the ongoing protests and resistance against the military regime in Myanmar.

💡Internet Shutdown

An internet shutdown refers to the deliberate disruption or suspension of internet services, often imposed by a government as a means of control. In the video, it is mentioned that the military junta in Myanmar has periodically shut down the internet, particularly to suppress the spread of information and to hinder the organization of protests and resistance movements.

💡International Sanctions

International sanctions are economic or political measures imposed by one or more countries on another country to achieve specific objectives, such as changing certain policies or behaviors. The video discusses how countries like the United States and the European Union have imposed targeted sanctions on Myanmar in response to the coup and the military's human rights abuses. These sanctions aim to pressure the military regime to restore democracy and protect human rights.

💡Humanitarian Crisis

A humanitarian crisis is a situation that poses a critical threat to the health, safety, or well-being of a community or society. The video describes the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar following the coup, with millions of people displaced, increased poverty, and a lack of access to basic services such as healthcare and education. The crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the military's crackdown on dissent.

Highlights

Myanmar is currently under military rule after a coup led by General Min Aung Hlaing, deposing the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

A state of emergency has been declared by the military, lasting for a year.

Politicians have been arrested and social media platforms shut down following the coup.

The military disputes the results of the November parliamentary elections, claiming fraud without providing evidence.

Myanmar has a history of almost 50 years of military rule, with Aung San Suu Kyi emerging as a prominent opposition figure.

Aung San Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest, winning her a Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2015, Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party won the elections in a landslide victory.

The military claims 25% of the seats in parliament due to a clause they inserted into the 2008 constitution.

The military has significant influence in business, creating two large conglomerates.

Aung San Suu Kyi's power was limited, and she did not openly criticize the military during her time in power.

The military's actions against the Rohingya minority have been described by the UN as a campaign of genocide.

Aung San Suu Kyi defended the military's operations against the Rohingya, despite international condemnation.

Protests against the coup are widespread, with some of the largest crowds since 2007.

A civil disobedience movement has emerged in response to the coup, involving non-violent acts of resistance.

The internet is being periodically shut down by the military to suppress communication and information flow.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing may have staged the coup due to concerns over constitutional reforms proposed by the new government.

Russia and China have close ties with Myanmar's military and have blocked UN resolutions condemning the coup.

The military has indicated it will be in power for a year, but international pressure could influence a quicker return to democracy.

Al Jazeera is providing ongoing coverage of the situation in Myanmar.

Transcripts

Let’s talk about the coup.

Myanmar is now run by a general after the military deposed the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

In a bizarre fluke part of the coup was even caught on video while a fitness instructor did her routine in front of parliament.

The army’s declared a state of emergency for the next year.

They’ve arrested politicians and shut down social media.

We asked you to send us your questions about what’s going on in Myanmar. So we got you some answers.

Let’s start by getting everyone up to speed with what’s been happening in Myanmar — what used to be called Burma.

Essentially this is about a rivalry between the military and a popular pro-democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party.

People in Myanmar were put through almost 50 years of military rule. The country was basically closed off to the world and international sanctions hurt.

There were recurring protests and violent military crackdowns while Aung San Suu Kyi made a name for herself as the face of the opposition.

She spent a total of 15 years under house arrest. Her efforts won her a Nobel Peace Prize.

Then came what people call Myanmar’s experiment with democracy.

There was a referendum, attempts at free elections and foreign investment increased.

In 2015 Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party won in a landslide.

Which brings us to the coup and your questions.

The first one is — why now?

Well, the military says it had issues with the parliamentary elections.

In November the NLD won in another landslide — more than 80% of the vote.

But the military disputed the results, saying there was fraud.

So is there any proof of fraud? Well, no one’s saying the vote was perfect.

Which brings us to how the military got so powerful.

It’s because that power has come in handy for maintaining control.

Myanmar borders India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. It’s such a diverse country — it has more than 130 ethnic groups.

And ethnic divisions only got worse under Japanese and British rule. And then Burma got its independence.

So the military’s been in power but at one point decides to share control and create some kind of democracy.

So here’s the next question. Why is the military guaranteed 25% of the seats in parliament?

Well, it’s because in 2008 the military put it in the new constitution.

It also kept control of defence, interior ministries and key positions in the cabinet.

But it wasn’t just political control. They got into business too.

The military created two huge conglomerates made up of local and foreign companies.

Now because the military has had that much influence a lot of people saw Aung San Suu Kyi as a puppet.

So this viewer asks if that’s the case what difference does the coup make?

Well, her power was limited, that’s true.

Suu Kyi was disqualified from being president because her children were born abroad. That was also a clause written into the 2008 constitution.

To get around that she created the role of state counsellor for herself.

And while she was in power Aung San Suu Kyi didn’t really criticise the military, something that was really obvious when it came to the crackdown on the Rohingya.

They’re a stateless, Muslim minority who live in Rakhine state, where the army says it’s been carrying out a counterterrorism offensive.

But the UN and others have described it as a campaign of genocide and crimes that include killing children, raping women, burning homes —

basically using fear to push out more than 800,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.

And yet Aung San Suu Kyi defended the military operation.

Now Suu Kyi is back in detention.

So what do the majority of people in Myanmar think about what’s going on?

Well, some seem to back the military, also known as the Tatmadaw.

But the fact is Aung San Suu Kyi is by far the most popular.

And they’re protesting. These are some of the biggest crowds since 2007. And they’re spreading across the country.

Some activists started what they call a civil disobedience movement — honking horns, banging pans and giving a three-finger salute.

But the internet is being periodically shut down and more and more people are being arrested.

OK, so why go through all that trouble? Why did the military stage this coup now?

Well, the thing about Myanmar’s military is it’s closed and secretive. So we don’t know for sure.

But the man who gave the order is Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

One theory is that he and others were worried about plans by the new government to bring in reforms, like changing the constitution.

The NLD had tried it before. That failed because of the military’s 25% hold on parliament. But it’s thought to have angered the military.

But there’s another theory and it’s that Min Aung Hlaing was acting in his own self-interest.

So which world powers back the military’s decision?

Well, countries like Russia and China have a close relationship with the military and both blocked a UN resolution condemning the coup.

But pretty much everyone wants Myanmar to get back on track.

The military has said it’ll be in power for a year.

But the right mix of incentives and pressure could convince the generals to turn things around and reinstate some form of democracy.

One thing going for Myanmar is that they’ve done it before.

Things are moving in Myanmar and that’s why Al Jazeera is staying right across what’s happening there.

So check out our website, aljazeera.com, which has all the latest and I’ll see you next week.