The United States threatened Monday to reinstate recently removed sanctions on Myanmar (Burma) in response to a coup d’etat carried out in the capital, Naypyidaw, by its military force, which seized power in the early hours of the day, detaining the country’s beloved leader, 75-year-old Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and dozens of other top ministers, deputies and pro-democracy figures.
Myanmar’s telecommunications networks were disrupted for most of the day on Monday; international and domestic TV channels, including the state broadcasting network, went off the air, according to the BBC. Banks said they were forced to close. The military later announced that 11 replacement ministers were named to finance, health, the interior and foreign affairs portfolios, the BBC reported. The country is under a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am local time.
Biden Slams ‘Assault on Democracy,’ Issues Threat
In the United States, President Joe Biden issued a statement “on the situation in Burma” calling it a “direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law.”
“The military’s seizure of power in Burma, the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian officials, and the declaration of a national state of emergency are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law,” the statement said.
“In a democracy, force should never seek to overrule the will of the people or attempt to erase the outcome of a credible election.
“For almost a decade, the people of Burma have been steadily working to establish elections, civilian governance, and the peaceful transfer of power. That progress should be respected.
“The international community should come together in one voice to press the Burmese military to immediately relinquish the power they have seized, release the activists and officials they have detained, lift all telecommunications restrictions, and refrain from violence against civilians.
“The United States is taking note of those who stand with the people of Burma in this difficult hour. We will work with our partners throughout the region and the world to support the restoration of democracy and the rule of law, as well as to hold accountable those responsible for overturning Burma’s democratic transition.
“The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action,” Biden’s statement continued, in a clear threat.
“The United States will stand up for democracy wherever it is under attack.”
Strong Ties Between Israel and Myanmar
According to the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry, Israeli diplomats working in Myanmar are so far not seriously affected by the events taking place. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Lior Havat told JewishPress.com late Monday that Israeli Embassy personnel are “all fine, and so are all the Israeli citizens in the country.”
The Jewish State and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar have enjoyed close ties for more than 67 years, having established diplomatic relations in 1953. Myanmar was the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize Israel as an independent state.
Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup to seize power on Monday, visited Israel in 2015 to strengthen bilateral ties between Myanmar and the Jewish State. In addition, the daughter of the Myanmar ambassador to Israel attended Israel’s Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya when the family arrived in 2016. She was the first Burmese student to attend the campus.
It is not yet clear how Israel will respond to the ouster of the elected government leader in the country, however, especially since there may be military contracts involved.
Sour Grapes Drove the Coup
The ouster was at least partially due to the bitter disappointment of the country’s military-backed party, the USDP, in response to its crushing loss to the incumbent National League for Democracy (NLD) party at the polls in the latest national election last November, which did even better than it had in the 2015 election.
The timing of the coup was likewise linked to the election inasmuch because the first session of Myanmar’s parliament was set to open this week.
The opening session would have cemented the election result as soon as the the vote to approve the new government was passed by the parliament. However, no one knows when or even if there will be a new session of parliament, or who will comprise that body once it convenes.
Many people living in Myanmar at this point are deeply apprehensive of what the future may bring with democracy seeming to be once again only a dream.
The doors just opened to a very different future. I have a sinking feeling that no one will really be able to control what comes next. And remember Myanmar's a country awash in weapons, with deep divisions across ethnic & religious lines, where millions can barely feed themselves
— Thant Myint-U (@thantmyintu)
Nobel Peace Prize Committee ‘Appalled’
The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a statement in response to the events in Myanmar, expressing its outrage and saying it is “appalled” by the coup and detention of Suu Kyi, Win Myint and the other political leaders of the country.
The committee noted that Suu Kyi received her Nobel Prize in 1991 “in recognition of her brave struggle for democracy in Myanmar . . . [and] has continued to be a leading figure in developing democracy.
“Now 30 years after she was awarded the Peace Prize, the military has once again pushed democracy aside and arrested leading representatives of the legally elected government,” the statement read.
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee asks for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other arrested politicians, and for the result of last year’s general election to be respected.”