CNI News

5 February 2025

EAOs did not appear to be strongly opposed to the election if the territories that they have captured were not destroyed, Chairman of the PNLO-NCA/S, Col. Khun Okkar told CNI News. 

At present, the Myanmar Tatmadaw has lost control of its several hundred military camps and over 90 townships including the Northeast Command and the West Command.

In addition to the challenges facing the SAC, there is still a need for stability and peace to ensure that elections can be held. The SAC has extended its term of office for another 6 months on February 1, 2025, in accordance with the constitution.

While seeing leaders of northern armed groups

" EAOs don't seem to strongly oppose the election if their territories they have controlled are not destroyed, especially Kachin, Chin and northern Shan State EAOs. Wa, Palaung, Kokang and Myla groups can be neutral. I don't think there will be any violent protests because according to the international law, international community doesn't accept opposing or destroying an election although there are various kinds of elections. So, I think the election could be held." said Col. Khun Okkar.

Military and political observers are watching whether the election could be held or not even though Chairman of the SAC has repeatedly said during 2024 that the election would be held in 2025.

Although Chairman of the SAC had said that the election would be held in August 2023, it cannot be held until today.

While seeing political parties

Due to regional instability and security conditions at present, political parties are also unable to carry out public organizing activities, resulting in a distorted situation, spokesperson of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) U Myo Kyaw told CNI News.

" The SAC formed the Union Election Commission with their men. Political parties were asked to register. But according to the current situation, it is difficult to even implement the work of a political party. As political parties, they can't organize, they can't gather people, and lots of people can't take to the streets. This is a big distortion, I think." said U Myo Kyaw.

Elections for the three Hluttaws must be conducted in accordance with the law, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at the Work Coordination Meeting of the Union Government on 3rd February 2025.

Political parties would have to make necessary preparations and because security and stability would be needed in order that election campaigns could be carried out, the government should have made systematic preparations in accordance with law so that the election could be successfully held, he said.