Myanmar rife with crisis, violence, rebellion one year after military takeover

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the military takeover of the civilian government in Myanmar that has killed thousands, locked up former leaders and left the country in a state of economic and political upheaval.

On Feb. 1, 2021, military leaders in the Asian nation seized control of the government, announced a national emergency and detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other top officials -- saying they were elected through an illegitimate and fraudulent election. The elections in November 2020 were the second since Myanmar transitioned from a military dictatorship to a democracy.

Activists on Tuesday planned to hold a "silent strike" and called on the public to stay home during the late morning and early afternoon. As part of the protest, they clapped and banged pots as a form of protest against the military junta.

Myanmar's military has warned that people who participate in such protests will face charges, and business owners have been sent notices warning that their property could be seized.

Protesters gather and shout at security forces during a demonstration about a week after the military government takeover, in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 8, 2021. File Photo by Xiao Long/ UPI

However, despite having a full 12 months to wield power, the Myanmar military has failed to consolidate control nationwide -- due partly to widespread opposition, hatred for the junta and a shadow National Unity Government headed by some ousted civilian leaders.

"Since the early days of the coup, when protests were concentrated in the cities, the conflict has spread to the rest of the country," Khu Ree Du, a spokesman for the opposition Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, said according to The New York Times.

"The shape of the conflict will be more intense in the coming year because what the Myanmar military has done is unforgivable."

"The coup has not succeeded in the past year," Yanghee Lee, co-founder of the Special Advisory Group on Myanmar and former U.N. special rapporteur for human rights, told CNN. "And that is why they are taking even more drastic measures to finish out the coup."

Min Zin, executive director of Myanmar's Institute for Strategy and Policy think tank, said the military over the past 12 months has mostly secured control over central Myanmar and most towns and cities, but has struggled to control the countryside in the northwest.

"When you go up in the north, like Sagaing, Magwe, especially the northern parts of these regions, I think the rural areas are more or less being controlled by the resistance movement," he said, according to Voice of America.

Over the past year, at least 1,500 people have been killed in efforts by the military "to crush dissent" and almost 12,000 have been arbitrarily detained for peacefully protesting. Another 9,000 remain in custody and hundreds are dying, experts say.

An injured man is helped by others during protests in the streets of Mandalay, Myanmar, almost a month after the military government takeover on February 28, 2021. File Photo by Xiao Long/UPI

Additionally, the United Nations and other organizations have reported that more than 400,000 people have been driven from their homes since the coup as the military indiscriminately makes ground assaults, rocket attacks and airstrikes on areas held by the opposition.

According to U.N. experts, the fallout of the coup and impact of COVID-19 has pushed nearly half of Myanmar's 55 million people into poverty -- a level not seen in over 15 years.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who'd previously spent 15 years under house arrest, was installed to lead the country's first civilian government in 2015 as her National League of Democracy Party won 390 seats. Since she was overthrown, she's been charged with a number of offenses by the new military regime, including flouting COVID-19 regulations and possessing unlawful walkie talkies.

The 76-year-old former leader been sentenced to six years in prison for the walkie talkies, COVID-19 violations and other supposed crimes.

"One year ago, the [Myanmar] military denied the will of the people of [Myanmar], overthrew the democratically elected government, and seized power in a coup d'etat," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement marking the one-year anniversary. "Since then, the regime has perpetrated countless brutal actions and committed unspeakable violence against civilians, including children.

"As long as the regime continues to deny the people their democratic voice, we will continue to impose further costs on the military and its supporters," he added. "To the people of [Myanmar]: We have not forgotten your struggle. And we will continue to support your valiant determination to bring democracy and the rule of law to your country."