In Burma, junta leader promises multiparty elections within two years

Sunday 1er August marks six months since the Burmese army seized power by overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. In a televised address, the leader of the Burmese junta Min Aung Hlaing pledged, on this anniversary date, to organize new elections “By August 2023”. “We are working to establish a democratic multi-party system”, assured the former head of the army.

On July 26, the junta annulled the results of the legislative elections of November 2020, won overwhelmingly by the National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung San Suu Kyi, ensuring that more than 11 million cases of fraud had been detected, this that the party denies. “The votes were tainted by the NLD which inappropriately abused its executive power”, hammered Min Aung Hlaing.

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“Burma is ready to cooperate with ASEAN [l’Association des nations de l’Asie du Sud-Est] within the framework decided by the association, and to dialogue with its special envoy ”, added the head of the Burmese junta. Asean foreign ministers will meet on Monday to appoint a special envoy to Burma to end violence in the country and establish a dialogue between the junta and its opponents.

The fear of the junta and the Covid-19

Even before his passage in force, the general was already an outcast for the Western capitals because of the bloody repression carried out by his men against the Rohingya Muslim minority. He has been targeted by new sanctions since the coup.

“I promise to fight this dictatorship as long as I live”, “We will not kneel under the boots of the military”, posted Sunday, to mark the six months of the putsch, young opponents on social networks.

In Kaley (west), residents marched under banners in tribute to the many political prisoners: “The songs of the detainees are forces for the revolution”, could we read on one of them.

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But the majority of Burmese remain locked in their homes, terrified by the violence of the security forces and the coronavirus outbreak. The UK has warned the United Nations that half of the population, or around 27 million people, could be infected with Covid-19 within the next two weeks, calling the situation “Desperate”.

Despite the political, economic and health chaos, the junta continues its repression to muzzle any opposition. In six months, 940 civilians were killed, including 75 minors, hundreds have disappeared and more than 5,400 are behind bars, according to a monitoring NGO.

The World with Reuters