At his very first meeting with regime ministers on Monday since the cabinet reshuffle earlier this month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing repeated his call for efforts to restore stability and law and order in the country, again blaming ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) for the instability he said has inevitably delayed the election he plans to hold.
Just a week ago, when the junta boss extended military rule for another six months at the National Defense and Security Council meeting on July 31, Min Aung Hlaing also pointed a finger at EAOs and PDFs, accusing them of forcing him to postpone the vote, which he had previously promised would be held this month.
On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing reiterated that the ultimate goal of his regime, which calls itself the State Administration Council, is to hold a free and fair election. Governments around the world have publicly expressed doubts that any voting held by the regime would be legitimate.
“Such interruptions will hinder the development of the country and the people, and also delay the election,” Min Aung Hlaing told the cabinet meeting on Monday, referring to the resistance movement against his regime.
Again, the junta boss did not present a timeline for his proposed election.
The junta leader called for expediting efforts to restore stability and law and order in areas experiencing “terrorist attacks.” The regime has labeled the parallel National Unity Government and its armed wing, the PDF, as terrorist organizations.
At a meeting of his regime’s cabinet on July 13, Min Aung Hlaing also called for increased security operations in Sagaing Region as well as Chin and Kayah states, which he described as hotbeds of terrorism.
At the NDSC meeting on July 31, he also repeated an earlier admission that the regime does not have full control of the country, saying it is struggling to gain control in Sagaing, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi regions as well as Karen, Kayah, Chin and Mon states, because of the PDFs and EAOs.
Nearly 50 townships in Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin and Kayah states remain under martial law.
The state of emergency was initially declared in February 2021 when the military ousted the democratically elected government of the National League for Democracy led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
The country’s constitution states that an emergency can be declared for an initial period of one year and can “normally” be extended for a maximum of two half-year terms at the discretion of the military-dominated NDSC.
However, Min Aung Hlaing has extended emergency rule twice beyond the “maximum of two years”, thereby breaching the charter.
Observers say he will maintain his grip on power, using “instability” as an excuse.
The first military coup in Myanmar took place in 1962. Myanmar was under military rule for 28 years before a general election was held in 1990. The NLD won a landslide victory, but the Myanmar military refused to accept the results, and held power for another 20 years until 2010.
