Timeline: Events In Myanmar Since Calls By Military Of Election Fraud

Here is a timeline of events since late last month following calls by Myanmar’s military against what they termed election fraud.

Jan. 26: Myanmar’s army warns it will “take action” if a dispute over the Nov. 8 election is not settled and declines to rule out a coup if its demands are not met. The military wants the election commission to investigate voter lists it said contained discrepancies.

Jan. 27: Army commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing says the constitution should be repealed if it was not abided by, citing previous instances when charters had been abolished in Myanmar.

Jan. 28: The election commission rejects allegations by the military of election fraud, saying there were no errors big enough to impact the credibility of the vote.

Members of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) meet military leaders for talks, but they are “not successful”, NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt says.

Jan. 29: Several dozen trucks carrying protesters with placards denouncing the government and election commission and praising the military circle Naypyitaw but turn back from the court, where police are deployed.

Jan 30: Myanmar’s military says it would protect and abide by the constitution and act according to law. Pro-military demonstrations are held in several cities.

Jan 31: Myanmar’s military “categorically denies” impeding the democratic transition and rebukes foreign embassies for voicing concern over developments.

Feb 1: Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other senior figures from the NLD are detained in an early morning raid.

State media MRTV is unable to broadcast. In Yangon, mobile internet data connections and some phone services are disrupted, and soldiers are deployed outside city hall.

The military declares a state of emergency for a year, and says it carried out the detentions in response to the election fraud, handing power to Min Aung Hlaing.

Banks agree to shut all financial services temporarily due to poor internet connections.

The NLD publishes a statement on behalf of Suu Kyi written before she was detained, urging people to protest the military coup. Other members of parliament are prevented by security forces from leaving their residences.

The junta removes 24 ministers and deputies, naming 11 replacements.

Feb 2: Myanmar banks in Yangon reopen. The city’s international airport closes until June 1.

Min Aung Hlaing tells the first meeting of his new government it was inevitable the army would have to take power after its protests over alleged election fraud.

Vehicle horns and pans being struck are heard around Yangon in protest against the coup.

Facebook removes a page linked to Myanmar’s military-owned TV network in a measure to protect against harm, according to a spokeswoman.

Feb 3: Staff at 70 hospitals and medical departments across Myanmar stop work to protest against the coup. Others wear red ribbons as part of a civil disobedience campaign.

The NLD’s office in several regions of the country are raided, with documents, computers and laptops taken.

Myanmar police file charges against San Suu Kyi and seek her detention until Feb. 15. A police document says military officers who searched Suu Kyi’s residence found six hand-held radios that were imported illegally and used without permission.

Charges are also filed against ousted President Win Myint for violating protocols to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Internet providers block access to Facebook, as well as its Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp services, on orders from the Ministry of Communications and Information. Facebook will be blocked until Feb. 7 for the sake of “stability”, the ministry said.

Feb 4: A group of protesters wave banners and chant anti-coup slogans in Mandalay in the first such street protest against the army takeover. At least three arrests are made, activist groups say.

(Compiled by Karishma Singh; Editing by Lincoln Fesat)

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