Myanmar’s military government has dissolved the ousted ruling party of former leader Aung San Suu Kyi and 39 other parties, state media said on Tuesday, for failing to register in an election aimed at extending the grip of the army on power.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) is among dozens of parliamentary parties that have been severely weakened by the 2021 military coup against the elected government of Suu Kyi and its crackdown on protests against his rule.
The elections, for which no date has been announced, will take place amid a deepening crisis in Myanmar, where the military is fighting on multiple fronts to crush ethnic minority armies and a resistance movement formed to counter his deadly crackdown on anti-coup dissent.
In a live broadcast on Tuesday evening, state broadcaster Myawaddy TV said 63 parties had registered locally or nationally and named 40 parties which were automatically dissolved for not registering by Tuesday’s deadline. .
The election is almost certain to be swept by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a military proxy that was defeated by the NLD in the 2015 election and in a 2020 vote. which the generals eventually rescinded, citing unresolved irregularities.
Popular Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, 77, is among dozens of NLD members jailed since the coup and is serving a 33-year sentence on multiple counts of corruption, violation of a law on state secrets and incitement, among other crimes.
Tun Myinta senior NLD official, said the party would never have gone to the polls with many of its members in prison or “involved in the revolution”.
“It doesn’t matter whether they say our party is dissolved or not. We are with the support of the people,” Tun Myint told Reuters.
The National Unity Shadow Government (NUG), which the junta has declared “terrorist”, said the military had no authority to organize what would be a mock election.
“Political parties that respect the will of the people have not registered,” said spokesman Kyaw Zaw.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Monday urged international critics to support his efforts to restore democracy.
The election would return Myanmar to the quasi-civilian democratic system that experts say the military can control without the NLD.
Under the power-sharing arrangement outlined in the constitution, the military is guaranteed three ministerial portfolios, a quarter of all legislative seats and a say in who is nominated to become president.
richard Equinesenior adviser to the International Crisis Group, said the election was dangerous for the country.
“The majority of the population fiercely opposes the ballot box to legitimize political control of the military, so we will see violence increase if the regime seeks to force a vote, and resistance groups seek to disrupt them,” he said. Horsey, who had been based in Myanmar for 15 years.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) is among dozens of parliamentary parties that have been severely weakened by the 2021 military coup against the elected government of Suu Kyi and its crackdown on protests against his rule.
The elections, for which no date has been announced, will take place amid a deepening crisis in Myanmar, where the military is fighting on multiple fronts to crush ethnic minority armies and a resistance movement formed to counter his deadly crackdown on anti-coup dissent.
In a live broadcast on Tuesday evening, state broadcaster Myawaddy TV said 63 parties had registered locally or nationally and named 40 parties which were automatically dissolved for not registering by Tuesday’s deadline. .
The election is almost certain to be swept by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a military proxy that was defeated by the NLD in the 2015 election and in a 2020 vote. which the generals eventually rescinded, citing unresolved irregularities.
Popular Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, 77, is among dozens of NLD members jailed since the coup and is serving a 33-year sentence on multiple counts of corruption, violation of a law on state secrets and incitement, among other crimes.
Tun Myinta senior NLD official, said the party would never have gone to the polls with many of its members in prison or “involved in the revolution”.
“It doesn’t matter whether they say our party is dissolved or not. We are with the support of the people,” Tun Myint told Reuters.
The National Unity Shadow Government (NUG), which the junta has declared “terrorist”, said the military had no authority to organize what would be a mock election.
“Political parties that respect the will of the people have not registered,” said spokesman Kyaw Zaw.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Monday urged international critics to support his efforts to restore democracy.
The election would return Myanmar to the quasi-civilian democratic system that experts say the military can control without the NLD.
Under the power-sharing arrangement outlined in the constitution, the military is guaranteed three ministerial portfolios, a quarter of all legislative seats and a say in who is nominated to become president.
richard Equinesenior adviser to the International Crisis Group, said the election was dangerous for the country.
“The majority of the population fiercely opposes the ballot box to legitimize political control of the military, so we will see violence increase if the regime seeks to force a vote, and resistance groups seek to disrupt them,” he said. Horsey, who had been based in Myanmar for 15 years.
