Political analysts have strongly criticized the military junta’s shameless exploitation of General Aung San’s election-related speeches for their upcoming election propaganda, while his daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains unjustly detained. The military council has been consistently publishing General Aung San’s election-related speeches in their propaganda newspapers daily, particularly in preparation for their planned December election. They have been specifically focusing on his radio address from March 13, 1947.
Political observers point out that while General Aung San’s speech warned about taking strong action against those who would disrupt elections, the current situation is entirely different. CDM Major Linn Htet Aung revealed that the military regularly uses General Aung San’s speeches for their propaganda purposes, noting that they only remember the General when it serves their narrative. The military council has been selectively using portions of his speeches, particularly the segment where he discussed taking action against those who might attempt to sabotage elections, while ignoring the historical context and circumstances under which these statements were made.
U Nay Bun Lat, spokesperson for the National Unity Government (NUG) Prime Minister’s Office, provided a detailed explanation of why General Aung San’s election speech has no relevance to the current military junta’s election plans, emphasizing the vast difference in circumstances and timing. He explained that General Aung San’s original speech addressed attempts by anti-democratic forces to disrupt elections during a democratic period, whereas the current situation is completely reversed – with the military having illegally overthrown the democratically elected government and now attempting to organize a fraudulent election. Sources from Naypyidaw revealed that the military’s propaganda efforts, including the use of General Aung San’s speeches, are primarily coordinated by the terrorist Zaw Min Tun and the Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare.
