Myanmar military extends state of emergency for another six months
Al Jazeera4 days
Myanmar Junta Extends Emergency Rule
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Above: Myanmar junta military soldiers parade during a ceremony to mark the country's Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw on March 27, 2024. Image copyright: STR/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Myanmar's military government extended its state of emergency for another six months on Friday, marking the seventh such extension since seizing power on Feb. 1, 2021. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing cited the need for stability before elections can be held.
The military coup in 2021 overthrew the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government, arrested leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and claimed unsubstantiated voter fraud in the 2020 elections that the NLD reportedly won by a landslide.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 6K civilian deaths, more than 20K political prisoners, and the displacement of approximately 3.5M people, creating a humanitarian crisis affecting nearly one-third of Myanmar's population.
The Spin
Narrative A
The military's repeated extensions of emergency rule represent a deliberate strategy to maintain power indefinitely. The proposed elections would neither be free nor fair, serving only to legitimize military control while thousands of political prisoners remain detained and opposition leaders are exiled or imprisoned. The junta's actions have created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and economic collapse.
Narrative B
The extension of emergency rule is necessary to establish peace and stability before conducting free and fair elections. The military government requires additional time to restore order and create suitable conditions for a democratic transition. The current situation demands continued military oversight to prevent further destabilization.
