CNI News
5 Dec 2022
It has been a hot issue in the Myanmar political circle how to negotiate terms to prevent the Myanmar military from repeatedly seizing power.
Col Khun Okkar, an EAO leader, told the CNI that the issue would be resolved if the military was put under civilian control after a civilian government had been formed.
He said, "If the armed forces are placed under the democratic civilian government and they abide by the law of supremacy, such scenarios will not occur. However, it will take a certain time for the military to accept the law."
Rakhine Politician U Pe Than told the CNI that the military upheld the view that the country would collapse if it did not play in a dominant role in politics and as long as the military is not under the control of a civilian president, it would frequently stage coups.
Anti-coup pro-democracy demonstrators. (Frontier Myanmar)
He said, "As long as the military is involved in the politics of the country, it will stage coups frequently at will. Whenever a coup takes place, the country will continue to lag far behind others. The country will not escape from the vicious circle of poverty. If military and political leaders understand this and give the right to rule the country to the civilian government alone. The military is responsible only for the national defence. Only then, will the country escape from the vicious circle of coups. The military clearly understood the consequences of coups but it felt offended when it was not recognized and staged the coup based on its prejudice, saying the country was going to collapse. We have already proved theoretically and practically that it was wrong. So, its mindset is important."
Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Vice President Henry Vanthio.
In 1958, then prime minister U Nu transferred power to Gen Ne Win, who again seized power in 1962 by ousting the civilian government led by U Nu. During the 1988 student movement, the military took power again. On 1st February, 2021, the military again ousted the NLD government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after accusing it of attempting to form a new government without settling voters' list disputes in the 2020 general election.
As the military has declared a state of emergency and seized power, an interim government will emerge, Chairman Sai Aik Paung of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party told the CNI.
He said, "It is a period during a state of emergency declared in accordance with the constitution. The military did not seize power but has assumed it. If it seized power, the constitution would have been abolished. A state of emergency expires within two years and an interim government will be formed. Vice President U Myint Swe will lead the interim government and everything will depend on him. State power will be transferred to the National Defence and Security Council. U Myint Swe will be the most powerful in the NDSC, in accordance with the constitution.
Anti-coup pro-democracy demonstrators. (Frontier Myanmar)
The military and some political parties had announced that the political changes that took place on 1st February, 2021 did not constitute a coup but the assumption of power by the military in accordance with the constitution.
However, the NLD and other democracy forces as well as other countries said that the military staged a coup against the civilian government.
The military formed the State Administration and announced a fresh general election in 2023.
