Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed concerns over the Myanmar junta’s dissolution of the country’s former governing party. The countries also urged the junta to pursue a more inclusive approach to bring the country back to democracy.
The Japanese foreign ministry issued a statement on the junta’s move to dissolve ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy. The ministry also called on the junta to release the NLD officials, including Suu Kyi, who have been detained since the generals seized power in a coup in 2021.
“We are seriously concerned that the exclusion of the NLD from the political process will make it even more difficult to improve the situation,” said the ministry. “Japan strongly urges Myanmar to immediately release NLD officials, including Suu Kyi, and to show a path toward a peaceful resolution of the issue in a manner that includes all parties concerned.”
“Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma would not be and cannot be considered free or fair,” said US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, referring to Myanmar’s former name.
The British foreign ministry also criticized the dissolution of the NLD and other parties, saying that the move by the junta was “politically motivated” and an “assault on the rights and freedoms” of the people of Myanmar. The Australian foreign affairs and trade ministry also expressed concern about the further narrowing of political space in Myanmar because of the junta’s imposed strict election requirements.
The junta on Tuesday dissolved the NLD and 39 other parties for failing to meet the deadline to register for an election that is expected to reinforce the generals’ grip on power in the country. The NLD has repeatedly ruled out running in the upcoming elections, saying that the elections the junta would hold are illegitimate.
On Monday, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing urged foreign governments to support the junta’s approach to returning the country to being a democracy instead of supporting the resistance movement he has outlawed as “terrorists.”
In remarks during the armed forces day parade, Min Aung Hlaing said the international condemnation of his coup was based on false narratives planted by the shadow National Unity Government, which is made up of lawmakers and politicians the junta ousted.