Supporters of Myanmar’s military celebrate takeover
1 February 2021, 11:24
The government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her party has been ousted.
Supporters of Myanmar’s military and the political party it backs held small rallies to celebrate the ousting of the government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party.
Pickup vehicles carrying about half a dozen people each cruised in small swarms through the main streets of Yangon, the country’s biggest city.
Some vehicles had loudspeakers blaring music and most carried the national flag.
Some also displayed Buddhist flags.
In several areas, supporters of the military and the Union Solidarity and Development Party held small streetside rallies, with occasional minor violence, according to social media posts that could not immediately be verified.
Ms Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide victory in last November’s elections, humiliating the opposition USDP.
The military said it staged its takeover on Monday, during which it detained Ms Suu Kyi and other officials, because her government would not address its allegations of widespread voter fraud and other election flaws.
Similar rallies supporting the military were held last week.
In imposing a one-year state of emergency on Monday, the military said the government’s denials of wrongdoing sparked popular protests against the state election commission “in many cities”.
It said other parties and individuals were planning their own demonstrations and provocations that could impact the nation’s stability.
However, there was little public sign of significant unrest.
