The Indian Embassy in Myanmar’s main city of Yangon on Monday issued an advisory asking all citizens to be take precautions and avoid unnecessary travel after the recent political developments in the Southeast Asian country.
The Indian nationals were also asked to get in touch with the Embassy if they need any assistance or information.
Myanmar plunged into a political crisis on February 1 after the country’s military seized power from a government established only five years ago, detaining the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and other senior figures of the ruling National League for Democracy party. A statement on military-owned television said Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was now in control of the country and that a state of emergency had been imposed for one year.
The generals made their move hours before the country’s Parliament had been due to sit for the first time since the the National League for Democracy’s landslide win last year. The November elections were seen as a referendum to Suu Kyi’s civilian government.
Phone lines to the capital Naypyitaw and the main commercial centre of Yangon were not reachable, and state TV went off air. People rushed to markets in Yangon to stock up on food and supplies, while others lined up at ATMs to withdraw cash. Soldiers took up positions at city hall in Yangon and mobile internet data and phone services in the NLD stronghold were disrupted.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that India was deeply concerned about the military coup staged in Myanmar, and was monitoring the situation closely. “India has always been steadfast in its support to the process of democratic transition in Myanmar,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “We believe that the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday on the military coup in Myanmar, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called “a serious blow to democratic reforms” in the country.
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