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New Zealand has called for a swift return to civilian rule in Myanmar, after the country’s military seized power and arrested leader Aung San Suu Kyi, among others, in a sudden coup.
Myanmar’s army, the Tatmadaw, announced on its television station that it had taken control of the country for a year. AFP reported Monday afternoon, following a series of morning arrests in which prominent politicians from the National League for Democracy (NLD), including President U Win Myin, and democracy activists were detained.
The coup came hours before Myanmar’s second democratically elected parliament was convened. Suu Kyi and the NLD won a major electoral victory in November, winning 396 out of 476 seats in parliament, while the military-backed Union, Solidarity and Development Party won 33 seats.
The Tatmadaw, which previously ruled the country for decades under a military dictatorship, alleged widespread electoral fraud, a charge dismissed by the country’s electoral commission in recent days.
Aung Shine Oo / AP
Myanmar’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was reportedly arrested by the country’s army in a coup.
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Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said New Zealand was calling for a speedy return to civilian rule and the early release of Suu Kyi and the detainees.
“We will ensure through our channels … that we express not only our concern but also our call to action. We will be attentive to the potential impact [for] New Zealanders there in Myanmar. “
Mahuta said he would take advice on New Zealand’s existing aid programs in the country, among the “next steps” that could be taken.
Aung Shine Oo / AP
The Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, casts his vote at a polling station in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. On Monday, what appears to be a military coup claimed control of the co
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) issued a statement on Monday afternoon saying it was “deeply concerned” by the events in Myanmar.
“We ask for the prompt release of all those detained and that any problem be resolved through peaceful dialogue. Elections have been held and the democratic will of the people must be respected, ”the statement read.
New Zealand has taken an active interest in Myanmar’s transition to democracy, has provided aid and democracy-building programs to its citizens, and Ambassador to Myanmar Steve Marshall has a long-standing friendship with Suu Kyi.
A spokeswoman for MFAT said, in the statement, that New Zealand does not have diplomatic staff in the country as its embassy was temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dom Thomas / RNZ
Local government minister Nanaia Mahuta says the detainees must be released.
Marshall joined a statement from diplomatic missions on Friday, declaring his support for Myanmar’s democratic transition and urging the army to “adhere to democratic norms.”
58 New Zealand registered on the SafeTravel website as in Myanmar. The MFAT spokeswoman said New Zealanders were advised to avoid unnecessary travel to the country and to monitor media reports for more information.
