The leader of the military council, Min Aung Hlaing, has accused the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which won the 2015 election, of inciting public hatred against the military. He made these remarks during a meeting with military officers at the Southern Command Headquarters in Taungoo, Bago Region. Min Aung Hlaing claimed that during the NLD government’s term, they conducted both direct and indirect campaigns to foster hatred against the military, and that their failure to successfully manage economic, administrative, and other sectors led to the country’s decline in various aspects.
Furthermore, he alleged that the NLD committed electoral fraud in the 2020 general election and used dishonest means to gain power. In recent times, Min Aung Hlaing has increasingly made targeted accusations against the NLD party, and during the Defense and Security Council meeting on July 31, he claimed that all current situations in the country are the result of the NLD’s actions. He also asserted that the military council has achieved better economic performance than the NLD government, claiming a 2.5% GDP growth. He dismissed the World Bank’s economic decline predictions, stating they were based on incomplete information.
During the military council’s farewell ceremony on July 30, Min Aung Hlaing reiterated that the declaration of the state of emergency was necessary due to electoral fraud in the 2020 election. He claimed that despite repeatedly notifying the relevant government authorities about electoral irregularities, the NLD attempted to seize state power illegally by convening parliament, which led to the military taking control under the 2008 Constitution’s emergency provisions.
The military council has also implemented legislative changes to suppress the NLD party. On July 28, they amended the Political Parties Registration Law, stipulating that parties found guilty of electoral fraud would lose their right to exist as political organizations. This amendment is widely seen as targeting the NLD party, which has not re-registered under the military council. These actions reflect the military council’s continued efforts to eliminate the NLD’s political presence, despite the party’s widespread popular support among the Myanmar people.
