Myanmar extends state of emergency for sixth time

The Myanmar military regime announced on Wednesday its sixth extension of the state of emergency, initially imposed when it seized power in February 2021. The decision to extend military rule for another six months was made during a National Defence and Security Council meeting in Naypyitaw, the country's administrative capital. A week prior to the announcement, coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of acting president, replacing former army general Myint Swe. A video clip of the security council meeting, broadcast by state-run TV outlets, showed Min Aung Hlaing presiding over the meeting with name signs identifying him as both the acting president and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The ruling military council cited several reasons for the extension, including ongoing "terrorist activities,” referring to the nationwide armed resistance against the regime, the need to restore law and order, economic issues blamed on "greedy businessmen," and the continued necessity to conduct a national census to establish an accurate voter registry. Despite the coup being a violation of the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, the military council claimed that the extension of the state of emergency is justified under section 425 of the same constitution. The Myanmar military overthrew the elected administration of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party on February 1, 2021, alleging vote fraud in the November 2020 general election. The regime has faced numerous defeats in recent months amidst continued clashes with anti-junta forces, including with the Brotherhood Alliance, a grouping of ethnic armed organisations that launched coordinated offensives in late October last year and again since June.

Myanmar extends state of emergency for sixth time

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