1. On 1 February 2021, the Tatmadaw declared the State of Emergency and took the State responsibilities in accordance with the stipulations of the 2008 Constitution. It has already issued the transparent evidences, announcements and also held press briefings to show that the root case is that there were voting frauds that were intentionally committed for political purposes and the attempts of the former government, the Union Election Commission and ruling NLD party.

2. Before the Tatmadaw took responsibilities, it conducted various ways to discuss with the UEC, the government, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and political leaders regarding with electoral frauds. If the 2020 multiparty democracy general election was free and fair, the respective ruling government had to resolve the case in line with the law, but they failed to do so.

3. After the Tatmadaw took office, it conducted "reconstitution of the Union Election Commission to scrutinize the voter lists in accordance with the law", but the relevant officials did not face in line with the law and they chose protests and armed revolutions. Although the Tatmadaw could detain the Hluttaw MPs who were in Nay Pyi Taw at that time, they were transported to their respective regions in order to build a genuine disciplined multiparty democratic nation and resolve in line with the law. They organized the terrorist group CRPH on 5 February 2021 and opposed the government. Among them, most of the former NLD MPs did not choose the legal solution but violent protests and armed protests.

4. Starting from 7 February, the protests broke out and they changed into riot, anarchic mob, insurrection and terrorism. The largest demonstration occurred on 22 February and only 4.8 million people participated in the protests. Later, they organized further terrorist groups called PDF in respective regions and killed the people who do not support them, attacked or killed the security members and government employees, conducted arson and mine attacks on schools, hospitals, clinics, government-owned buildings, roads and bridges. Therefore, the government declared the NUG and CRPH committing the sabotages as terrorist groups.

5. The terrorist groups committed 3,642 criminal cases—986 terror attacks, 2,344 bomb attacks and 312 arson attacks— across the nation until 21 October 2021. For such doings, 1,155 innocent people died and 765 people were injured. A total of 182 persons—75 military members, 93 police members and 14 government employees— died and 602 were injured. A total of 251 schools and education buildings were bombed. They also destroyed the roads and railways for 536 times and also destroyed 76 bridges. They also committed attacks on administrative buildings, religious buildings, factories, workshops, markets and urban buildings. In rare global violences, the arsons attacks and bomb attacks on 251 schools by NUG, CRPH and PDF can be clearly seen as their vicious acts. It can also raise questions about the ethics of some of the countries and organizations that support these terrorist groups.

6. The government granted pardons, dropped the hearings and charges against those who were prosecuted for participating in protests and riots to show humanitarian grounds, bring peace to the people and participate in building the nation. On significant days of Myanmar tradition such as Myanmar New Year, full moon day of Thadingyut and Union Day, the government released 51,704 prisoners—45,668 males and 6,036 females—and closed the cases. It also freed the detained EAO members and issued statements on ceasefire for the local armed conflict suspension and perpetual peace, and extended the ceasefire for five months from 1 October 2021 to the end of February 2022.

7. Although the government has carried out its utmost to consider and act as much as possible in order to prevent the escalation of violence with minimal bloodshed, NUG issued statements to increase the violence across the nation and incite the people to commit armed attacks and commit acts of violence on 7 September 2021.

8. The negotiations are being conducted with EAOs and there are 10 NCA signatories and there are still non-signatories. The negotiations will be conducted in future. Among these groups, the separate arrangements will be made to discuss with AA, TNLA and MNDAA which emerged after NCA. The National Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee and government issued statement to close the hearing cases of EAO members on 15- 10-2021, the 6th anniversary of signing the NCA and freed 114 members of seven EAOs. Later 1 February, discussions with EAO were conducted 15 times while six times with the political parties, and the further talks will be held. Similarly, the UEC convened discussions with the political parties two times. The negotiations with the armed terrorist groups called NUG, CRPH and PDF, which opted armed violence without choosing the legal solution for electoral frauds, cannot be accepted. The international government should notice that the negotiations regarding with the armed organizations are conducted with the ones that have been known for their tradition and history, and the action should be taken against the terrorist groups that suddenly emerge to ensure the security measures for socio-economic stability of the country and people.

9. When the Tatmadaw took over the responsibilities of the State, there was a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Myanmar. There were a total of 142,712 people affected with the COVID-19 disease on 24 April 2021 when the ASEAN summit was held in Indonesia. Although the Government restricted gathering and protest during this period, instigators continued anarchic mobs and acts of violence. Irresponsible and unethical health workers failed to be present at work under CDM, and they also incited others to engage in immoral conduct in various ways. Due to these issues, the incidence of COVID-19 had risen to more than 10 per cent since the third week of June 2021. With the continuous rise in infection rate, more than 20 per cent of COVID-19 cases occurred in the early July, more than 30 per cent in the second week of July, and more than 40 per cent in the third week. On 23 July 2021, 5,506 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 (40.82%) and 326 of them (5.92%) died of the disease. On 26 July, a total of 396 people (8.55%) died of COVID-19. In order to effectively carry out the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, the Government had to reclose the basic education schools, announce a successive public holidays which lasted over two months from 7 July to 10 September, and a total of 113 townships have been declared as stay-at-home townships.

10. The Government led by the Chairman of the State Administration Council, the Prime Minister has made great efforts to carry out COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment activities in the third wave of COVID-19 under the policy “Nothing is more important than human life”. Oxygen and emergency medical needs caused by poor preparation in the past, human resource requirements due to the unethical health workers who failed to come to work, and the need for treatment facilities were addressed in a variety of ways. Emergency liquid oxygen supplies were urgently imported from neighbouring China and Thailand. Efforts were made to meet the need of COVID-19 vaccine which is the key factor in the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19. Although the previous government conducted the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines from India, only two million doses of the vaccine arrived in Myanmar due to the outbreak situation in India. The purchase of the vaccine was restarted under the current government and due to the help of China, more than 26 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Myanmar. By the time Myanmar was facing difficulties in accessing the COVID-19 vaccine, it was found that international organizations such as the United Nations and related organizations, and the ASEAN failed to provide COVID-19 vaccine. Only friendly nations, China, India and Russia donated the vaccines to Myanmar: 4.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from China, 2.5 million from India and other from Russia. The Government is also making an effort to continue to vaccinate 50% of all eligible people by the end of this year. Although so-called NUG, CRPH and PDF terrorist organizations are disrupting the COVID-19 immunization in the form of bio-terrorism using acts of terrorism and provocative methods, an average of 250,000 people are being vaccinated every day under the collaboration of the people, the government, responsible health workers, civil society organizations and the Tatmadaw. As of 21 October 2021, 5,157,048 people have been fully vaccinated while 6,961,599 people have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine; a total of 17,275,695 vaccinations have been carried out. Currently, the incidence of COVID-19 in Myanmar is still 7.19 per cent as of October 22, and despite the low number of riots, bombings and terrorist killings still remain as a challenge.

11. Such situations reflect the current situation and the efforts of the government. In such a situation, the government is constantly striving for stability, peace and the development of a genuine multiparty democracy. The Prime Minister also openly discussed the situation in Myanmar, future plans, goals and opinions at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting held on 24 April 2021. He highlighted the three facts at the meeting: “Myanmar would consider the recommendations given to our country in line with the current situation in the country,”; “Myanmar would consider ASEAN proposals and trips depending on domestic stability,”; “In terms of ASEAN’s positive contribution, if it is based on the spirit of ASEAN and the ASEAN Charter, Myanmar would consider for the good of the country.” Although Myanmar has focused on the appointment of the ASEAN Special Representative, various negotiations and changes have taken place. In addition to the limits in the visit of the ASEAN Special Representative, it has also experienced restrictions in requests, and interferences from non-ASEAN nations.

12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar released a statement on 22 October on the statement of Brunei Darussalam, the current ASEAN Chair, regarding these issues. The statement of current ASEAN Chair is found to be contrary to the provisions of ASEAN Charter such as Para 20 (b) “Decision shall be made based on consultation and consensus”, Para 8 (2) (a) “The ASEAN Coordination Council shall prepare the matters for the ASEAN Summit, including the invitation”, Para 2 (a), (e) and (f) “To respect the sovereignty of member countries; No interference in internal affairs and no external interference in the national existence of member countries.”

13. Therefore, as the State Government, the State Administration Council,

(a) will strictly abide by the five-point roadmap of the State Administration Council, which has been in place since taking office and briefed at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting.

(b) will cooperate as much as possible in accordance with the five ASEAN agreements.

(c) will continue to adhere to the foreign policy “The State pursues an independent, proactive and impartial foreign policy; It looks forward to world peace and friendly relations; It upholds the principle of peaceful coexistence between nations” stated in the State Constitution (2008).

Information Team

State Administration Council

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