Nepal: Myanmar's Military Coup - A Serious Blow to Democracy

Asia Human Rights
February 1, 2021
Reproduced with Permission
Asian Human Rights Commission

The community of civil society in Nepal expresses grave concern over the seizing of power by Myanmar's military on 1 February, in a coup in the aftermath of the democratic elections held in November 2020. The army has claimed that the response was a result of the "election fraud" which the Election Commission of Myanmar has already denied.

This seizure of power by the military with the imposition of a state of emergency for a year, not only risks the fledgling democracy in Myanmar but also risks democracy at large in other parts of the globe as well.

We strongly condemn the arrest of the President Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the parliament and leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party and urge the military for immediate and unconditional release of all civilian leaders and others who have been detained unlawfully.

The coup staged by Myanmar's army not only undermines the country's democratic transition, but is also an utter disdain to the rights of Myanmar's people to choose their own government. We acknowledge the fact that people in Myanmar have already struggled and endured so much for democracy, peace and development. We extend our strong support and solidarity to the people of Myanmar in restoring democracy and rule of law.

We call on the national and international human rights community to be vigilant on the situation in Myanmar. We are worried for the safety and security of the arrestees. So, we urge the Myanmarese military to respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through mutual dialogue and lawful mechanisms by adhering to the democratic norms and principles of the rule of law.

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