Myanmar's future looks bleak after military coup and arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi – Angus Robertson

Myanmar’s ten-year experiment with democracy has come to an end with the country’s generals taking power (again) in a coup.
Aung San Suu Kyi, seen here in February last year, has been arrested following a military coup in Myanmar (Picture: Thet Aung/AFP via Getty Images)Aung San Suu Kyi, seen here in February last year, has been arrested following a military coup in Myanmar (Picture: Thet Aung/AFP via Getty Images)
Aung San Suu Kyi, seen here in February last year, has been arrested following a military coup in Myanmar (Picture: Thet Aung/AFP via Getty Images)

Military-backed candidates lost badly in recent elections to the popular civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has been arrested together with other members of her victorious governing National League for Democracy. Phone lines and mobile internet coverage have been cut and national television is off the air.

The timing of the coup comes only days before the first session of the Myanmar parliament since the elections in which the NLD secured 70 per cent support.

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The only person actually authorised to approve a state of emergency is Suu Kyi’s ally President Win Myint who has also been arrested. The military say they will govern for the next year.

Aung San Suu Kyi was once feted as the great hope for restored democracy, but has seen her international reputation tarnished as she proved unwilling or unable to condemn the genocidal campaign against the country’s Muslim Rohingya minority by the military.

The country faces charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice, while it is also being investigated for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

At home Suu Kyi remains hugely popular amongst the Buddhist majority and the public are being urged to protest against the coup.

Reaction around the world has been swift in condemning the military takeover.

The future for Myanmar looks bleak, just as it does for the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who were driven from their homes by the military.

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