Myanmar's military conducted a coup in February that ousted the elected government, giving the control of the country to the country's army as Min Aung Hlaing, the military ruler, recently announced himself as Prime Minister and promised to hold new elections by 2023.
Six months after taking power from the civilian government, Hlaing announced in his speech on Sunday that his administration is willing and ready to work with a future regional envoy on Myanmar. The announcement came exactly half a year after the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party's electoral win, which the junta has since argued was fraudulent.
Myanmar's Military Prime Minister
Since the February coup, Hlaing has chaired the State Administration Council (SAC) that was created shortly after the military's rise to power. The official has controlled the country since then; and the caretaker government will replace it.
Hlaing once again pledged to restore the country's democracy, where he said that by August 2023 the military junta will be able to accomplish the provisions of the state of emergency. The military ruler added he would be able to combine democracy and federalism in an established union, Reuters reported.
Military junta leaders promised new elections within two years shortly after conducting the February coup. State-run media interpreted Hlaing's announcement as an extension of that initial statement. The military ruler also said his administration was willing to cooperate with any special envoy that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) appointed.
Ko Aung Thu, a leader of the nationwide resistance to the military's coup, said that he and his group did not believe the junta would fulfill its promises. He said the group would eventually force their agenda and acquire the political government they wanted. Thu said they would continue to protest against the military government in an attempt to make them fall.
At least 940 Myanmar residents have lost their lives since the February 1 coup at the hands of the country's military forces, who have continued to conduct violent acts against opposition and medical workers. A monitoring group has kept records of the people affected by the coup, including more than 5,400 residents who have been detained, such as all of Myanmar's senior elected leadership, the New York Times reported.
Elections in the Chaotic Country
Soldiers have also arrested dozens of NLD leaders, including Kyi who was put on trial for sedition and other alleged crimes. Many other NLD members have opted to hide from military eyes across the country.
Elections in Myanmar within the next two years were unlikely, Chan Lian, executive director of the Hornbill Organization, an election monitoring group, said. They said that, historically, elections have been held for almost three decades after the military coup d'etat previously.
The official said that the idea of an election being held within the next two years was near impossible. He added that the only time the election would be believed is when the election date is announced by the military junta, Voice of America News reported.
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