On Thursday, Myanmar’s junta officially concluded its state of emergency, intensifying preparations for a December election. Opposition groups have announced their intention to boycott the vote, which observers claim will serve to entrench the military’s authority further.
In February 2021, the military announced a state of emergency following the ousting of the civilian government led by democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi. This action ignited a multifaceted civil war that has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.
The directive has granted junta leader Min Aung Hlaing ultimate authority over the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; however, he has recently promoted elections as a potential solution to the ongoing conflict.
Opposition factions, including former lawmakers removed from power in the coup, have vowed to boycott the upcoming election. A UN expert recently characterised the election as “a fraud” aimed at legitimising the military’s ongoing governance.
The junta took control, alleging without evidence that fraud occurred in the 2020 election, which was decisively won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. She continues to be imprisoned along with other prominent leaders of her party.
“Today marks the end of the state of emergency, paving the way for the country to conduct elections aimed at establishing a multi-party democracy,” stated junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun in a voice message distributed to reporters.
“Elections are set to take place within the next six months,” he stated.
An order issued by Min Aung Hlaing has revoked the emergency rule that granted him authority as the chief of the armed forces, transferring power back to the head of state.
Min Aung Hlaing concurrently holds the position of acting president of the country.
In a speech delivered in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing stated, “We have already passed the first chapter,” as reported by the state newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar on Thursday.
“We are now commencing the second chapter,” he stated to members of the junta’s administration council during what the newspaper referred to as a “honorary ceremony” for its members.
No date has been established.
Experts forecast that after the election, he is likely to maintain a position as either president or chief of the armed forces, thereby consolidating power in that role and extending his tenure as the de facto leader.
A series of announcements revealed the establishment of a new “Union Government” in conjunction with a “National Security and Peace Commission,” tasked with overseeing defence and the electoral process, both under the leadership of Min Aung Hlaing.
The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that the upcoming election is scheduled for this December, with initiatives aimed at ensuring all eligible voters can participate in the voting process.
A spokesperson for the foreign ministry of China, an ally of the junta, stated that Beijing endorses the notion of “Myanmar’s various parties and factions properly resolving differences through political means within the constitutional and legal framework.”
The junta has yet to announce a specific date for the upcoming poll. However, political parties are currently in the process of registration, and training sessions on electronic voting machines have already commenced.
On Wednesday, the military government announced the implementation of a new law that imposes prison sentences of up to 10 years for speech or protests deemed to “destroy a part of the electoral process.”
According to provisional results from a census conducted last year in preparation for the election, it is estimated that data collection was unsuccessful for 19 million out of the country’s total population of 51 million.
The findings indicated “significant security constraints” as a contributing factor to the shortfall, highlighting the potential limitations on the election’s reach in the context of the ongoing civil war.
Experts anticipate that insurgents will launch attacks in the lead-up to the election, signalling their dissent.
This month, the junta initiated a program offering cash incentives to individuals who agree to disarm and “return to the legal fold” in anticipation of the upcoming vote.
