Myanmar junta extends state of emergency, signalling poll delay
The Hindu
Myanmar’s junta announced a six-month extension to a state of emergency on Monday, signalling a delay to elections they had pledged to hold by August.
Myanmar's junta announced a six-month extension to a state of emergency on Monday, signalling a delay to elections they had pledged to hold by August.
The Southeast Asian nation has been ravaged by deadly violence since a coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi's government more than two years ago, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent.
Thousands of civilians have been killed and injured as the junta battles a clutch of new and established rebel groups opposed to military rule.
Acting President Myint Swe told a meeting of the junta-stacked National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) that the "state of emergency period would be extended another six months starting from August 1st, 2023".
Explainer | Why did the Myanmar military stage a coup?
Myanmar's military-drafted 2008 Constitution, which the junta has said is still in force, requires authorities to hold fresh elections within six months of a state of emergency being lifted.
The junta had previously promised fresh polls by August of this year.
With a new government in place in Delhi, Singapore hopes to schedule the Ministerial Roundtable with India shortly, says Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. In an exclusive interview, he speaks about the impact of the elections on ties, the “missed opportunity” of RCEP and the new buzz around Andhra Pradesh’s capital Amaravati.