Myanmar commander-in-chief urges safeguarding of Constitution

NAY PYI TAW: Amid widespread protests against the February military coup in Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Friday urged citizens to safeguard the Constitution.

In his message on the 74th Union Day, Min Aung Hlaing said that non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty are the three main national causes and also the most important task of the democratization process, reports Xinhua news agency.

He stressed that the main duty of the military is the task of safeguarding the three causes as all the sectors of the state duty have already been transferred to the military.

The Commander-in-Chief also urged the entire nation to join forces with the military for the successful realization of democracy while adhering to the Three Main National Causes.

The historical Panglong Conference was held in Panglong, Shan state, with the Panglong Agreement, signed on February 12, 1947, which was designated as Union Day, and Myanmar regained independence on January 4, 1948.

Min Aung Hlaing pledged to alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on society and the economy and to ensure a quick socio-economic recovery during the post-pandemic period with the well-organised and united strength of the entire nation.

The Myanmar military took over the country on February 1 over the disputed results of the November 8, 2020, parliamentary elections.

Besides the coup, the military also declared a year-long state of emergency and handed over the state power to the Commander-in-Chief. Ahead of taking control, former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, former President U Win Myint and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained.

Myanmar's new military-led State Administration Council on Friday announced the remittances of more than 23,000 prisoners, both local and foreigners, as protests against the February 1 coup continued for a seventh consecutive day.

Council chair Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing granted pardon to the inmates — 23,314 local, 55 foreigners — who received punishments for any offence before January 31, 2021, reports Xinhua news agency.

The move comes on the country's 74th Union Day, which marks the historical Panglong Conference held in Shan state, during which the Panglong Agreement was signed on February 12, 1947. Myanmar regained independence on January 4, 1948.

The state pardon order reduced the death penalty to life imprisonment with no possibility of release, life imprisonment and with no possibility of release to 40 years, excluding those who have been pardoned from the death penalty to life imprisonment in the previous amnesty orders.

Terms for prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the previous amnesty orders will be reduced to 50 years, the punishment of more than 40 years of imprisonment will be reduced to 40 years while 40 years and under are cut one-fourth, the Council said.

The moves aim to turn the prisoners into decent citizens, to please the public and to create the humanitarian and compassionate grounds while establishing a new democratic state with peace, development and disciplines, it added. (IANS)

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