Four years after seizing power in a coup, Myanmar’s military rulers continue their desperate yet failing bid to tighten their grip, this time by extending emergency rule under the pretext of preparing for elections. In reality, this move is not about democracy but about prolonging military control under the guise of a civilian government. With vast parts of the country engulfed in armed conflict and a humanitarian crisis worsening by the day, the junta’s electoral plans are a hollow exercise aimed at manufacturing legitimacy rather than restoring political order.

From the moment the military toppled the elected government, it has faced relentless resistance from pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups. Despite brutal crackdowns, mass arrests, and the suppression of civil liberties, the opposition has only grown stronger. The junta, far from stabilising Myanmar, has instead turned it into a battleground where it........

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