Myanmar’s military-led State Administration Council (SAC) convened a session of the national parliament on January 31, 2024, marking the first such gathering since the military assumed control of the government three years prior. The meeting took place in the capital, Naypyidaw, on the third anniversary of the date the military deposed the country’s elected civilian government.
The session was attended by members of the SAC, military officials, and representatives of political parties aligned with the military, according to reports from state-run media outlet The Global New Light of Myanmar. The proceedings were overseen by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who holds the positions of SAC chairman and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw.
This parliamentary session is part of the administration’s “five-point roadmap,” which includes promises of a future multi-party general election. The government has not specified a date for this election, stating that it can only proceed after achieving what it terms “peace and stability” and completing a national census.
The convening of parliament occurs in the context of events that began on February 1, 2021. On that day, the Tatmadaw detained then-State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The military contested the results of the November 2020 general election, which the NLD won by a significant margin, alleging widespread voter fraud. The election commission in place at the time had rejected these claims.
Following the military takeover, widespread protests and a civil disobedience movement emerged across Myanmar. The SAC’s response led to the formation of armed opposition groups, known collectively as the People’s Defence Force (PDF), which operate in alignment with the National Unity Government (NUG), a body composed of ousted lawmakers and anti-SAC figures. The country has since experienced ongoing armed conflict in multiple regions.
In March 2023, the SAC-appointed Union Election Commission officially dissolved the NLD party, citing its failure to re-register under a new political party law enacted by the military administration. Consequently, members of the NLD were not present at the January 31 parliamentary session.
The NUG and other opposition groups do not recognize the legitimacy of the SAC or its political processes, including the recent parliamentary session. International bodies, including the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have made numerous statements regarding the situation in Myanmar, with some calling for a cessation of violence and a return to a democratic path.
