Myanmar Junta Lifts State of Emergency but Retains Military Control Ahead of Elections

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: AFP/Getty Images

In a move widely seen as symbolic rather than substantive, Myanmar’s military junta has ended the state of emergency that has gripped the country since the February 2021 coup, while simultaneously forming a so-called “caretaker government” to oversee upcoming elections. Despite the procedural shift, power remains firmly in the hands of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the architect of the coup, who continues to serve as both acting president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The announcement came via state media on Thursday, with officials declaring the decree that empowered the military under emergency rule has now been revoked. A new interim civilian led government and an electoral oversight commission have been established as part of preparations for elections expected in late 2025 to early 2026.

However, analysts and international observers have dismissed the move as a cosmetic reshuffle. “They are just rearranging the same pieces and calling the regime a new name,” said David Mathieson, an independent Myanmar analyst. “This is part of preparations for an election which we don’t know much about.”

The regime insists it is planning elections in phases between December and January, but serious doubts surround the credibility and logistics of such a vote. Myanmar remains deeply fractured by civil war, with the military lacking control in large swathes of territory and facing fierce resistance from armed ethnic and pro-democracy groups.

A national census last year could only be conducted in 145 of the country’s 330 townships, underlining the military’s limited reach. State media also confirmed martial law and emergency powers will continue in at least 60 townships across nine regions due to escalating violence.

The elections are widely expected to be unfree and unfair. Western governments have already labeled the planned polls a sham, designed to entrench military rule under the guise of democracy. Opposition parties, including those linked to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, have been banned from participating or have refused to legitimize the process by taking part.

Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis remains severe. According to a January report by Amnesty International, more than 6,000 civilians have been killed since the coup, with over 20,000 detained and 3.5 million internally displaced. The junta continues to deny all allegations of human rights violations, claiming the reports are part of a Western disinformation campaign.

Despite the upheaval, some nations, including China, have voiced support for Myanmar’s “political path.” Beijing reiterated its endorsement on Thursday, stating it supports Myanmar’s development and domestic political agenda, in line with its “national conditions.”

The 2021 military takeover, which deposed the civilian government led by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, was justified by the generals as a response to alleged election fraud a claim dismissed by international observers and independent election monitors.

While the lifting of the state of emergency may appear to be a step toward normalization, many experts warn it is unlikely to change the lived reality of most Myanmar citizens. The civil war, widespread violence, and ongoing repression continue unabated.

With elections on the horizon and martial law firmly in place across much of the country, Myanmar’s journey back to democratic governance appears uncertain at best.