National Defence and Security Council of Republic of Union of Myanmar holds meeting 1/2022
NAY PYI TAW January 31
The National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) of the Republic of Union of Myanmar held a meeting 1/2022 at the meeting hall of the State Administration Council Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw this morning.
Present were Acting President U Myint Swe, Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw U T Khun Myat, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Union Minister for Defence General Mya Tun Oo, Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, specially invited SAC Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dway and Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo. Vice President U Henry Van Thio submitted his leave of absence request on health grounds.
First, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, a member of NDSC, discussed extending the period of the State of emergency, with firm reason.
As regards the SAC’s one year in office, the Senior General explained the reason behind Tatmadaw’s assumption of the State duties. The Senior General emphasized the need to ensure a free and fair election on 24 occasions including the national level events and meetings with political parties, diplomats and international representatives, media and Tatmadaw families before and after the 2020 election.
News on the meetings was officially released. Necessary warnings were issued in advance in accord with Section 6(f) the national political leadership role; Section 20(e) to safeguard Our Three Main National Causes, and Section 20(f) to safeguard the Constitution.
According to its scrutiny results, the Tatmadaw found 10,482,116 vote riggings (over 10 million or nearly one-fourth of the voter population) in the election held on 8 November 2020. Vote rigging can severely hurt the discipline-flourishing multi-party democracy system.
Hence, the Tatmadaw and political parties made a demand in accord with the Constitution to solve the problem through UEC, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the government. Two senior military officers were twice sent to meet with top leaders of the government and called for solving the problem through the NDSC meeting. Finally, all possible means were applied to find the answer to the problem by sending representatives to the most responsible persons of the government and the NLD party.
But all efforts were rejected.
According to Section 417, the unfair attempts to convene the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on1 February 2021 without facing and solving the vote-rigging issue amounted to forcefully grabbing the State power. As huge hindrances could occur on the country’s road to democracy the situation called for legal action. So, the state of emergency was declared and State duties were restored in accord with sections 417, 418 and 419.
The general election is held every five years to simultaneously elect the representatives of Pyithu Hluttaw, Amyotha Hluttaw, and region and state Hluttaws. Those representatives and Tatmadaw representatives convene the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to elect vice presents, from whom the president is elected. The president formed the government, approved the appointment of chief justice and judges. Leaders and members of the legislation, executive and judicial sectors are elected and assigned directly/indirectly through the election. Hence, multi-party elections are the foundation of the democratic system and political systems of Myanmar. So, elections are important for the country.
As regards the accomplishments after restoring the State duties, he said the MPs, under surveillance, at Supin Yeiktha in Nay Pyi Taw have explained the national situation in enabling them to partake in national unity and nation-building endeavours.
They were sent back home during the period from 2 to 4 February 2021. The SAC was formed on 2 February with Tatmadaw members, ethnic leaders and suitable political leaders in a balanced manner to preserve the essence of democracy. Only the civilians were assigned to lead the administrative bodies from region/state level to ward/ village level. The government formed the National Unity and Peace Restoration Coordination Committee (NUPRCC), work committee, and coordination committee and adopted the five-point policy on 3 March. The coordination committee held talks with NCA signatory EAOs 16 times, non-signatories nine times, political parties seven times, and religious leaders and peace negotiator groups two times, totalling 34 meetings.
I met with the Cambodian Prime Minister in early 2022 and a joint statement was issued.
A ceasefire will continue till the end of this year. I made 17 tours of the regions and states, discussed and suggested what should be done and attended to the needs after seeking coordination.
I gave guidance on long-term future plans. Members of the ethnic councils working together with the Chairman of the State Administration Council also made 29 tours of their respective regions to fulfil the needs and serve regional interests.
Speaking about priority tasks, the Senior General said, “Myanmar is a least developed country. About 70 per cent of the population are rural people and about 30.4 per cent are poor.
So, it is necessary to maintain the momentum to address the issues the State is facing and improve the national economy.
If hesitant, we will see our country lag behind others. This is why 2022 will become a crucial year as we have tasks to implement: two national tasks for prosperity and food security, two political tasks for ensuring genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy and building a union based on democracy and federalism, promoting peace and national sovereignty.
12 February of this year is Diamond Jubilee Union Day.
Again, 4 January 2023 is also the Diamond Jubilee Independence Day. Hence, it is important that the State is blessed with the fruits of national sovereignty and national development. We have to renew our steps towards peace this year. As mentioned in the fourth point of our five-point roadmap, I did invite all parties concerned to peace talks. It means that the State Administration Council is always ready for the peace process.”
Regarding the Tatmadaw’s timely takeover of State duties for security purposes, the Senior General said the country was politically unstable following protests against the UEC due to its failure to solve voting fraud and meet the demand of political parties. At that time, 203 Hluttaw representatives demanded that such issues be addressed in accord with the constitution and that unfinished tasks of the second Hluttaw session be completed in line with Section 84 of the constitution.
But the demands were rejected, thereby contributing to tilted legislative pillar, argument and instability. Generally, despite regular engagements in EAO regions, there was intense fighting with the AA armed group in Rakhine State.
As to the situation where peaceful protests turned into an armed insurgency after the Tatmadaw’s takeover of State duties, the Senior General said those who were unable to stand as Hluttaw representatives formed an illegitimate committee namely the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) on 5 February 2021.
Riots emerged and turned into anarchy mobs. Security forces excised utmost restraints. In about late February, insurrections emerged carrying out lethal attacks on security forces with all available weapons.
The terrorist CRPH named 27 March people’s resistance day and incited violent attacks across the country. Attacks were carried out on public buildings, factories, workshops and administrative offices. Later, even hospitals, schools and bus lines were attacked. Terrorism surfaced with the intent of utter devastation.
On 15 March 2021, martial law was imposed in six townships of the Yangon Region.
The terrorist CRPH formed a parallel government named NUG, which has been supporting and leading terror attacks.
NLD extremists and extremist supporters abused young people and sent them to the regions of EAOs such as KNU, KIA and KNPP for military training.
Moreover, service personnel who participated in the CDM were also given military training and provided with arms and ammunition to join terror attacks.
Consequently, so-called PDF terrorist organizations emerged. The CRPH, NUG and PDF groups colluded in committing terrorist acts in Myanmar.
They also announced on 7 September that terror attacks must speed up. Then, terrorist attacks like war crimes were carried out in Htantalan and Mindat of Chin State, Kinma Village of Magway Region, Ywathaya Village in Tante Township and some places of Sagaing Region, Loikaw and Dimawso of Kayah State and Phegon and Mobye of Shan State. Martial law was imposed in Mindat Township of Chin State on 13 March 2021 and measures were taken for counter-terrorism.
From February 1, 2021, to January 20, 2022, 25 factories and workshops, 341 state-owned and private-owned facilities, 702 departmental offices, 74 state-owned and private banks, 524 roads / bridges, 74 markets, 27 hospitals and clinics, 504 schools and educational buildings, 465 communication towers and 417 houses were destroyed due to the terrorists. A total of 20 monks, 95 government employees and 367 administrative officials were killed. A total of 153 government staff and 336 administrative officials were injured. There were 9,437 incidents of violence during the year, with 5,606 weapons, 161,556
rounds of ammunition, 1,890 grenades and 11,424 homemade mines and bombs were seized.
A total of 4,338 terrorists were arrested.
Regarding economic matters and the situation after the Tatmadaw took over the state, cash flows in the banking sector have been hampered by a lack of confidence in the banking sector due to the domestic economic situation and foreign stimulus related to international sanctions. Direct and indirect pressures on relevant foreign contacts were made to reduce foreign investment and trade.
The depreciation of the Myanmar kyat and the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed up the prices of transportation and import (fuel and raw materials),
and weakened market demand.
With regard to banking matters and CDM issues after taking over the State duty in 2021, online payments and banking systems were widely used in the private banking sector, but have been incited to make mass withdrawals from foreign banks, bankruptcy and foreign exchange instability. US$-508.8 million was sold through a special foreign exchange auction system until January 21 to replenish foreign exchange in the market to stabilize the exchange rate and to supply importers for fuel, cooking oil, medicines for COVID-19, electricity and telecom sectors.
In terms of trade in accordance with the provisional figures under the State Administration Council government, Myanmar's exports in the 2020- 2021 FY amounted to US$ -15.36 billion in exports and US$-14.69 billion in imports, a total trade volume of US$-30.05 billion.
The trade surplus was over US$-677 million. Domestic and foreign debts were found to be increased: Ks-16,273 billion in the 2011-2012 FY of the first democratic government and Ks-52,488 billion in six months of the 2020-2021 FY. It was found that domestic and foreign debts are increasing year by year. In the long run, debt sustainability will need to be considered.
It is especially required to encourage localization and domestic production to reduce imports and create local jobs.
For example, although there are enough cement factories in the country, 956,825 tons of cement, valued at US$-73.610 million were imported in 2021.
Iron and steel worth US$-859.46 million were imported. Despite the availability of raw materials such as limestone, iron ore, coal and dolomite to produce cement and steel, there was no encouragement for the construction of iron and steel plants and no effort to operate iron and steel plants, so they had to import from abroad. There was a loss of jobs in the country as well. Our citizens had to go abroad to work. Our citizens working in foreign countries have to live in accordance with the laws and regulations of foreign countries. Under the administration of the State Administration Council, work is underway to reopen the previously suspended iron and steel plants. Iron rods used in the construction of buildings will be implemented to produce in many areas.
In 2021, the import of cooking oil including palm oil was 858,685.271 tons (over 0.85 million tons) worth US$-866.711 million. The government will implement for the sufficiency of domestic cooking oil and imports reduction. There is an estimated population of 55 million in our country. In terms of health, the minimum daily consumption of cooking oil for a person is 2.2 kyattha, and the annual consumption is 8 pitta, which is more than 700,000 tons of cooking oil per year. In our country, oil crops such as peanuts, sesame, sunflower, soybean oil, niger and palm oil can produce cooking oil. It is found that people are consuming more than the minimum amount of cooking oil per person daily. Individual costs and costs at the national level, as well as the effect on the health of individuals and the national level, will be higher due to excessive consumption of cooking oil. Therefore, efforts are being made to change the diet and awareness-raising on consuming only healthy amounts of cooking oil with the aim of the individual health of the people and increasing per capita income.
Similarly, there are more than one million vehicles and six million motorcycles in Myanmar and the country had to import 4.12 million tons of fuel oil worth US$-2,496.652 million as the people have to rely on private vehicles due to the weaknesses of the public transportation system of the country. The issue must be solved by improving the public transportation system such as train, bus and water transportation services and reducing the consumption of fuel oil by individuals. The government is taking measures for improving the public transportation system such as train, bus and water transportation services. The public is also urged to contribute to the development of the country by consuming fuel oil prudently.
For instance, 125,000 gallons of fuel oil can be saved if each motorcycle can reduce half a condensed milk tin of fuel oil every day and the same amount of fuel oil can be saved every day if each vehicle can reduce the consumption of fuel oil by half a litre. Based on estimated prices of fuel oil at Ks-6,000 per gallon, Ks-1.5 billion can be saved every day. In so doing, public cooperation
is essential and the public will be asked to further cooperate with the government. For the development of the country, it is important to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas and the generation of electricity contributes much to the development of the country. Every country has to make efforts through various ways and means to generate electricity for higher living standards and the development of the production sector. Electric power is invaluable as it contributes much to the socio-economic lives of the people and the development of the people. Myanmar boasts natural sources of electricity such as solar, Hydor and wind power. Although electricity generation from hydropower is promoted under successive governments, hydropower projects were hindered under excuses of environmental impacts
and political manipulation during the term of the previous government. In implementing hydropower projects, huge amounts of investment are needed and costs can be calculated precisely but their benefits are invaluable. As the rest of the country, except for some regions that receive a lot of rain, have from 200 to 250 sunny days in Myanmar, the electricity demand of the country can be fulfilled if measures are taken to build a sufficient number of solar power stations. If electricity can be generated from solar panels in the countryside, this will contribute not only to the electricity consumption of the rural public but also to the socio-economic development of the areas. This will contribute not only to meeting the electricity demand of the country but also to the projects of electric bus and train services.
As for social affairs and damage is done to the religion before the Tatmadaw assumed the State power, organizations, which carried out tasks for the protection of race and religion together with philanthropic works like Ma Ba Tha, were outlawed under the excuse that all religions can be professed with freedom and there is the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee MaHana. Pilgrimage to pagodas and religious edifices were prohibited under the excuse of the outbreak of COVID-19 while propaganda campaigns were launched by saying that the economy of the country fell because of the members of the Sangha.
In connection with Myanmar culture, the traditional culture of arts of singing, dancing, composing and playing musical instruments are national treasures.
Myanmar are a people who are polite and gentle physically and mentally.
During the term of the previous government, high water levels were reached and the religious and culture sector was damaged to the extent that dances
were performed in shoes on the image of the Shwe Dagon Pagoda. The noble, polite and subtle fundamental mantality such as paying respects to elders, mutual respect to peers and sympathy to the younger was destroyed by using online media.
In connection with the culture rooted in students and the youth, Buddhist cultural courses were prohibited under the excuse of the outbreak of COVID-19 and sex education, which is contrary to and undermines Myanmar culture, were added to basic education curriculums.
Politicians also instigated hatred towards the Tatmadaw among youths by covering up true facts of the history.
In connection with the situation after Tatmadaw has assumed the State power, the SAC has been building the Maravijaya Buddha Image, which will be the highest marble Buddha image in the world, in the Buddha Park in Dekkhinathiri Township in Nay Pyi Taw with the aim of highlighting the propagation of Theravada Buddha Sasana in Myanmar to the world and the peace and stability of the country and of contributing to the regional development by attracting pilgrims from home and abroad and at present, the plinth of the Buddha image has been laid and the remaining sections of the Buddha image are being carved. Fundamental construction tasks of the precinct of the Buddha image have been completed. Similarly, measures are also being taken to erect marble slabs inscribed with Tri-peak treaties in Pali and Romanized languages in the Buddha Park by using modern machines. As the consequence of instigations against race, religion, Sasana, culture and traditions during the term of the second democratic government,
some youths called Generation Z, who easily believed in the manipulation of politicians, have taken wrong paths and killed 37 male and female teachers, injured 30 others, murdered 20 monks and launched 504 arson attacks on schools.
In the second term of democratic government, Buddhist pagodas were closed with the reasons of COVID-19, and worship and paying homage as well as those pagodas were reopened as of 8 February 2021 under the restriction of COVID-19.
Due to incitement and various reasons of CRPH and NUG terrorist groups, those under prosecution at courts across the nation were granted pardons with emphasis on humane measures and enabling the people to have a peaceful result.
Hence, 47,879 inmates were granted pardons for participation in the state-building tasks.
With regard to the implementation of the five-point roadmap and nine objectives, the Senior General explained that after the State Administration Council has taken the State responsibilities, the five-point roadmap was implemented. Depending on the voting frauds, the first point of the road map was mentioned that the Union Election Commission was reconstituted for inspecting the voter lists and other appropriate tasks under the law”. The State Administration Council assigned a new Union Election Commission on 2 February 2021. The commission carried out inspection and talks with officials from relevant townships and organizations for inspecting the ballots from the 315 townships where the 2020 multi-party democracy general election was held. In this regard, it was found 11,305, 390 voting frauds including 4,648, 270 voters cast votes without citizenship scrutiny cards, 13,412 voters under 18 years, 20,566 voters above 100 years, and 3,891,611 voters who cast votes twice and thrice. There were 4,648,270 voters without CSC in the 2020 election. According to the calculation based on the 2014 census, there were an estimated number of 37,299,858 people above 18 years, over 3.4 million of whom do not have CSCs. In order to issue any ID to all citizens inclusive of the 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law, the Pankhin Project is being implemented as an operation as of 3 May 2021.
Among 3,491,364 people to be issued the ID, a total of 1,905,843 people have been issued CSC till 21 January 2022, accounting for 55 per cent. The issuance of CSC will last for 18 months.
Regarding the electoral system, the Senior General said: “As the current election system is FPTP system, it is not in conformity with the democracy and federalism of Myanmar formed with 135 ethnic nationals. So, the Union Election Commission held political parties for four-time to change the electoral system suitable for Myanmar.
According to the papers of six political parties, all groups discussed practising of Proportional Representation (PR).
The multi-party democracy elections of Myanmar were held on 8 November 2010 in 325 townships and 323 townships on 7 November 2015. Electoral complaints were solved. The 2020 election was held in 315 townships on 8 November. The multiparty democracy general elections are general elections to select representatives for Pyithu Hluttaw, Amyotha Hluttaw and region and state Hluttaws. In the 2020 multi-party general elections, relevant organizations and persons did not dare to solve the voting frauds. It caused the downtrend of trust for the implementation of the democracy, tarnishing the image of the State. So, action is being taken against those who harmed the election under the law. At a time when the State of Emergency has completed, the government is striving for holding the election in accord with its pledge. The election will be free and fair when the situation is peaceful and stable.
To hold the elections in all regions and states, all the ethnic people need to join hands with the government in realizing the peace and stability.”
Then, the Senior General highlighted the acceleration of the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senior General said prevention and control of COVID-19 were inserted into the five-point roadmap of the State Administration Council.
The pandemic was found in Myanmar on 23 March 2020.
As preventive and control measures, more than 5,000 people were infected by the disease per day in the third and fourth weeks of July as the highest infection period, accounting for 41 per cent. In the third wave of the pandemic, 1,674 treatment centres in addition to hospitals and clinics were established to promptly control the infection and death rate of the disease. The government built 225 oxygen plants and the private sector, 242 plants, totalling 446 to provide health care services to the people. The Senior General said he adopted the policy to “do it practically and rapidly and nothing is more important than human life” for battling the COVID-19 day and night. The COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment Central Committee meetings
were led by himself 13 times so as to manage logistic measures in coordination with Chief Ministers of regions and states. Ks-300 billion was earmarked to be spent on the purchase of medicines for public hospitals and provided to them as quickly as possible. In order to ensure the smooth process of the COVID-19 prevention and control process, the COVID-19 control and response committee meetings were led by the Deputy Prime Minister three times a week to fulfil the needs. So as to cut off the chains of infection, 119 townships were inserted into the stay at home programme. Finally, all those townships have been removed from the list of stay at home programmes. The government could overcome criticism and disturbances of the international community and destructionists.
Now, the infection rate of the country reached just one per cent according to the statistics on 29 January 2022.
In the time of the previous government, 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine was imported from India by spending US$-150 million. Of them, two million doses of the vaccine only arrived in Myanmar. Later, India could send the vaccines to Myanmar due to its high infection rate of COVID-19. As vaccination plays a key role in the prevention of the disease, efforts were made to seek more vaccines. US$-276.64 million from the COVID-19 fund was spent on the purchase of the vaccines. Moreover, the government accepted vaccines worth US$-121.12 million from China, India, Russia and Nippon Foundation. Moreover, Cambodia and Thailand donated COVID-19 protective equipment to Myanmar. The government spent more than Ks-64 billion on the prevention and treatment
of COVID-19. To upgrade hospitals, over Ks-60.3 billion was spent, including Ks-12.23 billion on the purchase of oxygen and related accessories. Moreover, the food provisions for patients cost Ks-23.12 billion from the COVID-19 Central Committee fund. As it was expected to complete vaccination for 50 per cent of the population at the end of December, actual vaccination reached 51 per cent.
So far, the people were vaccinated accounting for 53 per cent.
To be continued