Myanmar extends state of emergency, delays polls

Bangkok, July 31

Myanmar’s military-controlled government has extended the state of emergency it imposed when the army seized power from an elected government two and a half years ago, state-run media said on Monday, forcing a further delay in elections it promised when it took over.

Six more months

The National Defence and Security Council met on Monday at Naypyitaw and extended the state of emergency for another six months starting Tuesday, saying “time is needed to prepare for the elections”

MRTV television said the National Defence and Security Council met on Monday in the capital, Naypyitaw, and extended the state of emergency for another six months starting Tuesday because “time is needed to prepare for the elections”. The NDSC is nominally a constitutional government body, but in practice is controlled by the military.

The announcement amounted to an admission that the army does not exercise enough control to stage the polls and has failed to subdue widespread opposition to military rule, which includes increasingly challenging armed resistance as well as nonviolent protests and civil disobedience, despite the army having a huge advantage in manpower and weapons. — AP