Myanmar coup live: Suu Kyi's health is good, party official reveals

Yangon - The latest on Myanmar after the military said it was taking control for one year.

Myanmar military television said Monday that the military was taking control of the country for one year, while reports said many of the country’s senior politicians including Aung San Suu Kyi had been detained.

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An presenter on military-owned Myawaddy TV made the announcement and cited a section of the military-drafted constitution that allows the military to take control in times of national emergency. He said the reason for takeover was in part due to the government’s failure to act on the military’s claims of voter fraud in last November’s election and its failure to postpone the election because of the coronavirus crisis.

The announcement follows days of concern about the threat of a military coup — and military denials — and came on the morning the country’s new Parliament session was to begin.

The latest on Myanmar after the military said it was taking control for one year

3:55pm

Suu Kyi's health is good, party official reveals

A senior official from the party of Mynmar’s detained Aung Suu Kyi said on Tuesday that he had learned that her health was good and that she was not being moved from the location where she was being held after a coup against her government.

The whereabouts and condition of Myanmar’s elected leader have not been made public since she was detained in the capital Naypyidaw by the military during the coup on Monday.

“There is no plan to move Daw Aung San Su Kyi and Doctor Myo Aung. It’s learned that they are in good health,” said Kyi Toe, a member of the National League for Democracy’s central information committee in a Facebook post which also referred to one of her allies.

12:40pm

Philippines express 'deep concern' over Suu Kyi's safety

he Philippines foreign ministry said on Tuesday it is following the situation in Myanmar “with deep concern” especially over the safety of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Its statement was stronger than remarks a day earlier by President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman, who said events in Myanmar were “an internal matter that we will not meddle with”.

9:00am

UN to hold emergency meeting on coup

The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday on the military coup in Myanmar, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called “a serious blow to democratic reforms” in the Southeast Asian nation.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward is this month’s council president and said Monday that the council will look at “a range of measures” to uphold the Nov. 8 presidential election won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party and secure the release of the Nobel peace laureate and other leaders arrested by the military.

Woodward says “at the moment, we don’t have specific ideas on measures.” At the U.N., that often means sanctions.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the world body has been unable to contact officials in the capital and has no information on those being held. Dujarric said the U.N. fears the military action “may make the situation worse” for the estimated 600,000 Rohingya that remain in northern Rakhine state.

5:00pm

Thai police clash with protestors against coup

Police in Thailand’s capital clashed on Monday with a group of demonstrators who were protesting against a coup that took place in Myanmar, Reuters witnesses said.

At least two people were injured at the protest, which took place outside Myanmar’s embassy in the Thai capital, where at least 200 people had gathered, including Thai and Myanmar citizens.

The police arrested at least two people according to the Thai legal monitoring group iLaw.

4:15pm

Japan expresses concerns over military’s actions

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed “serious concern” about developments in Myanmar and called for the release of leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“We have serious concerns about Myanmar’s declaration of a state of emergency, a development that is harming the democratization process,” Motegi said in a statement Monday. “We demand the release of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials.”

“Japan has strongly supported Myanmar’s democratization process and opposes moves that go against it,” Motegi said. “We strongly urge the military again to restore a democratic political system as soon as possible.”

4:00pm

ASEAN calls for 'dialogue and return to normalcy'

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called on Monday for Myanmar to pursue “dialogue, reconciliation and the return to normalcy” after the military staged a coup against the government of Noble laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

“We reiterate that the political stability in ASEAN Member States is essential to achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous ASEAN Community,” the 10-member bloc said in a statement.

2:40pm

Germany tells military to release Suu Kyi

Germany strongly condemns the seizure of power and the accompanying arrests by the military in Myanmar, its foreign minister said on Monday.

“The military actions jeopardize the progress made so far towards democratic change in Myanmar,” Heiko Maas said in a statement.

He called on the military to immediately release the arrested members of the government and parliament, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

2:15pm

Lawmakers' residences under watch by army

Security forces in Myanmar’s capital are guarding the residences of members of parliament, two lawmakers said on Monday, after a coup against the elected government.

Military trucks have blocked exits of the compound that contains the municipal housing where legislators live during house sessions, representative Sai Lynn Myat said. Those inside were in good health but were not allowed to leave.

1:45pm

Myanmar health minister quits amid ‘evolving situation’.

Myanmar’s health minister said on Monday he was leaving his post because of the “evolving situation” in the country, after the military seized power.

In a message on the health ministry’s official Facebook page, Myint Htwe urged colleagues to continue to serve the population, especially with the coronavirus epidemic and vaccinations. He did not say whether his departure was voluntary or by force.

1:15pm

Coup shows no concern for country: Senior Myanmar leader

A senior leader of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party said the decision by General Min Aung Hlaing to stage a coup at a time when Myanmar was struggling with the pandemic showed personal ambitions rather than concern for the country.

“The country’s economy is going down. At this time, the fact that he conducted a coup shows that he doesn’t think about the future,” Win Htein said on a video posted on Facebook.

12:05pm

China calls for all sides to 'resolve differences'

Beijing called for all parties in Myanmar to “resolve their differences” after the military seized power and detained democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“China is a friendly neighbour of Myanmar and hopes the various parties in Myanmar will appropriately resolve their differences under the constitutional and legal framework to protect political and social stability,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing. Wang said China – which shares a border with Myanmar – was still “furthering our understanding of the situat

11:50am

Boris Johnson condemns coup

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he condemned the coup in Myanmar after the military in the Asian country seized power, saying Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders must be freed.

“I condemn the coup and unlawful imprisonment of civilians, including Aung San Suu Kyi, in Myanmar,” Johnson said on Twitter. “The vote of the people must be respected and civilian leaders released.”

11:25am

EU Council head Michel condemns military’s seizure of power in Myanmar

European Council President Charles Michel on Monday condemned the military’s seizure of power in Myanmar and demanded that it release of all those it had detained in raids across the country.

“The outcome of the elections has to be respected and democratic process needs to be restored,” Michel, who heads the body that represents the EU’s 27 national leaders, wrote on his Twitter account.

10:35 am

Malaysia calls for peaceful resolution to Myanmar electoral dispute

Malaysia on Monday called on all parties in Myanmar to resolve any electoral disputes peacefully after the military seized power and detained members of the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

“Malaysia supports the continuation of discussion among Myanmar’s leaders to avoid adverse consequences to the people and state of Myanmar, especially in the current, difficult Covid-19 pandemic situation,” Malaysia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

10:05am

Aung San Suu Kyi calls on public not to accept a coup

Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD) Party on Monday said its leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on the public not to accept a coup by the military and urged them to protest.

“The actions of the military are actions to put the country back under a dictatorship,” the NLD said in a statement which carried leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s name. “I urge people not to accept this, to respond and wholeheartedly to protest against the coup by the military.”

9:40am

All banks in Myanmar closed

All Myanmar banks throughout the country were closed Monday following a military coup, declaration of a state of emergency and the detention of de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“All member banks of Myanmar Banks Association are to close their bank unanimously starting from February 1,” according to an announcement by the association, which said it was due to a poor internet connection.

9:30am