Myanmar Political Instability: Is it a Military Coup or Constitutional Emergency?
Abstract
On 1st February 2021, the military led by General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces took over the political power of the country and arrested hundreds of elected members of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is a Union Legislative Assembly of Myanmar comprising of two Houses – Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw). Aung San Suu Kyi, the State Councillor and the leader of the pro-democratic party, National League for Democracy (NLD) was also arrested. The political transition from authoritarian to democracy in Myanmar that started back in 2010 ended and once again, the military regime begins. After years of hurdles and pro-democratic movements, Myanmar had undergone its first multi-party elections in 2010 after the adoption of the 2008 Constitution. The election paved the way towards democratic consolidation. However, the recent military takeover of the government has shattered the core of the nascent democracy to which the country might succumb. In the light of the above context, the paper analyzes the causes of the ongoing political instability in Myanmar. It also argues that the actions of the military are not a Constitutional Emergency as claimed by the military.
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