China blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning the military coup in Myanmar.
The military took power in the Southeast Asian country on Monday, after arresting political leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of other lawmakers.
Since then, the coup leaders have formed a supreme council that will sit above the cabinet.
In Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, however, signs of resistance and civil disobedience have increased.
Doctors and medical staff in dozens of hospitals across the country are stopping work to protest the coup and to press for the release of Suu Kyi.
The United Nations Security Council met on Tuesday, but was unable to agree on a joint statement after China did not support it. China has veto power as one of the five permanent members of the council.
Before the talks, the UN special envoy in Myanmar, Christine Schraner, strongly condemned the military takeover that occurred after the army refused to accept the outcome of the general elections held in November.
She said it was clear that “the recent election result was an overwhelming victory” for Suu Kyi’s party.
In other criticisms, the Group of Seven major economic powers said it was “deeply concerned” and called for the return of democracy.
“We call on the military to end the state of emergency immediately, restore power to the democratically elected government, release all unjust detainees and respect human rights and the rule of law,” said the statement released in London. The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Why has China blocked UN action?
China has warned since the coup that international sanctions or pressure would only make things worse in Myanmar.
Beijing has long played a role in protecting the country from international scrutiny. He sees the country as economically important and is one of Myanmar’s closest allies.
Alongside Russia, the country has repeatedly protected Myanmar from UN criticism of military repression against the Muslim minority Rohingya.
“Beijing’s position on the situation is consistent with its general skepticism about international intervention,” Sebastian Strangio, Southeast Asian author and editor of Diplomat, told the BBC.
While China benefits strategically from alienating Myanmar from the west, that does not mean Beijing is happy with the coup, he warns.
“They had a very good deal with the NLD and invested a lot to build a relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi. The return of the military actually means that China now has to deal with the institution in Myanmar that has historically been the most suspect in China. intentions. “
“Through this foreign policy equivalent to gas lighting, China appears to be signaling its tacit support, if not an emphatic endorsement, for the actions of generals,” Myanmar expert Elliott Prasse-Freeman of the National University of Singapore.
“China seems to be proceeding as if this is Myanmar’s ‘internal issue’, in which what we are looking at is a ‘cabinet reshuffle’, as the Chinese state media put it.”
Although he thinks that a UN declaration would not have made an immediate difference, it would still serve as “a first step towards the coherence of an international response. This does not seem to be available”.
Where is Aung San Suu Kyi?
Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the now deprived elected government, has not been seen since she was detained by the military on Monday morning.
Dozens of other people also remain in detention, including President Win Myint, members of his party’s central committee and his personal lawyer. They are being held under house arrest.
His National League for Democracy (NLD) demanded his immediate release on Tuesday. He also asked the military to accept the results of the November elections, which saw the NLD gain over 80% of the vote.
Meanwhile, the United States said it was unsuccessful in contacting the Myanmar military and formally declared that the acquisition was a coup. This means that the United States cannot directly help the government, although most of its aid goes to non-governmental entities.
The EU, the United Kingdom, Australia and others have also condemned the acquisition.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by the armed forces until 2011, when a nominally civilian government was installed.
What is the situation in Myanmar?
Power was handed over to Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing. Eleven ministers and deputies, including finance, health, interior and foreign affairs, were replaced.
At his cabinet’s first meeting on Tuesday, Min Aung Hlaing repeated that the acquisition was “inevitable”.
The country was calm after the coup, with troops patrolling all major cities and a nightly curfew in effect.
Myanmar has a long history of military rule and many people still remember the terror of the previous coups.
But on Tuesday night, car horns and the sound of pots can be heard in the streets of Yangon in protest.
Groups of activists called for civil disobedience campaigns, creating a Facebook group to organize their efforts.
Staff at 70 hospitals and medical departments across the country are reported to have moved away from all non-emergency work.
Hundreds of health professionals, including veterans, participated in the “red ribbon movement”, with many wearing a red ribbon on their clothes to show that they were against the coup. Online, many have changed their social media profile photos to just a red color.
Some doctors also use symbols like black ribbons in silent protest.
Myanmar at a glance
Myanmar is a country of 54 million people in Southeast Asia that borders Bangladesh, India, China, Thailand and Laos.
It was ruled by an oppressive military government from 1962 to 2011, leading to international condemnation and sanctions.
Aung San Suu Kyi spent years campaigning for democratic reforms. A gradual liberalization started in 2010, although the military still maintained considerable influence.
A government led by Suu Kyi took power after free elections in 2015. But a deadly military crackdown, two years later, on Muslim Rohingya, caused hundreds of thousands of Muslims to flee to Bangladesh and sparked a conflict between Suu Kyi and the community. International.
She remained popular at home and her party won again by an overwhelming victory in the November 2020 elections. But the military now steps in to take control once again.
Originally published