Editor's Pick: Myanmar protestors pay in blood

(The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.)

Sunday marked the heaviest crackdown by the Myanmar military on pro-democracy protests, leaving 18 people dead across the country. The UN Human Rights Office has said that live ammunition was fired into crowds in several cities.

The ongoing protests are in response to a military takeover of the country on February 1. The military has been contesting the results of an election held in November which brought back State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD to power with over 80% of the votes. Now, Ms. Suu Kyi has been detained by the military and is undergoing trial under some vague charges.

The Hindu's editorial on the coup called the Myanmar military "one of the most consistent enemies of democracy". While the military, or Tatmadaw as it is known, has ruled the country for most of its independent period since 1948, it was forced to make concessions after massive protests led by Buddhist monks in 2007. This led to a military-drafted constitution and a nominally civilian government coming to power in 2011. The first full-fledged elections in 2015 brought Ms. Suu Kyi and the NLD into the leadership of the country. However, the military has retained considerable political influence under its current leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. The Army had been backing the opposition USDP, which suffered a massive defeat in the latest election.

The Myanmar citizens, who have been enjoying the fruits of democracy, albeit in a limited manner, have now risen against the return of the military. As of now it seems to be nationwide with participation from many sections of society. How the protestors hold up under sustained violence from the police and military remains to be seen. The international pressure that is brought to bear will also be a deciding factor in the outcome. While India and the US have condemned the coup, China has been more cautious in its approach. These events and factors at play in India's neighbourhood is what makes the story important.

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