International alarm over coup fears in Myanmar

The United Nations and Western governments voiced alarm on

Friday over threats by Myanmar’s military that have stirred fears of a coup in the aftermath of an election the army says was fraudulent. UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he was following with “great concern” developments in Myanmar, where the army has said it would take action if complaints about the election are not addressed. An army spokesman on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of seizing power. Australia, Britain, Canada, the European Union and United States, and 12 other nations urged the military to “adhere to democratic norms”. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won a resounding victory in the November 8 poll, only the second election deemed fair by international observers since the end of direct military rule in 2011. But allegations by the army of widespread voter fraud, which the electoral commission denies, have led to the most direct confrontation between the two side.