NEWS DESK
The State Administration Council of Myanmar has been reformed as ‘Caretaker government of Myanmar’ headed by the Chief of the Myanmar military Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as the Prime Minister. In a televised speech on Sunday, Gen. Hlaing also pledged to hold elections by 2023. He said that his administration was ready to work with a future regional envoy appointed by the ASEAN on Myanmar, reports Reuters.
General Hlaing took over power in Myanmar in February after removing the government headed by the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, a day before the newly elected parliament was set to meet. Since then, the State Administration Council has been performing the duties of the government in Myanmar.
In his speech Gen. Hlaing said that he guarantees the establishment of a union based on democracy and federalism by holding elections by August 2023 as per the provisions of the state of emergency, reports Reuters.
The Meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers is scheduled to take place between August 2-7 virtually to finalise a special envoy to Myanmar to initiate dialogue between the military government and its opponents. Earlier, in April ASEAN had called for immediate cessation of violence and a visit to Myanmar by a regional special envoy.
Myanmar has witnessed regular protests since February against the military government . According to the human rights watchdog Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), 940 people have been killed and 6994 people arrested in protests against the military government till now.