London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025

Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?

Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?

Myanmar hit headlines around the world on Monday when its military seized control.

The country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and members of her party are thought to be under house arrest.


Where is Myanmar?


Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in Southeast Asia and neighbours Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and India.

It has a population of about 54 million, most of whom speak Burmese, although other languages are also spoken. The biggest city is Yangon (Rangoon) but the capital is Nay Pyi Taw.

The main religion is Buddhism. There are many ethnic groups in the country, including the Rohingya Muslims.

The ruling military changed the country's name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, a year after thousands of people were killed in a crackdown on a popular uprising.

The country was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule.


What has happened now, and why?


The military has once more taken over the country, declaring a year-long state of emergency.

It seized control following a general election which Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide.

The armed forces had backed the opposition, who were demanding a re-run of the vote, claiming widespread fraud.

The election commission said there was no evidence to support these claims.

The coup was staged as a new session of parliament was set to open.


Who is in charge now?


The military says that power has been handed over to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.

He has long wielded significant political influence, successfully maintaining the power of the Tatmadaw - Myanmar's military - even as the country transitioned towards democracy.

Min Aung Hlaing is the leader of the coup


He has received international condemnation and sanctions for his alleged role in the military's attacks on ethnic minorities.

The military has already replaced numerous ministers and deputies, including in finance, health, the interior and foreign affairs.


Who is Aung San Suu Kyi?


Aung San Suu Kyi became world-famous in the 1990s for campaigning to restore democracy in Myanmar.

She spent nearly 15 years in detention between 1989 and 2010 after organising rallies calling for peaceful democratic reform and free elections.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest in 1991.

In 2015, she led her NLD party to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years.

Aung San Suu Kyi, pictured in September 2020


What about the crackdown on Rohingya?


Ms Suu Kyi's international reputation has suffered greatly as a result of Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingya minority group.

Myanmar considers them illegal immigrants and denies them citizenship.

Over decades, many have fled to escape persecution.

Thousands of Rohingyas were killed and more than 700,000 fled to Bangladesh following an army crackdown in 2017.

Ms Suu Kyi appeared before the International Court of Justice in 2019, where she denied the military had committed genocide.


What has the international reaction been?


The EU, UK and United Nations are among those to have condemned the military takeover.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the "vote of the people must be respected".

US President Joe Biden has threatened to reinstate sanctions on Myanmar.

But not everyone has reacted in this way.

China, which has previously opposed international intervention in Myanmar, urged all sides in the country to "resolve differences". Its Xinhua news agency described the changes as a "cabinet reshuffle".

Other countries in the region, including Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines, have said it is an "internal matter".


What could happen now?


Ms Suu Kyi has urged her supporters to "protest against the coup", but the streets of Myanmar are quiet.

Streets in Yangon are empty following the coup


An NLD politician told the AP news agency the party was not planning street protests, but working to "settle the problem peacefully".

Medics working in government hospitals are reported as saying they will stop work this week to push for the release of Ms Suu Kyi. Pictures on social media show some wearing black ribbons in protest.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
Vietnam Faces Up to $25 Billion Export Loss as U.S. Tariffs Bite
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Indonesia Court Upholds Military Law Amid Concerns Over Expanded Civilian Role
Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch Join Trump-Backed Bid to Take Over TikTok
Trump and Musk Reunite Publicly for First Time Since Fallout at Kirk Memorial
Vietnam Closes 86 Million Untouched Bank Accounts Over Biometric ID Rules
×