The genesis of the military coup in Myanmar WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR SUU KYI?

A coup in Myanmar has left the military in control under a one-year state of emergency, while the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians have been detained. Here’s a look at what could be behind the milit ’ ti

1 WHY NOW?

Monday was supposed to be the first day of a new session of Parliament following Nov 8 elections that Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in a landslide — and that the military-backed party did poorly in.

ARMY CLAIMS ‘TERRIBLE FRAUD’: The army said the administration had refused to act against "terrible fraud" in the election. The military said it took power "to perform scrutiny of the voter lists" and the coup would protect democracy. The electoral commission has denied any instance of election fraud. The military justified the coup using a clause in the constitution that allows for power to be transferred to the armed forces in a state of emergency to address “threats” to the nation.

2 WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE COUNTRY?

COMMUNICATION CRACKDOWN: TV signals were cut across the country, as was phone and internet access in the capital Naypyitaw, while passenger flights were grounded. Phone service in other parts of the country was also reported down, though internet appeared to be working. Barbed wire road blocks were set up across Yangon, and military units were stationed outside government buildings. Residents flocked to ATMs and food stalls to stock up on essential items ahead of a period of uncertainty.

4

Governments and international bodies have condemned the coup, saying it sets back the limited democratic reforms Myanmar has made. “This is an extremely crushing blow to efforts to present Myanmar as a democracy,” said Linda Lakhdhir, a legal adviser at Human Rights Watch. “Its global creditability has taken a massive hit.”

3

Suu Kyi spent years under house arrest and received the Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar. B reputation outside of the country soured after she went on international stage to defend a crackdown on Rohingya M campaign labelled genocide by the US and other internatio “Because of Suu Kyi’s failure to promote democratic values as Myanmar’s de facto she should step aside and let other Myan democratic leaders take the reins with international backing and support.”

— BILL RICHARDSON, former US di

The coup will also be a test for the international community, which isolated Myanmar during the decades it was under strict military rul enthusiastically embraced it as it moved toward democracy in recent Watchdog groups fear a further crackdown on human rights defende , journalists, and activists is coming. Even before the current military ta critics of the military often faced legal action.