Myanmar crisis: G7 countries express concern, demand military to restore power

Following the military coup in Myanmar, the G7 countries condemned the move and demanded the military to end the state of emergency and restore power to the democratically-elected government. According to a statement shared by the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the G7 nations urged the military to release all those “unjustly detained” including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. They also asserted that the results of November’s general elections in Myanmar must be respected and Parliament should be convened at the earliest opportunity. 

The statement read, “We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union are united in condemning the military coup in Myanmar”. 

“We are deeply concerned by the detention of political leaders and civil society activists, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and targeting of the media. We call upon the military to immediately end the state of emergency, restore power to the democratically-elected government, to release all those unjustly detained and to respect human rights and the rule of law,” it added. 

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Myanmar military coup 

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi has been charged by the military with offences related to some walkie-talkies allegedly imported with improper licence and for shaking hands during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the police document. She among other leaders from the civilian government was put under house arrest on February 1 as armed forces took the power after complaining over the voter fraud in the recent general election in November 2020. Myanmar President Win Myint, who was also arrested and removed from the office, would be reportedly charged with offences under the natural disaster management law.

Myanmar is under the control of the military and a state of emergency for a year. In the run-up to the November 2020 election, Army chief Min Aung Hlaing, who has acquired the power of the nation now, had claimed that civilian government was making "unacceptable mistakes". The military alleged that the elections were full of ‘irregularities’ and questioned the veracity of at least 9 million votes cast in November 2020 even though the country’s election commission rejected the claims of fraud. Myanmar military stressed that it will protect and abide by its constitution. 

(With inputs from ANI) 

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