#Myanmar, nestled between #India & #China, was a #British #colony. It gained independence in 1947.
In 1962 a military coup ushered in military rule.
In 1990, first elections in ~30 yrs, liberal #NLD leader Aung San #SuuKyi won with 80% of seats, but military #junta refused to cede power.
In 2010, next election in 20 yrs, military-backed #USDP barred prominent leaders of NLD from running. NLD boycotted the elections, and USDP claimed victory.
They later released Suu Kyi from house arrest.
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#Obama described the 2010 elections as "stolen" by #USDP
In 2015 elections #SuuKyi's #NLD party won absolute majority of seats in both chambers of parliament with 86% of seats, and Suu Kyi assumed role similar to PM.
In 2020 elections, USDP suffered even greater humiliation than in 2015 with < 7% of seats.
As election results began emerging, USDP rejected them.
Despite validation of NLD's overwhelming victory, USDP & Myanmar's military persistently alleged #ElectionFraud
[via wikipedia]
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On Feb 1, 2021, the day parliament was set to convene, Myanmar's military #Tatmadaw, detained Suu Kyi and other members of the ruling party.
The military announced it would REPLACE the existing election commission with a new one.
A #military media outlet indicated NEW elections would be held in about one year – though the military did NOT make an official commitment to that.
By the second day of the #coup, protests erupted nationwide.
That #civilWar is ongoing as of now, in 2024.
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⬆️ #Myanmar's army is losing in the ongoing #civilWar triggered by 2021 coup by military #junta that "stole" elections from #SuuKyi
Military leader, Min Aung #Hlaing, who led the coup, has faced plenty of international censure, is loathed by much of Myanmar's population, & is running out of friends
Now, one of his staunch allies, #MilitanrMonk Pauk Ko #Taw, part of an ultra-nationalist fringe of the #Buddhist clergy, has switched sides and is asking Hlaing to step aside
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#SuuKyi remains in detention, her whereabouts unknown. She faces 27 yrs prison for alleged treason & bribery, which she denies.
World leaders have repeatedly called for her release.
The Nobel laureate was detained at a decrepit, colonial-style residence until 2012.
That home, where #Obama & #Clinton visited her, is now up for auction by military-run court, which says the house arrest site worth at least $90 mln.
⬆️ #Myanmar resistance movement senses the tide is turning against the #junta 3 years after takeover.
Overshadowed by wars in #Ukraine and #Gaza, Myanmar’s #civilWar is no longer on the front pages, even as violence perpetrated under the military government has risen.
#US & #EU called for the military government to halt violence, release political prisoners including ousted leader #SuuKyi, and allow access for humanitarian groups and dialogue among all stakeholders.
When the army overthrew Myanmar’s elected government in 2021, it looked like a walkover that could entrench the military in power indefinitely. Three years later, a poorly armed grassroots resistance movement has shaken the military’s grip. Overshadowed by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Myanmar’s civil war is no longer on the front pages, even as violence perpetrated under the military government has risen. Air strikes on villages have increased and civilian casualties have grown, engendering a humanitarian crisis. Experts says recent battlefield victories by the resistance have boosted their fortunes but no end to the conflict is yet in sight.
⬆️ For the first time, #Myanmar forces fled their posts & took shelter in #Bangladesh during fighting with #ArakanArmy armed group.
Arakan Army is military wing of #Rakhine ethnic minority that seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s #junta government, which seized power in 2021 from elected government of Aung San #SuuKyi & is now embroiled in a wide-ranging civil war in Myanmar.
Arakan Army is part of #ThreeBrotherhoodAlliance that gained strategic territory bordering #China.
A Bangladesh official says more than 100 members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police have fled their posts and taken shelter in Bangladesh during fighting between Myanmar security forces and an ethnic minority army. It is the first time that Myanmar forces have been known to flee into Bangladesh since an alliance of ethnic minority armies in Myanmar launched an offensive against the military government late last year. The Bangladesh official says the Myanmar forces entered over the last two days during fighting with the Arakan Army in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The Arakan Army is the military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority group.
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Resistance forces tighten noose around #Myanmar #junta .
The army continues to lose control in the ongoing #civilWar triggered by 2021 coup by the military that "stole" elections from democratically elected #SuuKyi.
https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-rebels-military-offensive-a15d8cd60bcc10c1f2dd9b7a8e576bf4
Six months into an offensive against Myanmar’s military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics in the Southeast Asian country’s bitter civil war. There is pressure on all fronts from powerful militias drawn from Myanmar’s ethnic minority groups and newer resistance forces. Troops are retaliating with air, naval and artillery strikes on hospitals and other facilities where the opposition could be sheltered or aided. About 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the offensive and more than 1,000 civilians have been killed.
⬆️ From above story
6 months into an offensive… civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics
There is pressure on all fronts from powerful militias [but] troops are retaliating with… strikes on hospitals and other facilities where the opposition could be sheltered.
As fighting has moved into more populated areas, about 1M people have been forced to flee since the start of the offensive in October with more than 3M internally displaced.
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This story barely makes the news even though #Myanmar is a nation of 56 million people.
Does it fail to make news because there are no religious or ethnic groups #worthTargeting in the story?
Where are the liberal #StudentProtestors demanding that military #junta return power to #SuuKyi?
⬆️ @Lo
>> She disappointed millions of people. If the junta had not taken power, She would have not been re-elected.
Stop gaslighting and start reading from top of this thread.
In 1990 #SuuKyi got 80% of votes.
Then she was put under house arrest.
Then they banned opposition political parties from election
#Obama called 2010 elections “stolen”
In 2015, Suu Kyi got 86%of votes..
In 2020 her party blew all previous records, and that’s when the #junta-led military coup stole power again
⬆️ @Lo
Another #hitAndRun
>> #SuuKyi is the person that Western people want to see in charge, no matter what Burmese people think & no matter how she disappointed her people
If she “disappointed her people” she would not win 80% of votes consistently over 3 decades, no matter what Western people wanted
>> Your point of view does not intérests me, and I dont care how many posts contains your thread
My posts are not just my “point of view” & have links to copious news sources. Hers have zero.
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
Lo