Today marks the one year anniversary of Myanmar’s bloody putsch. Here’s a timeline of the bumps on the long path to peace and democracy.
2021
February
February 1
Myanmar’s military announces that it is overtaking the government for one year after the democratic government failed to act on the military’s claims of voter fraud in the November 2020 election. The National League for Democracy (NLD) had won in a landslide victory with 83% of the votes.
Min Aung Hlaing becomes the leader of the military government. Many high-level politicians, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, were placed under house arrest.
February 2
China and Russia prevent the United Nations (UN) from officially condemning the coup.
February 9
New Zealand cuts diplomatic ties with Myanmar.
February 10
The United States (US) imposes sanctions on a dozen high-ranking military officials.
February 16
Suu Kyi is charged with violation of the Natural Disaster Management law and the Import and Export Law.
The junta imposes a near-total shutdown of the country’s internet for days to curb internet activism, prompting thousands of anti-coup protestors to call for Suu Kyi’s release. The military respond with rubber bullets and slingshots to disperse crowds.
February 19
Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) issue sanctions and travel bans on military officials.
February 22
The European Union announces plans to sanction the military junta.
February 28
Protests turn violent. The military opened fire at pro-democracy activists, killing 18 people and wounding at least 30. Several others were arrested.
March
March 27
The military celebrates Armed Forces Day with a huge parade. India, Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand send representatives to attend the event.
March 30
Civilian death toll from violent protests crosses over 500. About 3,000 villagers flee to Thailand, only to be forcefully sent back to Myanmar.
April
April 1
The UN calls on Myanmar’s neighbouring countries to extend protection to refugees fleeing the country.
April 20
Bangladesh pressures Myanmar to take back its displaced Rohingya population fleeing prosecution and violence.
April 24
The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) agrees to a five-point consensus on ending Myanmar’s political crisis. ASEAN invited army chief Min Aung Hlaing but failed to extend an invitation to the National Unity Government (NUG), which comprises ethnic minority leaders and politicians from Suu Kyi’s deposed NLD party.
Members agree to immediately cease violence, begin a constructive dialogue towards restoring peace, appoint a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair, provide humanitarian assistance through ASEAN, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy and a delegation to meet with all concerned parties.
May
May 4
Myanmar’s junta-controlled media announces a ban on satellite television receivers citing outside broadcasts as a threat to national security.
4,120 people remain in detention, with 20 sentenced to death.
May 21
Military-appointed Union Election Commission announces plans to dissolve the NLD for alleged voter fraud.
May 24
Suu Kyi makes her first in-person court appearance.
June
June 4
ASEAN envoy for Myanmar, Erywan Yusof, visits Myanmar to discuss the country’s path to peace, as part of the ASEAN five-point consensus.
Min Aung Hlaing assures that the junta would hold fresh elections when “the situation has returned to normal.”
Civilian death toll crosses 800.
June 30
Tatmadaw frees more than 2,000 detainees, including journalists.
DAILY UPDATE 26/01/22
— AAPP (Burma) (@aapp_burma) January 26, 2022
1,494 killed (+1)
11,776 total arrests (+39)
1,966 evading warrant (+0)
brief https://t.co/HItxBe8NHH
detained https://t.co/Ges1WbquKK
sentenced https://t.co/KLy5XOvtuj
fatalities https://t.co/qrKNalxXsY pic.twitter.com/WZ9TgnVAJw
July
July 2
The US Treasury Department announces fresh sanctions against 22 individuals and companies, including officials, associated with Myanmar’s military “in response to the brutal campaign of violence perpetrated by the Burmese military regime and to continue imposing costs in connection with the military coup.”
July 26
Junta cancels the results of the November 2020 elections, won by deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD. In its study of the election, the military’s Election Commission found that the general election involved more than 11 million cases of voter fraud. Myanmar’s former election commission earlier rejected these claims.
Civilian death toll crosses 900.
August
August 1
Six months after seizing power from the elected government, Myanmar’s military junta announces the formation of a caretaker government with its leader, Min Aung Hlaing, as the Prime Minister (PM). Hlaing promised to hold a fresh election by August 2023 and cooperate with ASEAN in finding a peaceful solution to the matter.
The US accuses the junta of buying time by delaying elections. US prosecutors also disclose that two Myanmar citizens had been charged over a plot to attack Myanmar’s UN ambassador, an outspoken opponent of the military government.
September
September 4
ASEAN special envoy Erywan Yusof announces that his proposal for a four-month ceasefire by all sides in Myanmar’s conflict has been accepted by the country’s military government. The ceasefire aimed to enable the smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Death toll crosses 1,000.
September 7
Myanmar’s shadow government launches a “people’s defensive war” against the ruling military junta, urges citizens across the country to join the revolt.
NUG’s acting president, Duwa Lashi La, calls on militias and ethnic armed organisations to attack the military and urges civil servants to resign from government positions. NUG further declares that the state of emergency will only end when a civilian government is restored to power.
September 21
Suu Kyi pleads not guilty during her first official trial on charges of incitement.
September 25
Junta launches airstrikes after clashes with anti-junta fighters erupted in the Sagaing region, causing phone lines and internet services to be severed in some districts.
Tatmadaw blames the spew of data blackouts on pro-democracy protesters for damaging several military-owned communications towers.
Death toll crosses 1,100.
October
October 16
ASEAN decides to exclude Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, from participating in the bloc’s virtual summit after the military barred Erywan Yusof from meeting with certain leaders, including deposed democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Junta condemns the decision by calling it a result of “foreign intervention.”
October 18
Tatmadaw frees hundreds of political prisoners from the infamous Insein prison on the pre-condition that they sign agreements pledging not to re-offend the military government. The military announces future plans to free more than 5,600 people who were arrested or wanted over their roles in pro-democracy protests, in an amnesty on humanitarian grounds.
October 21
Junta re-arrests 110 pro-democracy activists shortly after they were released.
October 25
UN Secretary-General António Guterres announces the appointment of Singaporean sociologist Noeleen Heyzer as the organisation’s new special envoy to Myanmar.
November
November 16
Suu Kyi is charged with committing electoral fraud during the 2020 polls.
Death toll crosses 1,250, in addition to over 10,000 arrested for demanding the country’s return to democracy.
December
December 6
In their first verdict, ousted leaders Suu Kyi and U Win Myint sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of incitement against the military and violating the country’s COVID-19 protocols.
Their sentences were halved to two years after receiving a partial pardon by Min Aung Hlaing. Rights groups opposed the “bogus” charges.
Moreover, journalists were prohibited from sitting in on court proceedings and Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers were also banned from speaking to the media.
December 24
Myanmar’s military government orders airstrikes over a rebel-controlled region near the Thai border, forcing hundreds of people to flee to Thailand.
Civil society groups claim that the number of displaced people due to violence may be as high as 10,000.
Photos appear on social media showing two burned trucks and a car on a highway in Kayah state, with the charred remains of bodies inside. 35 civilians, including women and children killed in the incident.
2022
January 14
Cambodian PM Hun Sen, the new chair of ASEAN meets with Myanmar’s military ruler, Min Aung Hlaing. The visit prompts criticism from several ASEAN members, who criticised the bloc chair for taking unilateral action on the issue and failing to meet with Suu Kyi or the NUG.
Nearly 1,500 people killed and 11,500 arrested since February 1.
Ousted leader Suu Kyi currently faces nearly a dozen cases that carry a combined maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison.