Detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called on the people of Myanmar to oppose Monday’s military coup, even as the army promised new elections and a return to a civilian government.
“The public is urged to fully oppose the military coup and resoundingly resist against it,” she is quoted as saying in a statement released by the National league for Democracy (NLD).
“The Tatamdaw’s action showed no consideration whatsoever for the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and will merely bring the country back to military dictatorship,” she added.
After coming to power in 2015, the NLD tried to amend the constitution from within its own framework, she said, adding that the party won last year’s general election, and the previous one, by following all existing laws.
Win Htein, a former army captain and an influential NLD leader, said the coup was the result of military chief Min Aung Hlaing’s “personal ambitions”, despite the fact that his family have become immensely rich in recent years.
“The personal ambitions of Min Aung Hlaing have resulted in this coup,” he told Myanmar Now. “It’s clearly not in the public interest. We have witnessed how our country became impoverished and a pariah state due to the previous coups in 1962 and 1988.”
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s call for public resistance against the coup means civil disobedience, non-violence and non-cooperation,” he added.
He is among the senior NLD leaders who have, so far at least, not been arrested.
The military announced in a broadcast on the Myawaddy television station that new general elections will be held and power will be returned to the “winning” party.
Broadcast over images of Min Aung Hlaing and other top army officials, the announcement said that “discipline-flourishing democracy” will be upheld.
The military has declared a one-year state of emergency after installing Myint Swe, a former general who had been serving as Vice President, as acting President. Myint Swe then transferred power to Min Aung Hlaing.
All NLD MPs who were due to take their seats for a new term on Monday have been confined to their residential quarters under heavy guard by police and soldiers.
“We are doing fine, but once again our country goes back to zero,” said one of the NLD MPs.
Internet has now been restored after being cut off during the first hours of the coup in Naypyitaw and other major cities, including Yangon.
