Myanmar's military should not turn clock back
Myanmar's military seized power in a coup Monday, ending the Southeast Asian country's efforts for a democratic transition. It imposed a one-year state of emergency and detained democratically elected leader Aug San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her party ― the National League for Democracy (NLD).
The coup is a serious setback to democracy in the poverty-stricken country. Under no circumstances should any attempts to revert to military rule be condoned. The military must realize that its coup is anachronistic and runs counter to the Myanmar people's aspirations for democracy.
The military takeover came after Suu Kyi's NLD won a landslide victory in the Nov. 8 elections ― her party snatched 83 percent of the seats up for grabs. The coup took place when a new parliament was scheduled to open following the election. The military's brutal action prevented the opening, trampling on parliamentary democracy.
The military cited “election fraud” as the reason for the coup ― a transparently lame excuse to legitimize its action. First Vice-President Myint Swe was appointed as president. He immediately handed over power to the country's top military commander, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. The military has promised to hold elections in a year's time. This promise could make it possible for the commander to become a civilian leader as he is to retire soon.
Yet it is regrettable that the armed forces are back in control of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Returning to military rule goes against the tide of the times. It deals a fatal blow to Myanmar's transition to democracy. The country had been touted as a symbol of success in promoting a Western model of democracy. At the center of the progress has been Suu Kyi, 75, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for standing up for democracy and human rights. Her party took power in 2015, ending five decades of military rule.
Now, her dedication to Myanmar's democracy is on the verge of going up in smoke. Most Myanmarese are gripped by extreme frustration and anger over the coup. The return of the military is also shocking to people around the world.
The international community should take resolute action against the military junta to restore democracy in Myanmar. In this regard, we welcome U.S. President Joe Biden's threat to impose sanctions on the country. As Biden stated, the coup is a direct assault on the country's transition to democracy and rule of law. Myanmar's military should immediately stop its bid to return to its dark age.