Head of Myanmar’s largest party asks Russia for support in fight against terrorism

Naypyidaw: The chairman of Myanmar’s largest party USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party), Khin Yi, in an interview with Sputnik asked Russia to recognize the armed conflict in the country as a manifestation of terrorism and join the fight against it.

“The main support we would like is for Russia to work together with us in the fight against terrorism. To do this, we must first realise that what is happening [in Myanmar] must be perceived not as internal political squabbles, but as terrorism.

If you recognise this as terrorism, then your departments and agencies that are engaged in the fight against terrorism can join us and together achieve our goals,” Khin Yi said.

According to the politician, the current government of Myanmar aims to ensure all possible security measures at the national level. However, he believes, recently national security issues around the world “have been smoothly moving into regional, and sometimes even global ones.”

“Therefore, I ask you to study the truth, the truth about what is happening in our country, to understand the situation and support us from Russia.

 Our party deals only with political issues to ensure security, so we will strive to cooperate more closely in the field of anti-terrorism measures with our partner, the United Russia party,” he added.

The armed conflict between the central government of Myanmar and a number of armed groups of national minorities resumed with renewed vigor in 2021, after the military accused government representatives of rigging the November 2020 elections and used the constitutional mechanism for the transfer of power to the commander of the armed forces in the event of an emergency threatening national security and the integrity of the country. On July 31, the National Defense and Security Council of Myanmar decided to extend the state of emergency, first declared in 2021, for another six months.