The Myanmar Military Council, which has been ruling under the emergency period of martial law, called a meeting today and extended the emergency period for another 6 months. What do political observers think about this extended term? Ma Mya Thazin Aung will present the contact information.
After seizing power on February 1, 2021, the military council repeatedly extended the emergency period by 6 months, saying that it was working in accordance with the 2008 constitution. This time as well, the extension was extended again, saying that there are still requirements to fully implement the rule of law.
U Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the New Human Society Party, said that if you look at the extension of martial law, it shows that the military council does not yet have the will to change the country.
“Definitions are in power. Look at the constitution, as it is legal. It is not legal to be legal. The machine oppressions continued to commit. In practice I still don’t see the desire to change the country. I want to say that I still can’t imagine it.”
In April 2021, shortly after the coup d’état, General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the Military Council, said that the emergency period cannot last longer than 2 years. After saying this, it has been renewed several times, and now it has been more than 2 years. Article 425 of the 2008 constitution, which was enacted during the previous military regime, also provides for an emergency term of 6 months. It only mentions that it can be extended twice.
A legal expert pointed out that the 2008 constitution, which was custom-drafted by the military dictators, still exists as an outlet for the dictators to survive.
“There is a controversial word in Article 425 of the 2008 Constitution that they quoted. It is the word “under normal circumstances.” So the teachers see that this is a weakness or a prepared word in Article 425 of the 2008 Constitution.”
The military declared a 1-year state of emergency after the coup, and then extended it for the first time by 6 months in January 2022, when the 1-year term was completed. After that, once in July 2022, Since it was renewed in January 2023, it has been extended 4 times for 6 months each. Today, the Kalong meeting, which extended martial law for another 6 months, was attended by Acting President U Myint Swe, Vice President U Henry Van Thieu both attended.
