CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) – The ruling junta in Myanmar has officially announced the postponement of the promised election, which was initially scheduled for August this year following their coup in 2021, as reported by state television on Monday night.
During a meeting on Monday with the army-backed National Defence and Security Council (NDSC), Junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing extended the state of emergency for an additional six months.
Shortly after the overthrow of the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the military stated that elections would be held by August 2023. However, citing ongoing violence, they now justify the postponement of the vote.
The junta’s statement on state TV explained, “While holding an election, in order to have an election that is free and fair and also to be able to vote without any fear, necessary security arrangements are still needed and so the period for the state of emergency is required to extend.”
Since the coup, Myanmar has been plunged into chaos, with a resistance movement battling the military on multiple fronts, leading to the re-imposition of Western sanctions following a violent crackdown on dissenters.
The military took over power after alleging fraud in the November 2020 general election, which was won by Suu Kyi’s party. However, election monitoring groups found no evidence of widespread fraud.
The overthrow of Suu Kyi’s elected government has disrupted a decade of reform, international involvement, and economic progress, leaving countless lives in disarray.
(Reporting by Myanmar staff; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
