Myanmar has a history of problems with the military: about 50 years ago an event happened similar to what is now unfolding. Previous to Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi election, she was a Myanmar icon, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She did 15 years of house arrest, and after being released from house arrest her reputation was stained with the military. Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was selected in 2016 for state counselor. Currently, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is waiting for her trial which is believed will take a year. In my opinion, this is to keep Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi in detention for the time being.
On the morning of February 1, 2021 a military coup seized power over the Myanmar government. The military refused to accept the votes Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi won. 83% of the available seats in the National League for Democracy had voted for her. The coup tried to argue that the votes were fraudulent. The military wants to hold a re-election for the country without any evidence that the votes were indeed fraud.
The coup took action and detained the leaders of the National League for Democracy. The military coup declared a state of emergency for one year because the 2008 constitution allows the military to do so.
People opposed the coup through peaceful protests at first. Sadly, things took a sharp turn after two unarmed protestors were killed. Millions of people throughout Myanmar took the streets in rage. After weeks, protestors have been fighting for democracy but that has left hundreds dead and thousands injured. Out of desperation, people have gone into the countryside training with handguns and making grenades for a last stand against the military. Some think a revolution is the only chance of restoring the country to democracy.
A friend of ours lives in Myanmar. He had to get a secure app instead of whats app because he believed the military and government was watching his communications. He believes the struggles in Myanmar are not just domestic, but that foreing powers are also at play. Russians are coming in to try and help to stop the Chinese influence. In his view, if the Americans worked with the Russians, they could possibly stop what is happening in Myanmar and restore democracy. He thinks the Chinese government wants to take over, for example by financing the coup by the military. Life in Myanmar is dangerous: anonymous quote, “We were looking for a shop to put gas in our vehicle. We came across a roadblock on fire, but with a side lane to drive by. There were military and police on both sides. We slowed and they motioned us to pass.”
Domestic threats to democracy are sometimes stoked by foreign powers trying to gain influence in the region. You have to look at what's happening in a country, taking into account external influences as well as domestic struggles.
References
https://www.nytimes.com/article/myanmar-news-protests-coup.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11685977
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