Myanmar Coup d'état 2021 - Detailed Analysis for IAS Exam Preparation

On the dawn of February 1st, 2021, a seismic shift in Myanmar's political landscape took place. The Tatmadaw, Myanmar's military, ousted the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD).

The coup came just a day before the swearing-in of newly elected members of the Parliament of Myanmar, effectively derailing the process.

The repercussions of this event led some to seek refuge in India. However, India's non-signatory status to the UN Refugees Convention 1957 means it cannot officially grant refugee status.

Zoramthanga, the Chief Minister of Mizoram, appealed to the government on April 2nd, 2021, to reconsider its stance on refugees from Myanmar.

This article provides a comprehensive outlook on the Myanmar Coup d’état within the context of the IAS Exam.

The Lead Up to the Myanmar Coup

Since 1962, Myanmar has largely been under the control of the military, except for brief periods of democratic governance. In 1990, a glimmer of hope emerged when the military allowed free elections, under the belief that they would secure popular support. However, the National League for Democracy triumphed instead.

Unwilling to relinquish control, the military placed the NLD under house arrest.

The military's grip on power continued for another 22 years until 2011, when the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar was drafted and a tentative democratic transition began. However, the military retained considerable power, including the right to appoint a quarter of all parliament members.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of the nation's modern founder Aung San, was elected as State Counsellor of Myanmar.

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The 2021 coup was a response to the general election on 8 November 2020, in which the NLD won 396 out of 476 seats in parliament. The military’s proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, won only 33 seats. The Army refused to recognize the election results, alleging fraud.

On February 3 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest, charged with breaching COVID-19 regulations. She faced additional charges for using unauthorized communication devices and violating the National Disaster Act.

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The Unfolding of the Myanmar Coup

By the end of March 2021, the death toll of civilians at the hands of military or police forces had reached at least 520, and over 3070 people had been detained.

Around 400 elected parliament members were put under house arrest. Following the coup, the NLD arranged for the MPs to remain housed in the complex until 6 February.

When the Myanmar ambassador to the United Nations , Kyaw Moe Tun, publicly condemned the coup, he was dismissed from his post the following day.

Civil resistance efforts have sprung up across the country, including acts of civil disobedience, labor strikes, a boycott campaign against the military, and the formal recognition of the election results by elected officials.

India's Position on the Myanmar Coup

Reports have emerged of defections from the Myanmar Police Force since the start of the protests. On March 11, 2021, 11 officers and their families crossed the India-Myanmar border into Mizoram. India has yet to decide on the Myanmar government's request for their extradition.

The Assam Rifles were directed to bolster security along the India–Myanmar border. The border has been closed since March 10, after 48 nationals from Myanmar crossed it.

The Indian government has expressed deep concern about the situation in Myanmar. While advocating for a smooth transition to democracy, it is also apprehensive about the potential impact of instability in Myanmar on India's northeastern states.

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