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Military coup in Myanmar
Why is it in news?
- Myanmar's military has seized power after detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders.
- The military declared a one-year state of emergency.
Details:
- The army alleges the recent landslide election win by Ms Suu Kyi's party was marred by fraud and she urged supporters to protest against the coup.
- The military takeover follows weeks of tensions between the armed forces and the government following parliamentary elections lost by the army-backed opposition.
- Myanmar was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule.
About Aung San Suu Kyi:
- Aung San Suu Kyi, 75, is the daughter of Myanmar's independence hero, Gen Aung San.
- Gen Aung San was assassinated just before the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948.
- Suu Kyi spent nearly 15 years in detention between 1989 and 2010.
- She was released in 2010, and in November 2015 she led the NLD to a landslide victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election for 25 years and became de facto leader.
- She also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
- But her international reputation suffered severely following an army crackdown on the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority.