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Myanmar Military Spokesman: 'This Is Not a Coup'
Posted
February 17, 2021
Views
26,886
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378
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February 17, 2021
26,886
378
145
1.95%
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6:16Now PlayingMyanmar’s junta has again defended its move to oust the civilian government in the face of nationwide protests, dismissing the impact of U.S. sanctions while showing no signs of a compromise with demonstrators.
Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun, the lead spokesman for the State Administration Council, said Tuesday the military’s actions were in line with the 2008 constitution and “not a coup.” He added that the regime was taking steps to fight Covid-19 and wanted to attract foreign investment, while seeking to discredit protesters by showing videos of violence against authorities.
“To ensure democracy and prosperity, people should cooperate with us without being emotional,” Zaw Min Tun said in the military’s first official press briefing since the Feb. 1 coup. He said the junta would proceed with an election according to its timeline while “trying not to be violent as much as possible.”
The remarks signal Myanmar’s army is looking to improve its image after tens of thousands of people have hit the streets in defiance for more than a week, including on Tuesday, drawing support from democracy activists in Asia and Western governments.
The regime shut down the internet for a third straight night, part of efforts to disrupt telephone and internet access to prevent demonstrators from organizing. They have also made changes to the telecommunications law to impose harsher prison sentences for illegal online activity, while also granting themselves new powers to intercept communications and detain dissidents.
We spoke to to Hunter Marston, a PHD Candidate at Australian National University and a Nonresident WSD-Handa Fellow at Pacific Forum, about what might happen next. He told us he fears a military crackdown may be imminent.
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