{"id":222,"date":"2021-04-24T11:20:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T15:20:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/project.journalism.torontomu.ca\/jn8201-winter-2021\/?p=222"},"modified":"2021-04-24T11:25:20","modified_gmt":"2021-04-24T15:25:20","slug":"widespread-protests-in-burma-as-military-stages-coup-declares-state-of-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/project.journalism.torontomu.ca\/jn8201-winter-2021\/2021\/04\/24\/widespread-protests-in-burma-as-military-stages-coup-declares-state-of-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"Widespread protests in Burma as military stages coup; declares state of emergency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Burmese anti-coup protestors take to the street after military detain Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders.<\/strong> (CNN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Widespread protests have engulfed Burma, also known as Myanmar, after its military ousted the country’s democratically elected government, and declared a year-long state of emergency.<\/strong>
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The coup was staged as a new session of parliament was set to open on February 2, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aung San Suu Kyi’s party had officially been returned to power. (GETTY IMAGES)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


Back in November of last year, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party had won a landslide victory in the general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The election was viewed as a referendum<\/a> on the fledgling democratic government led by Ms. Suu Kyi and her NLD party, which won a landslide<\/a> in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the military had backed the opposition party, who were demanding a rerun of the election, claiming widespread fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The election commission, however, has said there is no evidence to support these claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chad Rogers, an analyst from Canadian public affairs agency Crestview Strategy, described Burma as being \u201ca victim of a junta.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Min Aung Hlaing is now in charge. (GETTY IMAGES)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe democratic uprising from the people of Burman have risked their safety and security for are chipping away at the power of a totalitarian military regime,\u201d he said in an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms. Suu Kyi is now under house arrest and many other National League for Democracy officials have also been detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asia-based freelance journalist and Burma expert Larry Jagan says this is part of the military strategy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is little doubt that the game plan is to try and silence Aung San Suu Kyi, to prevent her having a political future in the country and to prevent her having any influence on future elections,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power has been handed over to the military\u2019s commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has long wielded significant political influence, successfully maintaining the power of Burma\u2019s military – even as the country moved towards democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Myanmar’s military checkpoint is seen on the way to the congress compound in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on February 1, 2021. (STRINGER\/REUTERS)
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In his first public comments after the coup, Gen Hlaing sought to justify the takeover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the military was on the side of the people and would form a “true and disciplined democracy.” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The military says it will hold a “free and fair” election once the state of emergency is over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n