Myanmar junta extends state of emergency
Yangonzc Myanmarm mMyanmar’s militaryQgovernmentQhasQexf tendedQaQstateQofQemergencyQby sixQmonthseQstateQmediaQsaidQon MondayeQwithQtheQjuntaQchiefQsayf ingQelectionsQcouldQonlyQtake placeQwhenQtheQconflictfwracked countryQwasQ‘stableQandQpeaceful’g
MinQzungQHlaingeQwhoQledQlast year’sQcoupeQrequestedQtheQmilif taryQgovernmentQtoQ‘allowQhimQto serveQforQanQadditionalQoQmonths’e accordingQtoQaQreportQinQtheQGlobal New Light ofQMyanmargQMembers ofQtheQjunta’sQNationalQ”efence andQSecurityQ“ouncilQ‘unanif mouslyQsupportedQtheQproposal’e itQsaidg
TheQjuntaQdeclaredQaQstateQof emergencyQafterQoustingQzung SanQSuuQKyi’sQgovernmentQinQ’ebf ruaryQlastQyearQandQplungedQthe countryQintoQturmoilg
ItQhasQpreviouslyQsaidQelections wouldQbeQheldQandQtheQstateQof emergencyQliftedQbyQzugustQkikl fQextendingQtheQinitialQonefyear timelineQitQannouncedQdaysQafter theQcoupg
TheQarmyQhasQjustifiedQits powerQgrabQbyQallegingQmassive fraudQduringQtheQkikiQelections inQwhichQSuuQKyi’sQNational LeagueQforQ”emocracyQaNL”b trouncedQaQmilitaryfbackedQpartyg
LastQyeareQitQcancelledQtheQref sultsQofQtheQpollseQsayingQitQhadQunf coveredQmoreQthanQjjmn instancesQofQvoterQfraudg
InternationalQobserversQsaid theQvotingQwasQlargelyQfreeQand fairg
SuuQKyiQhasQbeenQdetained sinceQtheQcoupQandQfacesQan eclecticQraftQofQchargesQthatQcould seeQherQjailedQforQmoreQthanQjni yearsg
InQaQspeechQbroadcastQon MondayeQMinQzungQHlaingQdid notQmentionQaQdateQforQfreshQpolls butQsaidQtheyQcouldQonlyQbeQheld whenQtheQcountryQwasQ‘peaceful andQstable’g
HeQalsoQsaidQ‘reform’QtoQthe country’sQelectoralQsystemQwas neededeQincludingQcombiningQthe firstfpastfthefpostQsystemQf underQwhichQSuuQKyi’sQNL”Qhas wonQsweepingQmajoritiesQfQwith proportionalQrepresentationg
TheQinfluenceQofQ‘powerfulQparf ties’QhadQpreviouslyQstifledQother politicalQvoicesQinQtheQcountryeQhe saidg
TheQjuntaQchiefQalsoQinvitedQthe leadersQofQaQnumberQofQtheQcounf try’sQestablishedQethnicQrebel groupsQforQaQsecondQroundQof faceftoffaceQmeetingsg
MyanmarQhasQaboutQkiQethnic rebelQarmiesQfQmanyQofQwhich controlQswathesQofQremoteQborder territoryeQandQhaveQfoughtQeach otherQandQtheQmilitaryQfor decadesg
SomeQhaveQcondemnedQthe coupQandQofferedQshelterQand weaponsQtrainingQtoQtheQ‘People’s ”efenceQ’orces’QaP”’sbQthatQhave sprungQupQsinceQtheQputscheQand whichQanalystsQsayQhaveQsurf prisedQtheQmilitaryQwithQtheirQeff fectivenessg
SeveralQethnicQrebelQgroupsQatf tendedQaQfirstQroundQofQ‘peace talks’QwithQtheQjuntaQinQMayeQalf thoughQgroupsQfightingQalongside antifjuntaQrebelsQstayedQawayg