Arrest Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar Military Reaps International Criticism

Aung San Suu Kyi. (Sumber: Wikimedia Commons/C. George)

JAKARTA - Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures from the ruling party have been detained in the early morning raids, said National League for Democracy (NLD) Party spokesman Myo Nyunt.

Apart from Suu Kyi, Myo Nyunt said President Win Myint and other leaders had also been "taken" in the early hours of the morning. A number of senior figures from the NLD party were also arrested.

"I want to tell our people not to respond rashly and I want them to act according to the law," he said, adding that he was also expected to be detained.

The actions allegedly linked to tensions between the civilian government and Myanmar's military leadership over the results of the Myanmar elections in November drew criticism from various parties abroad.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne

"The Australian government is very concerned about reports that the Myanmar military is once again trying to take control of Myanmar and has detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint," Payne said.

"We call on the military to respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms and to immediately release all civilian leaders and others who have been detained illegally," he criticized.

Thant Myint-U, Historian and Writer

“The door is open to a very different future. I have a bad feeling that nobody can really control what happens next. And remember, Myanmar is a country riddled with weapons, with deep ethnic and religious divisions, where millions of people can barely support themselves, "he said.

John Sifton, Director of Asian Advocacy - Human Rights Watch

“The military junta that ruled Myanmar for decades has never really stepped down from power in the first place. They have never truly submitted to civilian authority, so today's events in a certain sense only reveal the existing political reality, "he said.

“The US and other sanctioned countries must send a strong message today, immediately lifting sanctions easing and imposing tough and targeted economic sanctions on the military leadership and its huge economic conglomerate.

Murray Hiebert, Center for Strategic and International Studies

“The US recently on Friday joined other nations in urging the military not to continue with the threat of a coup. China will support Myanmar just like when the military expelled the Rohingya, "said the Southeast Asia expert.

“Joe Biden's administration said it would support democracy and human rights. But top military officers have already been sanctioned, so it is not clear what the US can do concretely quickly, "he added.