6, they insisted that the November parliamentary election that saw the National League for Democracy (NLD) return to power with an overwhelming majority was fraudulent because of an alleged mismatch between the electoral rolls and votes cast. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Jan. Much like the truth-denying supporters of former U.S.

The military and the demonstrators were opposing the convening of the new parliament, which they claimed was not representative. A pro-military politician was also seen directing protesters on the streets. Photographs showed some of the activists with conspicuous earpieces, suggesting they were part of the armed forces. The military urged everyone to adhere to the constitution. Eyewitnesses reported seeing military supporters marching in the streets and beating up civilians. But the diplomats’ fears turned out to be justified.īy late last week, as the date for the newly elected parliament’s first session neared, military supporters had become more assertive. The Tatmadaw, as the Burmese military is known, issued a self-righteous rebuttal reeking with injured innocence, reprimanding the foreign diplomats for speaking without sufficient knowledge. Finally, in an official statement released earlier today, the military declared a one-year, nationwide state of emergency and confirmed that power had been handed to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.Īlready last week, the international community was alarmed by signs of the impending coup, as Western diplomats in Yangon expressed concern. Among those arrested are regional chief ministers, writers, a singer, and former student leaders of what is known as Generation ’88-the young people who rose against the army that year. Then, early on Monday as the new parliament was about to meet, troops were seen at strategic locations in the capital, Naypyidaw, and the country’s largest city, Yangon military vehicles plied major avenues and one by one, leading parliamentarians including state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and dozens of others were detained. The United Nations, too, cautioned against a coup.

The army chief demurred and foreign embassies duly protested. The army warned about it, hinting that a coup might happen. Since last week, events in Myanmar have unfolded like a chronicle of a coup foretold.

Myanmar fairy tales