Military government extends a state of emergency in Myanmar - elections postponed again

Von Sophie Müller

Myanmar's military government has once again extended the state of emergency in the country and thus further delayed the free elections that were promised after coup in 2021. The state of emergency was expanded by six months, which means that the military can take over all government functions. The continuing violence in the country was mentioned as the reason for this measure. According to a statement read on television, it is necessary to continue to take security measures to ensure a free and fair choice. The country continues to be hard against regime critics by the prevailing military government.

Myanmar, which was previously known as Birma, was ruled by the military for over five decades. In 2021, the military fell the elected government under Aung San Suu Kyi and claimed that the elections in November 2020 had occurred. However, election observers could not find any evidence of this. The military then promised new elections until August 2023.

opponents of the military are of the opinion that elections are not free and fair under the control of the military. The extension of the state of emergency, already the fourth, could be a sign that the military has so far not been able to adequately consolidate its control over the country to prevent elections. In Myanmar there is armed resistance, peaceful protests and civil disobedience against the military government.

The United States warned of "profound violence and instability" in Myanmar in view of the extension of the state of emergency. Matthew Miller, spokesman for the U.S. State Department, described the widespread brutality of the regime and the disregard for the democratic efforts of the Burmese people as an extension of the crisis.

The security forces in Myanmar brutally act against their opponents, and UN experts call the situation in the country as a civil war. Since the takeover, at least 3857 people have been killed by the security forces, as reported by the independent auxiliary association for political prisoners.