It was as if time had rewound a decade."The Global New Light of Myanmar" has long been considered the mouthpiece for whoever is running the country, its pages dedicated to government propaganda and stiff images of officials on mundane visits to agricultural or development projects.
"Senior General makes speech at government meeting" was Wednesday's"New Light" headline, a sign that Myanmar is now back under military rule, at least for the next 12 months. But according to analysts a simpler explanation is that the coup, as most usually are, was driven by power and the personal ambition of an army chief who felt he was losing control and respect.
The 2008 constitution allocated the military a quarter of seats in parliament, giving it effective veto power over constitutional amendments, and the generals kept control of three key ministries -- defense, border and home affairs. His successor was labeled the"Butcher of Rangoon" for his brutal suppression of mass pro-democracy demonstrations in the then-capital during the late 1980s.
In 2019, the United States sanctioned Min Aung Hlaing for serious human rights abuses related to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya. A genocide case at the International Court of Justice is ongoing. Analysts say Suu Kyi and Min Aung Hlaing's relationship was bad from the moment she took office in 2015, but had recently deteriorated, leading to what is believed to be a breakdown in communication between the two power-sharing bodies.
The military drafted constitution was originally designed to constrain her power. A clause bans anyone with foreign family members from becoming President, and because Suu Kyi was married to a British man, she was barred from the top job. "Negotiations, talks, discussion and deals are not in Aung San Suu Kyi's DNA," said Khin Zaw Win, director of Yangon think tank the Tampadipa Institute."She stonewalled everything that came from the military."
Intense meetings between Min Aung Hlaing and Suu Kyi's envoys didn't go well in the days before the coup, according to Horsey. The opening of the new parliament on Monday in the capital was the opportune moment for the army chief to reassert his power.
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