Myanmar’s coup is not simply an attack on Aung San Suu Kyi or even on her government or party. It is an all-out assault on democracy and a dismantling of a decade of reform.

That is evidenced by the fact that among those arrested are not only National League for Democracy (NLD) ministers and leaders but also civil society activists, writers, a musician, a filmmaker and several Buddhist monks. Key 88 Generation activists including Min Ko Naing and Mya Aye have also been detained.

The idea that this is about challenging an election that the army alleges suffered from voter fraud is a total fallacy. It’s about rounding up anyone who may be critical of the military and reasserting the armed forces’ total dominance.