Myanmar’s military leader has called for enhanced protection for members and candidates of political parties as an interim government prepares for an upcoming election in December and January, which has been labeled as illegitimate by Western nations. Acting President Min Aung Hlaing urged authorities to safeguard politicians and voters due to an increase in attacks on government officials ahead of the elections, as reported by the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
The planned election, where opposition groups have been either excluded or refused to participate, has been criticized by Western governments as a tactic to solidify the military’s authority. Recent reports from the central Sagaing region revealed that an airstrike targeted a convoy of stationary trucks on Monday, resulting in at least eight casualties near Taung Yin village, just 17 kilometers (10 miles) from Mandalay.
Last year, military-backed officials conducted a nationwide census to establish voter lists but were only able to complete physical surveys in 145 out of Myanmar’s 330 townships. The military recently handed over control to a civilian-led interim administration to oversee the election, four years after Min Aung Hlaing orchestrated a coup that ousted the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
The coup sparked widespread protests and escalated into a civil conflict, pitting various ethnic armies and newly-formed armed groups against the well-equipped military on multiple fronts. During a meeting in Naypyitaw on Tuesday, officials discussed military strategies in preparation for the elections and emphasized the formation of “people’s security” groups to bolster safety measures, as per the newspaper report.
Furthermore, a military-led council introduced new electoral regulations last month to enhance security, imposing penalties ranging from a minimum of three years imprisonment to the death penalty.