Myanmar: Min Aung Hlaing, the chief of staff of the Myanmar army, has vowed to “crush” any opposition to military rule as the emergency situation continues to deteriorate.
The leader of the February 1, 2021, coup, Min Aung Hlaing, declared on state television that the military would do “whatever it takes to return the state to stability” in the face of unprecedented advances by an alliance of ethnic armed groups and anti-coup forces.
Just before the previous term’s expiration at midnight on Wednesday, the National Defense and Security Council declared it would extend the emergency rule for an additional six months. The action further postponed the elections that the generals had promised to hold after taking over from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, which they have since imprisoned.
Since the coup, which resulted in widespread protests that turned into an armed insurrection after the military used harsh force in response, the country of Southeast Asia has been in disarray.
The military claimed that because it was fighting widespread armed opposition, which has increased since anti-coup forces launched Operation 1027 late last year, it was unable to lift the state of emergency. More than two million people have been displaced by the violence, according to the United Nations.
As per the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local monitoring group, over 20,000 people have been detained for their political views, and over 4,400 people have been killed in the crackdown on opposition to the coup.
The military regime has been subject to sanctions from the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other countries since the coup.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International were among those urging more action to be taken on Wednesday to deny the military access to jet fuel.
The military has been charged by the UN and human rights organizations with violating human rights, including crimes against humanity, in their suppression of the opposition.
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