In a significant shift of rhetoric, Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has invoked the country’s monarchical past while pleading with ethnic armed organisations to be “realistic” in their political aspirations.
During a five-year administrative review held in Naypyidaw, the junta chief praised the “high status and culture” of Myanmar during the era of kings. He attributed the current decline in education and national unity to internal conflicts and a lack of solidarity, a statement that analysts view as an attempt to deflect blame for the country’s collapse since the 2021 coup.
Observers note that the General’s language has shifted from the usual authoritative commands to a tone resembling a political plea. Addressing the long-standing ethnic conflicts, he urged groups to demand “what is possible or appropriate” rather than “what they simply desire.”
“This is a clear sign of military desperation,” one political analyst told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA). “Min Aung Hlaing is using history as a shield to cover his battlefield failures. His appeal for ethnic groups to lower their price is a calculated move to find a political breathing space as his forces retreat across the country.”
The General also blamed armed conflict for the nation’s failing education system, asserting that peace must come before schools can improve. However, activists were quick to point out the hypocrisy of his claims, noting that the military has systematically targeted schools and civilian infrastructure with daily airstrikes.
“He is trying to pit the revolution against the people by blaming the conflict for the loss of education,” said a Yangon-based activist. “In reality, it is his coup and his bombs that have destroyed the future of our children.”
On the economic front, Min Aung Hlaing claimed that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are thriving. This assessment stands in stark contrast to the reality of skyrocketing commodity prices and acute fuel shortages that have left businesses and ordinary citizens struggling for survival.
The junta chief further attempted to shift international blame for online scams and drug trafficking onto ethnic armed groups. However, domestic critics argue that the military’s own deep-seated involvement in these illicit trades is well-documented.
As the military continues to face unprecedented resistance from both ethnic armies and pro-democracy forces, analysts conclude that this latest speech—laden with monarchical nostalgia and uncharacteristic pleas—exposes the true extent of the junta’s weakening authority.
