A MILITARY coup in Myanmar has Bendigo's Karen community concerned history is repeating itself.
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Senior figures from Myanmar's ruling party, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi, were detained in early morning raids.
A year-long state of emergency has been declared by the Myanmar military, and power has been handed to Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing.
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The Venerable Ashin Moonieinda, a Bendigo-based Buddhist monk, said the city's Karen community was worried for family and friends in Myanmar.
He said the unfolding events in the country formerly known as Burma were all the Karen community in Bendigo was thinking about.
"It's very sad for us and very dangerous for those living in Burma," the Venerable Moonieinda said.
He said Bendigo Karen people had already been raising money for those who had been forced to flee their homes and communities because of conflict.
"It's more difficult now with the military control," the Venerable Moonieinda said.
The last he heard, people who had fled had limited access to food and water.
The Venerable Moonieinda was also concerned about how a coup would affect Myanmar's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both the Australian government and the federal opposition condemned the Myanmar military's actions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had been a long-standing supporter of Myanmar's democratic transition, including November's election.
"We all hope for what I know the Myanmar people want to achieve," Mr Morrison said.
Foreign affairs minister Marise Payne called on the Myanmar military to respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms and to immediately release all civilian leaders and others who had been detained unlawfully.
The Myanmar military cited "election fraud" as the reason for the detainment. The National League for Democracy, the party Aung San Suu Kyi leads, won the November 8 election in a landslide.
The coup came hours before the first scheduled sitting of parliament.
Tensions between the civilian government and the Myanmar military had been escalating for days before the raids.
- with the Australian Associated Press
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