Myanmar military promises election in a year

Naypyitaw (Myanmar), February 1

Myanmar’s military has announced it will hold a new election at the end of a one-year state of emergency it declared Monday when it seized control of the country and reportedly detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The announcement on military-controlled Myawaddy TV came after an earlier declaration that because national stability was in jeopardy, all government functions would be transferred to military chief Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing under a provision in the 2008 constitution that was issued under military rule.

The announcement said once the election was held, the military would hand power to the winner.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory in last November’s general election, humiliating the military-backed opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party.

The military said it acted because Suu Kyi’s government failed to address its allegations of widespread voter fraud and other election-related issues. AP