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It is beyond anyone’s doubt that almost all of Myanmar’s top generals are ruthless and corrupt tyrants. Those who are more ruthless and corrupt tend to be more powerful. This is a scenario that has existed in the Myanmar military since it was first introduced to political power in 1958, barely 17 years after its establishment. No top leaders in the Myanmar army ever lost their positions only for involvement in corruption, most of them lost due to their ambition for the leadership role.
When the news came about the sacking of two senior junta members Moe Myint Tun, a close confidante of Min Aung Hlaing who is relatively young and ambitious and Soe Htut, home affairs minister, who oversaw the hangings of four pro-democracy activists in July last year, it was received by most of the analysts that the junta is facing intense internal rivalry.
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The situation in Rakhine State should be closely watched in the coming days and weeks with the reports of possible renewed sectarian conflict targeting Rohingya Muslims. The concerns are raised as the reports indicate collaboration resumed between the junta and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in Northern Rakhine State in recent weeks. Rohingya communities could become a scapegoat once again for such a collaboration as they were in 2017.
With the junta’s promise for an election is in a doldrum, and it has no solution on how to deal with rampant inflation in the country, it is expected that the junta will try to exploit the underlying ethnic crisis in Rakhine State to find a way out from the political crisis it created by itself.
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Every month BHRN provides a summary of situation update for the previous month’s important event in Burma. More detailed information for each paragraph contained in the update is available in more details upon request.
In yet another sign that Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution ceased to exist, the junta head Min Aung Hlaing secured the fourth six months of his rule, even though the constitution only allows a maximum of two six months terms for the Commander-in-Chief to enforce the emergency rule.
The extension was announced after a meeting of the National Defence and Security Council, one significant development of the latest meeting of the council is the participation of former Vice President Henry Van Thio, a member of NLD. His participation is seen as a thaw in relations between the junta and the NLD. However, a statement from the NLD issued after the meeting after the meeting condemned the participation of Henry Van Thio.