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Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi is among the politicians who were detained by the army in a morning raid, according to her party.
A spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy told Reuters news agency that Ms Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other leaders had been “captured” in the early hours of Monday morning.
“I want to tell our people not to respond rashly and I want them to act in accordance with the law,” Myo Nyunt said, adding that he also expected to be detained.
Tensions had risen between the civilian government and the powerful military since last November’s elections, which the army said were fraudulent.
Last week, the military refused to rule out a coup to nullify the electoral victory of the National League for Democracy, prompting other countries to warn against “any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede the democratic transition of Myanmar “.
Mark Farmaner, director of the Burma Campaign UK, told Sky News that Myanmar residents were reporting on soldiers on the streets, but communication was difficult as the internet and telephone networks had been disrupted. The state television station also stopped broadcasting, blaming technical problems.
Mr. Farmaner said that in recent years, Myanmar had been ruled by Ms. Suu Kyi’s civilian government, but the army had maintained control of the most important ministries and security forces.
“It really doesn’t make sense for the military to be doing this, because they have benefited enormously from the reforms carried out in the last 10 years,” he said of the apparent coup.
“We will have to see if there is some kind of division within the army or what is its motivation.
“They should know that as a result of the coup sanctions will be reimposed and they face the threat of uprisings within the country. It is impossible to see how this ends well for anyone in the country, including the military.”
For decades, Myanmar was ruled by one of the most brutal military regimes in the world, and Farmaner said that many people within the country were now “incredibly afraid” that these days would return.
“The people of Burma are the ones who have suffered the most during this period and people now have an incredible fear because they remember the days when there was direct military rule, when there were thousands of political prisoners, when you couldn’t say what you thought. Without be detained. They seem to face those days again. “
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