The military’s statements are creating tensions in Myanmar. In any case, the installation of the new parliament has already been postponed from Monday to Tuesday.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won in November again an absolute majority, to the dismay of the army. That has since complained of fraud, although observers say the election was fair. Last week, the military declined to pledge that it would not carry out a coup as the ultimate expression of dissatisfaction with the election results.
First of all, there was General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the army, who addressed the press and said the military will “follow the law, without breaking the constitution.” At the same time, he seemed to contradict himself by not ruling out a coup by the Tatmadaw – the military: “We’re not saying the Tatmadaw will seize power; nor are we saying not.”
Mother of all laws
That already fueled the suspicion that the military is up to something. Statements by Min Aung Hlaing, the chief army chief, raised the suspicion even further, because he seemed to find the constitution a little less sacred. The constitution was indeed “the mother of all laws,” said the army boss, but if it is not respected “then the constitution must be abolished”.
He did not say which body according to Hlaing did not respect the constitution, but he seemed to refer to the electoral commission. On Thursday, he again rejected the fraud charges. The army wants voter lists to be rechecked and says that 8.6 million frauds have been committed.
The UN, the EU, the US and more Western countries expressed concern about the military’s statements. They released a statement calling on the military to “adhere to democratic standards.”
The NLD ruling party and leader Aung San Suu Kyi have remained virtually silent on the issue since the November elections. The balance of power between her party and the military remains fragile. The November elections were only the second free elections after the military dictatorship ended in 2011.
‘Misinterpreted’
The army still has a big finger in the political pie: 25 percent of the seats in parliament are reserved for the army. Some ministerial posts are also assigned to the army by default. The country’s second party, the USDP, is also actually an extension of the Tatmadaw.
The USDP lost four seats in the lower house and four in the upper house during the elections, while the NLD won three seats in both rooms. According to analysts, the army finds this difficult to stomach.
Today, the military issued another statement: Hlaing’s statements would have been misinterpreted. The Tatmadaw reiterated spokesman Zaw Min Tun’s statements that the constitution will be complied with.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD government party said in response to accept the explanation of the army.
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