Nay Pyi Taw, April (27)
Since the third week of April, the military junta has been meeting often with representatives of international organizations who can mediate on political crisis of Myanmar, which is getting worse as each day passes since the military coup.
There are reports that Director-General of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Peng Xiubin, had meetings with former military dictator retired Senior General Than Shwe and former President U Thein Sein on April 18.
The media reported that they discussed solutions to the political crisis and the elections through the military coup in that meeting.
On the other hand, the former UN Secretary-General, Mr. Bang Ki-moon, visited Myanmar on April 23 and 24, in a situation where the junta could not implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus even after more than two years.
Ban Ki-moon met with Myanmar’s military leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, and former President U Thein Sein, urging them to engage in constructive engagement with all parties, including the National Unity Government (NUG), to address the country’s ongoing crisis.
Veteran politician U Pe Than said, “The military council is attempting to find a solution to the current crisis through military means, and is just listening to the international call for dialogue out of duty. If the situation in the country stabilizes, the military council will hold a sham election and continue to rule as a legitimate government. The military council will protect their interests with all its might”.
“When the military regime stabilizes and a new government is formed through elections, the military council will be able to consider dialogue, but currently, when the political crisis worsens, the junta will only resolve it through military means,” U Pe Than said.
Mr. Ban Ki-moon urged to find a way to stop the violence and to hold an inclusive dialogue to return to the path of democracy during his meeting with the military leader.
The Acting President of the National Unity Government (NUG) said the international representatives seem to be trying to get the military council to compromise, and people need to be careful that the previous military regimes have approached things in similar ways, thus prolonging the life of the military dictatorship.
Political analyst Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe remarked that the stances and ideals of the two organizations are completely opposite, making it impossible to predict that a discussion will take place at this time.
Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe pointed out that both the military regime and the revolutionary forces are likely to implement the dialogue only when they are too weak to continue the fighting.
The military council has been facing international condemnation, demands, and sanctions since the seizure of power, and it is also losing strength in the ongoing battles with the revolutionary forces.
Faced with losses in ground battles, the junta army is conducting a series of airstrikes targeting villages, schools, and hospitals where civilians live.
On the other hand, the military council imposed martial law in 44 townships in eight regions and states after the military coup, and more than a third of the country is in turmoil.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) released a statement on April 19 saying that the conflict and insecurity that occurred after the latest military coup in Myanmar have displaced nearly 1.5 million people.
News – Than Lwin Times
Photo: MOI
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