“Myanmar police have filed charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment… The move followed a military coup on Monday and the detention of Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi and other civilian politicians. The takeover cut short Myanmar’s long transition to democracy and drew condemnation from the United States and other Western countries.” (Reuters)

Both sides condemn the coup:

“The world’s governments should make clear to the junta that its actions are illegitimate and doomed to fail. Civilians detained this week, including Suu Kyi, should be freed and the elected parliament allowed to convene. The U.S. has sounded the right notes so far. It should coordinate with allies in Europe and Asia to aim sanctions at junta leaders and military-linked enterprises. Myanmar’s typically circumspect neighbors should underscore that they’ll deplore any violent crackdown on protesters. China might see an opportunity to gain influence at the expense of the U.S., but it should recognize that anger, instability and economic stagnation in Myanmar don’t serve its long-term interests.” (Editorial Board, Bloomberg)

“Myanmar may seem far away and of little consequence to America. But it has been a symbol of the continuing global competition between democracy and authoritarianism, and remains a geopolitically important nation. The coup and current crisis cannot be ignored by the United States, even if Washington’s options for influencing what happens in Naypyidaw remain limited. At a minimum, it demands a clear and unified front by America, Europe, and Asia’s democracies, with a willingness to isolate the new regime, provide aid for any refugees, and confront those nations that abet Myanmar’s descent into illiberalism.” (Michael Auslin, National Review)