Myanmar coup Calls for Aung San

Myanmar coup Calls for Aung San

Myanmar coup Calls for Aung San Suu Kyi release

Calls are growing for the release of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi a day after the army seized power in the south-east Asian nation.

Ms Suu Kyi, who led the country’s elected government, has not been seen since she was detained by the military.

MPs who were confined in their accommodation in the capital have now been told they can leave.

While no protests have been reported, there have been acts of defiance, including a strike by medical staff.

The military took power in the early hours of Monday and declared a year-long state of emergency after accusing Ms Suu Kyi’s party of fraud over its recent election win.

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) demanded her immediate release on Tuesday. It has also called upon the military to accept the results of the November election, which saw the NLD win more than 80% of the votes.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by the armed forces until 2011, when a nominally civilian government was sworn in.

Map of Myanmar
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What is happening now in Myanmar?

One day after the coup, the country appears to be in an uneasy calm. The streets remained quiet, with troops patrolling all major cities and a night-time curfew in force.

The communications systems which had been disrupted on Monday had returned by Tuesday morning, with phone and internet connections running again.

On the streets of the main city, Yangon, people said they felt their hard-fought battle for democracy had been lost.

In a sign of civil disobedience, doctors working in government hospitals are reported as saying they will stop work from Wednesday to push for Ms Suu Kyi’s release.

Some medics are resorting to wearing symbols in silent protest.

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