The Military Junta, in power in Myanmar, promised this Wednesday elections at the end of this year and the release of more than 7,000 prisoners on the day that commemorates the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence.
The leader of the military junta outlined plans for an election in 2023 and called for national unity in Myanmar (formerly Burma).
General Min Aung Hlaing urged other nations and international organizations, as well as the people themselves, to support “the true multi-party and disciplinary democratic system”, a concept that the military in power has set as its goal.
The first real step towards holding elections could come later this month, when the last six-month extension of the state of emergency ends.
The state of emergency was instituted to allow for military rule after the military’s February 2021 takeover toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The military takeover reversed nearly a decade of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule. The military claimed to have acted due to massive voter fraud in the poll, although independent election observers found no major irregularities.
“In accordance with the provisions of the state of emergency, free and fair elections will be held in accordance with the 2008 constitution, and further work will be undertaken to hand over state duties to the winning party in accordance with democratic standards,” Min said. Aung Hlaing in a speech in the capital today, where he also presided over a large military parade.
The plan for a general election is widely seen as an attempt to normalize the military’s takeover through the ballot box and deliver a result that ensures the generals retain control. The military will control the entire process and have spent the last two years weakening any credible opposition.
Although not officially banned, the National League for Democracy, the former popular ruling party, was effectively dismantled, with the leaders and many of their members sent to prison or forced underground.
All forms of dissent are currently repressed by the security forces, sometimes with deadly force.
Armed conflicts still affect most of the country, and Min Aung Hlaing stressed that “the cessation of internal armed conflicts to guarantee national solidarity and peace are absolute needs of the (…) country, and that they are being carried out great efforts to achieve it.” target”.
“It is seen that some organizations and countries have meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar. However, we have decided to stand firm globally, sticking to our foreign policy, to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty, security and interests,” he stated.
The Military Junta promised today to release more than 7,000 prisoners to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the independence of the United Kingdom, a spokesman told Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency.
“A total of 7,012 prisoners will be pardoned on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Independence Day,” Zaw Min Tun told AFP, without specifying whether the amnesty included people arrested during the military repression of the demonstrations that followed the coup. .
Source: TSF
