Myanmar military pledges to build democratic system

Addressing media, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said that his junta would hold new elections and hand over power to the winners, and explained the junta’s intended policies for COVID-19 control and the economy.

Naypyitaw: The military commander who led the coup in Myanmar and is now leader made no mention of protest by opponents of the takeover in a 20-minute televised speech Monday night, his first to the public since the takeover.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing instead repeated the claims about voting fraud that have been the justification for the military’s takeover, allegations that were refuted by the state election commission.

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He added that his junta would hold new elections as promised in a year and hand over power to the winners, and explained the junta’s intended policies for COVID-19 control and the economy.

The growing protests recall previous movements in the Southeast Asian country’s long and bloody struggle for democracy.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters rallied at Yangon’s Sule Pagoda, which was a focal point of demonstrations against military rule during a massive 1988 uprising and again during a 2007 revolt led by Buddhist monks.

The military used deadly force to end both of those uprisings.

Aside from a few officers, soldiers have not been in the streets at protests this past week.

AP