Evening Lecture: The Myanmar military coup - what is happening and why?
- Date: 10 March 2021, 18:15–19:30
- Location: Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85890440467
- Type: Lecture
- Lecturer: Alexander Jäätmaa
- Organiser: UF Uppsala - The Association for Foreign Affairs; Uppsala Forum on Democracy, Peace and Justice
- Contact person: Daniel Hedlund
The seminar will be held in English and is co-hosted with UF Uppsala – the Association of Foreign Affairs.
Zoom-information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85890440467
On the 1st of February 2021, the armed forces in Myanmar took control of the country, a decade after they agreed to hand power to a civilian government. The military coup has sent a shudder of fear through the country, given its history with 50 years of rule under oppressive military regimes. Prior to the arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party were to begin their second term in office. They had led the country since 2015, an election known as the freest and fairest seen in 25 years. Although, behind the scenes, the military of Myanmar has kept a tight grip on the country thanks to the constitution that guarantees them seats in the parliament.
About the lecturer: Alexander Jäätmaa is the advocacy officer of the Swedish Burma Committee, a Swedish NGO working to promote human rights in Myanmar. He has been following developments in Myanmar since 2014, working for local and international organisations in both Myanmar and Thailand, mainly focusing on human rights. He is now based in Stockholm where he has been with the Swedish Burma Committee since 2017.