Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing gave guidance on the SAC Road Map at the guidance meeting at the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
Laying down Five-Point Road Map
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister gave guidance that it was the first meeting for all responsible persons to consider development undertakings during the expanded period.
Regarding the first point of the road map “Priority will be given to fully realizing peace, stability and rule of law throughout the Union to safeguard the socioeconomic life of the people”, the countries exercising the democratic system allow staging protests under the law. But, Tatmadaw controlled the violent events beyond the protests under the law. Terrorists intentionally committed attacks on innocent people, non-military target administration buildings, private businesses, public service personnel and religious persons. At that time, hard cores from unrest were sent to the insurgent areas and they were formed as so-called PDF terrorist groups. In so doing, some EAOs participated in such activities. The arms and ammunition seized by the Tatmadaw comprised arms and ammunition used by EAOs and some illegally entered from foreign countries passing borders. Tatmadaw conducts military operations in the operation areas but performs terrorist suppression tasks in the non-operation areas under the law. Martial law orders were released for the areas difficult to control. As a result, terrorist acts remarkably declined from April 2022.
In early 2023, some terror acts happened. It can be seen that terror acts indicated setting fire to relevant organizations and documents, blowing up mines and posing intimidation and killing public service personnel and volunteers in order to disturb preparations for the election under the road map. At the meeting 1/2023 of the National Defence and Security Council, the Prime Minister recounted that he reported to the Pro Tem President on performances and findings in the state of emergency of the country, and requirements to continue tasks for ensuring peace and stability of the nation at present. As such, the state of emergency was extended for six more months.
Disturbance acts of terrorists caused terrible losses for the State and the private sector. Without counting ordinary losses, there were more than 4,900 losses and damage. Grenade, mines and homemade mine attacks amounted to more than 8,500 times. More than 9,700 times of attacks were committed. They set fires more than 1,230 times. In the events, more than 17,690 arms, 27,200 mines and bombs and a lot of ammunition were seized from terrorists.
It can be seen that terrorists commit disturbance acts to grab democracy through terror way. Concepts of ethnic armed organizations are different from the attitudes and stances of terrorists. The majority of EAOs signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement-NCA. The armed groups which emerged after 2021 were based on controversies over democracy. Any country as well as any government does not allow armed violence in a democratic system. Those committing terror acts need to understand democracy.
In the second term of state of emergency, it is necessary to effectively tackle the terror acts, so martial law was imposed in important townships in order to lessen terror acts. The martial law administration was aimed at crime breakers only, not for the people. People can live and travel under the disciplines. It is assumed that the peace and stability of these areas might improve in the coming six months.
If everybody reads presentations of Defence Services Personnel representatives, instructions and speeches of the Senior General and senior military officers in the previous Hluttaw, they can see the stance of Tatmadaw on the democratic system of the State. Tatmadaw accepts itself as a guardian organization to safeguard the State to have firm standing over the democratic system. After considering the road map, the Union Election Commission was reconstituted in line with the previous road map. Inspection and taking action on electoral measures were taken within two years. In this regard, appropriated action was taken for corruption cases.
With regard to trade, an outbreak of Covid-19 caused the decline of economy in 2021, affecting domestic manufacturing. The government encouraged domestic businesses, so the country did not face food insufficiency but suffered high prices of goods similar to other countries. Loans of foreign exchange borrowed by the previous government and new projects were not received after 2021. Although the country faced an economic crisis in 2021, improved manufacturing and opening of border trade in 2022 surged the State economy to +3 per cent of GDP. Businesspersons from regions and states expressed their reports on the progress of their tasks. Moreover, it can be believed that the State economic promotion fund will help achieve success in agricultural tasks.
In line with the motto: Keep Moving Forward to Achieve Our Goal, all need to strive for the development of the nation. If the per-acre yield of paddy increases, the country will have local food sufficiency and export surplus to foreign countries, raising the incomes of farmers and improving their socioeconomic life. The government needs to strive to secure success in agricultural tasks in order to contribute to the development of the State economy.
Concerning the prosperity and food sufficiency of the nation, the Prime Minister said: “As for the second point “People-centred development work that enhances socioeconomic well-being will be undertaken to ensure the country’s prosperity and food security”, all need to boom the economy. All regions and states manufacture agricultural produce and livestock products. All districts in Ayeyawady Region can produce these products. I would like to give guidance that if we slightly push it, it will change the situation of our country. If so, the country will have prosperity. It is because the people have income, their socioeconomic life will improve. It is dead sure. Anyone cannot accept harming their socioeconomic life. They will go to the good approach, not the bad one. The best safeguarding the nation is to improve the economy. We have to do so. So, I insert such things into the second point. The 2022-2023 financial year will end in the coming March. Our efforts are included in the financial year. So, we have to accelerate the enhancement of the businesses. In so doing, we have to possess a transport system contributing to the businesses. We have to improve the roads without fail. So, I set plans to upgrade roads in the coming financial year.”
The Prime Minister continued to say that school examinations will be held soon, and matriculation examination will end in the coming March. Students missed the chance to attend schools in some areas due to threats of terrorists. The government will strive for opening all schools across the nation in the coming academic year. To do so, martial law orders were declared in some areas. Only when the government strictly tackles the disciplines will the school-age children not lose the chances. Difficulties of education staff are being solved as much as possible.
In the health sector, it is necessary to improve healthcare services for that people do not lose learning and labour due to weak health. In the coming year, the government will emphasize the improvement of the education and health sectors as well as economic and transport sectors, especially in the agriculture and livestock sectors. The State economic promotion fund allotted capital for oil milling businesses. If they make efforts for meeting the target production, the country will have local oil sufficiency and surplus volume. If so, the import of cooking oil can be reduced. Efforts must be made for the country to become an oil exporter from an oil importer.
The Senior General stressed the need to increase the per-acre yield of beans. Moreover, extreme capturing of natural fish resources may cause a loss of fish resources, so the government encourages systematic fish farming only.
The country imports some US$100 million worth of dairy products per year. Hence, it is necessary to systematically breed cows, rather than traditional farming techniques.
As for the third point of the road map “Processes will further continue to consolidate a genuine, disciplined multiparty democratic system and build a Union based on democracy and federalism”, Tatmadaw is responsible for safeguarding the Constitution. Some provisions must be amended and the country must lead to the Hluttaw route as well as the Union based on democracy and federalism. The Political Parties Registration Law was enacted. Political objectives of parties are concepts to shape the nation. To implement such concepts, they have to join the Hluttaw. Activities of parties will be allowed under the law. After the parties were formed, preparations for the election will continue without fail.
The fourth point of the roadmap was adopted as Priority will be accorded to work aligned with the agreements set out in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, in order to achieve enduring peace for the entire nation. Participants in the peace talks must hold discussions with open-mindedness. They have to solve the topics suitable for the State. All ethnics will have equal rights. Ethnic armed organizations need to focus on the Union’s interests only.
As for the last point “Upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of emergency, free and fair multiparty democratic elections will be held in line with the 2008 Constitution, and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties to the winning party in accordance with democratic standards,” voter lists must be compiled for ensuring all eligible voters to have the chance to cast votes. There is no country with a cent per cent correct election across the world. But any country does not accept tremendous errors on voter lists. So, the government is responsible for all voters to cast votes. The government is striving for holding elections in all parts of the nation without vacancies and for all citizens to be free from unjustified acts. Not only the commission but all are to strive for holding the prestigious election.
With regard to international relations, Myanmar is a member of the UN, ASEAN and BIMSTEC, cementing relations with all under the five-point co-existence principles. Guests, those from international organizations, diplomats and businesspersons expressed differences in their knowledge of the actual situation in Myanmar. Such wrong information was based on the biased expression of media and biased data from diplomats.
Regarding those who left Rakhine state, the government needs to protect ethnic people as well as citizens. Some Bengalis became citizens in Myanmar. They are given rights under the law. Bengalis live not only in Rakhine State but in other regions. Problems of accepting those persons are based in illegal residences. The government said that it will accept the expatriation in line with the agreements of both countries. The government does not refuse the process under the agreement. Those who return home will have rights under the 1982 citizenship law.
The government is arranging a supply of electricity for a high percentage in 2025 to the nation. The supervisory teams are to systematically handle the arrangements for all to widely use quality electric vehicles. At present, charging stations are under construction on Yangon-Mandalay Expressway and Yangon-Mandalay Highway. Plans are underway to build more charging stations on Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay Highway, Lashio road, Mawlamyine road, and Kayin State. Ministries are to cooperate with each other in using electric vehicles on a wider scale. If the government strives for all sectors, it will contribute much to the State in the coming six months. — MNA/TTA
