Sat Feb 01 02:45:29 IST 2025: ## Myanmar Junta Extends State of Emergency for Six Months
**Yangon, February 1, 2025** – Myanmar’s military junta has extended the state of emergency by six months, delaying the promised elections until at least the second half of the year. The decision, announced Friday, comes four years after the military seized power, triggering a devastating civil war that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The extension was unanimously approved by the National Defence and Security Council, including junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Hlaing cited the need for continued peace and stability before elections can be held. However, critics and Western governments denounce any elections under the junta’s control as neither free nor fair.
The ongoing conflict pits the military against a coalition of ethnic armed organizations and newly formed pro-democracy People’s Defence Forces. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reports over 6,000 civilian deaths and more than 20,000 arrests since the 2021 coup. The UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has further confirmed the commission of serious international crimes.
The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with over 3.5 million people internally displaced and an estimated 19.9 million requiring aid in 2025, according to the UN. ASEAN, the regional bloc, has urged the junta to prioritize a ceasefire, but its diplomatic efforts have yielded little progress. The prolonged conflict and the continued state of emergency cast a long shadow over Myanmar’s future.
First Piper 