Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday afternoon met officers, other ranks and families of Kengtung Station at Pyi Nyein Aye Hall of the command headquarters.
Present at the meeting together with the Senior General were wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, member of the Council Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo and wife, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung and wife, senior military officers and their wives of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Commander of Triangle Region Command Brig-Gen Myo Min Tun, officers, other ranks and families of Kengtung Station.
In his speech, the Senior General said he would like to explain some points of political changes of the country to officers, other ranks and families. A state of emergency was declared for the country according to the political condition on 1 February. International countries declare their states in the state of emergency at a time when they face natural disasters, pandemics and needs to take security measures for the countries under the law. Although efforts were made to solve the problems of vote-rigging and voter lists’ errors in the 2020 election under democratic ways as much as possible, discussions could not be made to solve the issues. Moreover, as attempts were made to summon the third Hluttaw to form a new government forcibly, the National Defence and Security Council held a meeting to declare the state of emergency for the country. The Pro Tem President assigned the Tatmadaw to control the situations.
At present, the newly-formed Union Election Commission is inspecting voting lists. In investigating top officials from the previous commission, their commission did not have freeness and followed the president’s control and instructions.
The Senior General recounted that he arrived in Shan State (East) before the election to meet Tatmadaw members and families. At the meeting, the Senior General said he urged all to hold a free and fair election and cast votes for those who can serve the interests of their regions and the country; if not, they would have the representatives who would not hold the attitude not in conformity with the voters; and as such, all need to cast votes. The Tatmadaw initiated the democracy the entire people aspired in accord with the Constitution 2008. The Tatmadaw wishes to improve the country and join hands with any government elected to carry out development tasks.
During the preparation period before the 2020 election, some doubts about fairness over the expression of political parties were found in their canvassing activities. Moreover, although any tasks cannot be undertaken beyond the prescribed laws and rules, various orders were issued on the pretext of COVID-19 in carrying out the tasks beyond the laws and regulations.
At present, the newly-formed Union Election Commission is inspecting voting lists. In investigating top officials from the previous commission, their commission did not have freeness and followed the president’s control and instructions. Their clarifications have been mentioned in the press conferences. Now, the Union Election Commission releases ground inspection findings for each township in detail on a daily basis. The amount of vote-rigging in the findings of the inspection was larger than the previous list issued by the Tatmadaw.
Although the country was peaceful and stable in the first week of the Tatmadaw duty assumption, protests and riots were staged due to incitements of NLD members and supporters as of the second week. At present, protests were transformed into anarchic mobs, breaking the laws, and then to the rebellion. It was found that they set fire to and made attempts to raid residences of innocent people, factories and industries in addition to State administration offices, police stations and law offices by holding .22 gun, percussion lock firearms, air-guns, home-made guns, home-made grenades, bottles of fire and fire-rings. They destroyed factories and industries built with local and foreign investments and attacked security forces with arms. Unavoidably, the orders of martial law were imposed on Hlinethaya, Shwepyitha, Dagon Myothit (South, North and Seikkan) and North Okkalapa townships in Yangon Region so as to more effectively perform security, the rule of law and community peace and stability. Riots and protests happen in other countries where protesters peacefully stage protests in accord with the prescribed restrictions. Some protests not in conformity with the disciplines are cracked down on accord with the law. Security forces did not intentionally kill the people and did not order to do so. If rioters commit harming the lives of the security forces and people wishing to live peacefully, the order is given to do so unavoidably.
Currently, the State Administration Council is implementing five future programmes and nine objectives. On the first priority, voter lists are under scrutiny, and findings are released. Upon completion, the combined lists will be released. The Senior General stressed the need to develop political, economic and social sectors. Closure of schools based on the outbreak of COVID-19 causes loss to individual students and parents as well as loss to the country. As such, preparations are being made to reopen the schools in a systematic manner.
While the Tatmadaw is serving the interests of the State, all need to strive for shaping the Tatmadaw to become a reliable one of the people and the country. The Tatmadaw must always be ready for serving the interests of the people as well as defending the State. The Senior General praised the Tatmadaw members and families for their good attitudes over the Tatmadaw and the country. All regiments and units need to uplift the capacity of individual Tatmadaw member with the mind-set to investing their efforts for the State. The Senior General stressed the need to have success in military own and manageable scale agriculture and livestock breeding farming tasks. Moreover, it is necessary to organize physical exercises for individual health and fitness and team-wise sports events. For having more expansive knowledge, all need to read and encourage their offspring to read. In addition, children must be taught cultural traditions in Buddhism. Improvement of the Tatmadaw is an obligation for those currently serving the duties. So, all need to strive for handing down the good legacy to posterity. The Tatmadaw pledged to pave the country on the right track of genuine democracy with firm confidence.
After the meeting, the Senior General presented foodstuffs and personal goods produced by Tatmadaw factories to the commander, and Daw Kyu Kyu Hla gave a cash award for maternal and child welfare association of the command to the wife of the commander.
This morning, the Senior General and party heard reports on four military building tasks of regiments and units under the command, regional security, the rule of law, welfare of military families, and prevention and containment of COVID-19 for the military families and local people presented by Commander of Triangle Region Command Brig-Gen Myo Min Tun.
At present, protests were transformed into anarchic mobs, breaking the laws, and then to the rebellion. It was found that they set fire to and made attempts to raid residences of innocent people, factories and industries in addition to State administration offices, police stations and law offices by holding .22 gun, percussion lock firearms, air-guns, home-made guns, home-made grenades, bottles of fire and fire-rings.
In his response, the Senior General stressed the need for the military command to ensure peace and stability of Thailand, Laos and China sharing the border with Myanmar and along with the border areas and to effectively carry out drug elimination and cooperation in information exchange. As the events happened to grasp the State power through unfair ways in the 2020 election, everybody knows the Tatmadaw assumed the State responsibilities. As NLD committed voting frauds with more than 10 million suspected voter lists, the act of NLD not in conformity with democracy way could not be accepted. So, the country was declared under the state of emergency. It was found that NLD members and followers committed the acts undesirable over the efforts which were made by the Tatmadaw in accord with the law. EAOs followed them. RCSS/SSA group firstly criticized the work process of the Tatmadaw for assuming State duty. Brigade-5 of KNU attacked the Htimuhta camp of the Tatmadaw with powerful strengths on 27 March without abiding by the prohibition of KNU Leading Committee members and the Chief of KNLA and the NCA.
They are dancing to the tune of countries and organizations which support them. Only when the NLD government still grasps the State power will these countries and organization have the government they can steer. The Senior General stressed need to constantly monitor moves of EAOs and exchange information with relevant countries on time. Regiments and units must always have military caution and awareness to dutifully serve the military operations and security duties in respective military command areas. The Senior General said that the Tatmadaw pledges to continuously strengthen multiparty democracy the entire people aspire. — MNA
