What caused the 2021 military coup in Myanmar?
Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. It is in the headlines these days due to a military coup that resulted in the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, alongside other NLD leaders. This article looks at what caused the coup. Before we dive into this topic, it is important to have a basic understanding of the history of Myanmar.
(Very) Brief history of Myanmar
British colonization: 1886 to 1947
In 1886, monarchy in Myanmar (then known as Burma) gave way to British colonization. During World War II, British rule collapsed due to the invasion of the Japanese. A prominent figure during the war was Bogyote Aung San, the father of Aung San Suu Kyi. Bogyote founded the Communist Party of Burma as well as the Burma Socialist Party. After the Japanese invaded, he first served as a minister in Japan-backed state, before switching sides to join the Allies.
After World War II ended, Bogyote Aung San led the negotiation with the British for Myanmar’s independence, and also signed an agreement with the leaders of ethnic minorities to form a united state. However, he was assassinated before Myanmar officially became an independent republic in 1948.
Military junta rule: 1962–2011
In 1962, the military launched a coup. However, as a result of Soviet-style central planning, the country plunged into poverty and there were sporadic protests.
Eventually, the military gave in to the pressure from pro-democracy demonstrations and the a democratic election was held in 1990. That was when the National League for Democracy (NLD) — the party that Aung San Suu Kyi belongs to — won ~80% of the seats. However, the military refused to cede power and put Ms. Suu Kyi under house arrest. Ms. Suu Kyi later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, and Myanmar was subject to economic sanctions. It wasn’t until 1993, three years after the election, that the military finally allowed the National Convention to meet, yet they insisted on preserving a significant role. The military junta and the NLD was unable to reach a compromise, leading to the dissolution of the assembly in 1996 without being able to come up with a new constitution.
In 2007, a series of protests broke out. The military junta held a constitutional reform in 2008 and took some steps toward democratization. That being said, the new constitution reserved 25% of parliamentary seats for the military, giving them veto power over constitutional amendments. The military also secured control of three key ministries — defense, border and home affairs.
A general election was held in 2010, when the Union Solidarity and Development Party — backed by the military — won the majority. The military junta was dissolved in 2011.
During 2011–2012, a series of pro-democratic reforms were carried out, including the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. Then US secretary of state Hillary Clinton visited the country in December 2011 as a gesture to welcome and encourage more developments.
NLD on the rise: 2015–2020
By winning the general elections held in 2015, the NLD party came to the forefront of the political scene. In 2016, the first non-military president came into office since the coup more than fifty years ago. Aung San Suu Kyi — the leader of the NLD — became state counsellor as she was barred from running for presidency.
In 2020, the NLD party once again won landslide victory. However, the results were contested by the military who alleged fraud.
Military coup: 2021
On February 1 2021 — the day when parliament was supposed to convene — the military launched a coup and put Aung San Suu Kyi (alongside other NLD leaders) under arrest. The military declared a “state of emergency” that would last for one year before elections would be held again. In the meantime, power was taken over by the military chief Ming Aung Hlaing.
What caused the military coup in Myanmar in 2021?
For some people, it is baffling why the military chose to launch a coup in 2021. After all, the military still has a strong say on how the country is run — constitutional amendments cannot pass without their consent (yes votes) in the parliament, not to mention that they are wealthy from controlling a conglomerate with companies that operate in manufacturing, banking, transportation, tobacco, jewelry, etc.,
Let’s first have a look at how mainstream media explains the reasons for the military coup.
Greed for (presidential) power was frequently highlighted in mainstream media. For instance, CNN wrote that the coup “was driven by power and the personal ambition of an army chief [Ming Aung Hlaing] who felt he was losing control and respect” and that some attributed it to “a ‘preemptive strike’ as the generals didn’t like how powerful Suu Kyi had become.” (Feb 8) Nikkei Asia adopted a similar stance: “The military-appointed vice presidency still would have been an option. But Min Aung Hlaing’s unwillingness to play second fiddle to Suu Kyi likely contributed to the eventual coup.” (Feb 4)
A more nuanced view, in my opinion, relates to economic interests. As Al Jazeera reports: “businesses owned by [the military chief] Min Aung Hlaing’s children have profited from their access to state resources during his tenure”. It is hence not that surprising that the coup came a few months before the military chief’s scheduled retirement in June, if one were to assume that the chief is worried about losing control over family-owned businesses that deliver handsome profits.
In addition, Min Aung Hlaing’s fear of prosecution were democratic processes (and NLD’s increasing gain of power) to continue is another possible cause. According to Justice for Myanmar: “[S]ince 2019, scrutiny of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the Myanmar military’s economic interests has increased, after the UN Fact-Finding Mission published a report that implicated military-owned businesses in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is at the centre of international efforts for accountability for the crime of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.” (Jan 30) The site also published an Excel file listing out state-owned enterprises that have allegedly come under military control since the Feb 1 coup.
Based on what I’ve read so far, I tend to agree with this tweet: “This is a Min Aung Hlaing coup, not just a military coup. It is about his position and his wealth.” He may see the supreme position as president of the country is the only viable way to preserve his wealth (and safety from prosecution).
On a final note — I am surprised and disappointed that this nuance on the military’s business ownership & interests have been overlooked by several mainstream media that turn up on the first page of Google search results. It is hard to say whether it is due to lack of research or due to self-sanctioning because the media perceives it to be a more sensitive angle.
