The junta prolongs the state of emergency initially imposed by six months when he took power two years ago, which could postpone the next elections, despite the soldier’s desire to organize them.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
Despite the almost deserted streets and sporadic demonstrations in the major cities of the country, the Burmese junta decided on Wednesday 1 er February to extend the state of emergency in force in the country since the coup d’etat have occurred two years ago. The National Defense and Security Council, made up of military officials, has favorably responded to the demand for the head of the junta, Min Aung Hlaing, according to the public television MRTV.
This exceptional measure had been taken when the soldiers had overthrew in February 2021 the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, now imprisoned after being sentenced in a series of trial in camera to a total of thirty-three years of deprivation of freedom.
The state of emergency is “extended six months from 1 er February”, said the acting president, Myint Swe, adding that “the sovereign power of The State had again been transferred to the commander-in-chief “.
This device was to expire at the end of January, the date beyond which the authorities had, under the Constitution, provide a calendar for new elections. But, Tuesday, the National Defense and Security Council, which had met to discuss the state of the nation, had concluded that it had not yet returned to normal “.
“The army will always be the guardian of the interests of the state and the people under any government whatsoever”
More than a third of the 330 districts in Burma have escaped the “total control” of the army, the head of the junta recognized on Wednesday. “Although there are no protest actions at the moment, violence is still there,” said Min Aung Hlaing again, imputing him to “terrorists”.
In a statement previously disseminated, the junta had accused her opponents, whose “popular defense forces” (PDF) and a ghost government led by deputies of the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, to seek to take power “by uprising and violence”.
The question now arises is whether the elections that the generals have committed to organizing by August in August could take place. “Our government will work on the organization of elections in all regions of the country so that the people do not lose their democratic prerogatives,” said Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday.
The head of the junta had previously hammered that the elections could only take place when Burma is “pacified and stable”. However, “the army will always be the guardian of the interests of the state and the people (…) under any government whatsoever”, he took care to specify in stride.
The United States Embassy warned against an “increase in activities and violence against the regime” during the days surrounding the anniversary of the coup. In Bangkok, around 400 demonstrators for democracy gathered in front of the Burma Embassy, some chanting slogans hostile to the army and holding portraits of Aung San Suu Kyi. /Div> Test your general culture with the writing of the “world” discover section>
the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, the former colonial power, have announced a new series of Sanctions to mark this anniversary, targeting the members of the junta and the entities she supports.
More than 2,900 people have been killed in the repression of the army since it took power and more than 18,000 were arrested, according to a local watch group.