The military council announced Feb. 2 that 37 townships will be placed under martial law after extending the state of emergency for another six months.
The regime’s announcement also affects 11 townsips in Sagaing Region, where the Northwestern Regional Command is located and fighting between junta forces and local defense forces remains fierce.
However, the martial law imposed by the junta will have no effect on the resistance forces, said an official from the People’s Defense Forces – Banmauk Township.
“We don’t have time to worry about the law they impose. To achieve our goal, we will overcome any obstacle. Maybe they imposed martial law because they suffered many setbacks, and it won’t affect us,” said the official of the PDF Banmauk.
The resistance official went on to say that the military regime’s martial law is likely to be directed against civilians because the PDFs have already taken 70 percent of Banmauk Township under their control.
In addition, trust between the military council’s troops and the police has weakened in the community. On the day martial law was declared, an exchange of fire was reported between them.
The announcement states that regime commanders are responsible for security, social affairs, commerce and transportation, and justice in the townships that have been placed under martial law. In addition, the political situation in the townships under martial law is reported directly to the chairman of the State Administrative Council instead of reporting to the chief minister of each region.
In these townships, the military council can try the perpetrators of crimes such as treason and rebellion under the Sedition Law, the Counter-Terrorism Law, and the Unlawful Associations Act.
Regarding the martial law announced by the military council, an official from PDF -Myaung said, “The regime’s martial law will have no impact on us. Because we have already been through the worst and there is nothing worse than this. We are mostly worried about the people.”
Myaung is the township where most of the defense forces from three regions are stationed. The military regime placed the township under martial law in the first place because it can currently only control a few wards and the Kyaukyit gate station, according to the resistance group.
Similarly, resistance groups have urged people in the Tigyaing area to be vigilant as the military situation is likely to worsen even though the junta’s martial law is believed to be ineffective.
“It’s quite obvious that they imposed martial law because of a situation that they could not control at all. I want to tell people not to be stubborn. If you have to flee, just flee. I’ve heard some people say otherwise, but what I want to say is that you should be more careful after martial law is imposed,” said a resistance group from a township under martial law.
In areas placed under martial law, the military council can form military courts to try criminals and even impose maximum sentences, including the death penalty and indefinite imprisonment with hard labor. It is also stipulated that no appeal is possible against the decision of a military court.
Two years after the military coup, the military council used Article 425 of the 2008 Constitution to extend the state of emergency for another 6 months as it prepares for general elections this August.
Sent by KNG.
