February 1 marked two years since the start of the military coup in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the country remains in major turmoil.
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Two years ago, the Myanmar military led by Min Aung Hlaing deposed the democratically elected government and installed a military junta. Government head Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested along with other leading politicians. In response to the coup, thousands took to the street in protests throughout the country, which were violently suppressed by the junta. Since then, nearly 3000 activists and civilians have been killed, and more than 17,000 have been arrested, according to a local monitoring group.
The country has been in a state of emergency for 2 years. And the junta announced on Wednesday that the emergency will be extended for another 6 months. That means elections are also likely to be pushed back. Countries including the United States and United Kingdom on Tuesday announced new sanctions on the anniversary.
As the state of emergency was extended, streets and shops around Myanmar were empty, likely in fear of repression on the anniversary of the protests. 71 year old Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 33 years in prison on what human rights groups have called trumped up charges. Meanwhile, the junta said that more than a third of townships were not under its control, making ongoing conflict very likely. Two years on, activists continue to advocate for a free and democratic Myanmar. But given the state of affairs, it may be a long and arduous fight.