In a speech on military-owned Myawaddy TV, Myanmar’s military said it had detained key political leaders in response to what it called “election fraud” and declared a state of emergency, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, power has been transferred to military chief Min Aung Hlaing. CNN cannot confirm Reuters reporting due to widespread internet and telecommunications disruption in Myanmar.
The announcement follows days of mounting political tension and growing fears of a possible military coup, and comes hours before a new session of parliament is due to begin.
The reigning National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Myo Nyunt confirmed the arrests to CNN on Monday. “State adviser Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some other high figures are being held in (the capital of) Naypyidaw,” said Myo Nyunt. “The army now appears to be taking control of the capital.”
Several senior leaders of major Myanmar states, including Ministers of Shan State, Kayah State and NLD State spokesman Ayeyarwady, were also detained during the raids, Myo Nyunt said.
On Monday morning, Myanmar’s main news outlets were suspended from the air and there were reports of significant internet outages in the province. Soldiers could also be seen outside City Hall in Yangon’s commercial center.
Myanmar’s electoral commission on Thursday rejected claims of voter fraud, saying any errors – such as duplicate names on voter rolls – were not enough to influence the outcome of the vote.
Upon her release, Suu Kyi led her party to a landslide victory in Myanmar’s first openly contested 2015 elections, establishing the first civilian government after 50 years of isolation and military authoritarianism.
But its international reputation has been tarnished in recent years by allegations of genocide against the Muslim Rohingya population in Myanmar. Myanmar has denied the charges and has long claimed to be the target of terrorists.
“This must be answered with the strongest international response. The military must recognize that they have made a big mistake in thinking they can get away with this,” the group said.
Communication blackout
When Myanmar woke up on Monday to the news of a likely coup d’état, there was evidence of significant disruption to the internet and telephone network across the country, which would affect people’s ability to get information or organize a response through social media can influence.
Netblocks, which monitors internet outages around the world, said real-time network data showed a major drop in connectivity in the early hours of Monday morning. Doug Madory, an analyst at Kentik, a network observation company, added on Twitter that a “major internet outage” was underway.
“Persistent disconnects have been monitored and national connectivity has dropped to 75% initially and then to 50% of normal levels at 8:00 am local time,” Netblocks said.
Reuters reported that the Myanmar state media’s MRTV has technical problems and cannot broadcast, the network said. “Due to the current communication problems, we would like to respectfully inform you that the regular programs of MRTV and Myanmar Radio cannot be broadcast,” Myanmar Radio and Television said in a post on its Facebook page.
Netblocks reported that “ technical data shows cutbacks affecting multiple network operators, including state-owned Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) and the international operator Telenor, with preliminary findings pointing to a centrally ordered mechanism of disruption targeting mobile and some fixed liner services, which progresses over time. “
“I feel that no one will really be able to determine what comes next. And remember, Myanmar is a country overrun with guns, with deep divisions on ethnic and religious lines, where millions can barely feed themselves.”
International response
The military action has raised concern and condemnation in the international community.
According to a statement by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation in Myanmar by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
“The United States is opposed to any attempt to change the outcome of recent elections or hinder the democratic transition in Myanmar, and will take action against those responsible if these steps are not reversed,” the statement said. “We are following the situation closely.”
Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing has been under US sanctions since December 2019. He was designated for grave human rights violations in connection with the atrocities committed against the Rohingya.
Australia on Monday called for the immediate release of Suu Kyi and other senior leaders detained by the military.
In a statement by the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Marise Payne, the Foreign Secretary said, “The Australian government is deeply concerned about reports of the Myanmar military trying to seize control of Myanmar again.”
“We call on the military to respect the rule of law, resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms, and immediately release all civilian leaders and others who have been unlawfully detained,” the statement said.
Additional reporting by Reuters, James Griffiths from CNN, Sandi Sithu and Sophie Jeong.