Ambassador urges Britain to expel embassy usurpers after spending night in his car
Myanmar’s deposed man in London calls for deportations after ‘coup’ leaves him out in the cold
KYAW ZWAR MINN was the quintessential insider: a career army officer and diplomat who for years loyally defended Myanmar’s government and military against international criticism.
But yesterday, Myanmar’s ambassador to London found himself literally and figuratively an outsider — stripped of his position and locked out of his own embassy for daring to call for the restoration of democracy.
In an extraordinary diplomatic incident, the former army colonel was forced to spend the night in his car outside the country’s Mayfair diplomatic mission following what he described as a “coup” carried out by his deputy and the country’s military attache on Wednesday evening.
He urged the British Government to deport two fellow diplomats who seized
‘The UK continues to call for an end to the appalling violence and a swift restoration of democracy’
control of the country’s embassy after he criticised the military coup in the country. Speaking to supporters and journalists on the pavement outside the occupied embassy yesterday, he insisted he was still the legitimate ambassador and that the takeover “should not be happening” in the UK, adding that the British government should “move them out”.
Asked whether he thought that was going to happen, he replied: “Of course, why not?”
But the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said it would be obliged to accept the move after it received formal diplomatic notification of Kyaw Zwar Minn’s dismissal from the Myanmar authorities.
“We made clear in our communications with the Myanmar authorities last night that the UK must receive formal notification of the termination of the ambassador’s position through the appropriate diplomatic channels,” an FCDO spokesman said.
“That has since been received and we therefore must accept the decision taken by the Myanmar government regarding Kyaw Zwar Minn’s position.”
Earlier in the day Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, condemned the “bullying actions of the Myanmar military regime”.
“I pay tribute to Kyaw Zwar Minn for his courage,” he said. “The UK continues to call for an end to the coup and the appalling violence, and a swift restoration of democracy.”
Mr Zwar Minn is a former colonel in the Myanmar military who served for 30 years in the army before becoming ambassador to Britain in 2014.
He is not known as a maverick, and has previously defended his government against allegations of wrongdoing, including during the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.
But he publicly broke with the military authorities in Myanmar last month when he issued a statement condemning the February 1 coup and calling for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release. He also met with Mr Raab, who publicly praised his bravery for taking such a stand.
Following his statement, Myanmar’s state broadcaster said he had been recalled as ambassador for issuing an unauthorised declaration.
He defied the order and continued to carry out his diplomatic duties until 5pm on Wednesday, when he was refused entry back into the embassy after briefly leaving the building.
According to embassy staff, Chit Win, the deputy ambassador, and Soe Aung, the military attaché, had taken control of the embassy on the orders of the junta. Mr Win is believed to have been named Charge d’affaires — the diplomatic term for a temporary head of mission when there is no acting ambassador.
“Someone was back in the office, and that person opened [the office] for the military attaché and opened for the
‘Someone back in the office opened it for the military attaché and for the deputy but didn’t open it for him’
‘I have been serving the military for 30 years, my last position was colonel, but of course I will now be considered a traitor’
deputy but didn’t open for him,” said a supporter of the ousted ambassador, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The supporter added that it had been the deputy’s birthday on Thursday and the men had even shared good wishes with each other.
The blinds were closed and doors locked at the embassy yesterday morning, although about six staff, including Mr Win and Mr Aung, were thought to be inside. A small crowd of protesters watched over by police gathered outside. Shortly before 11am, a van pulled up outside the embassy and was quickly encircled by the ambassador’s supporters.
The group held three fingers aloft and yelled at the passenger in the vehicle, who they claimed was a member of the military attache’s staff, yelling “traitor” and “go back home”. After pausing for several minutes outside the building the van drove off without anyone exiting.
Early in the morning the ambassador, casually dressed in a bomber jacket and looking tired after his night in the car, said via a spokesman that he was still the ambassador and called on the British government to reject the renegade military attaché.
He then drove off to freshen up, but returned in the afternoon in formal attire to say he was headed for a meeting at the Foreign Office to discuss his position. He would not consider it a betrayal if Britain said it was unable to continue to recognise him as ambassador, he told reporters. However, he added that he feared he would be killed if he returned to Myanmar. Asked if he would seek political asylum in the UK, he said: “I’ve not decided yet.”
In a final symbolic break with the military establishment, he flashed the three-fingered salute of the prodemocracy protest movement.
“I have been serving the military for 30 years, my last position was colonel,” he said of his background, adding that he would “of course” now be considered a traitor by the army.
Like many countries, Britain insists that it recognises only states, not governments. That formula is meant to allow for the practical necessity of continuing diplomatic contact with governments that have seized power illegally, without conferring recognition of their legitimacy.
The British Government cannot block the appointment of Mr Win as Charge d’affaires. It could however block the appointment of a new ambassador if one were proposed. It could also expel the two diplomats by declaring them persona non grata.
Any such move would likely be reciprocated with the expulsion of Britain’s military attaché from Myanmar, however.
The Foreign Office said it was seeking to ensure Myanmar’s former ambassador can live “safely” in the UK while he decides his long-term future.