Myanmar military to stay in politics

NAYPYITAW - The Associated Press

Officers stand at attention during the country’s military celebrations.

The military that ruled Myanmar for five decades paraded its might in front of the opposition leader it once repressed, as its commander in chief said it will remain involved in politics to help the country transform itself into a democracy.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, attending the annual Armed Forces Day celebration for the first time, sat in the front row, highlighting the support she has previously expressed for the military. Though the military handed over political leadership to an elected government in 2011, it continues to wield control over how far democracy - and Suu Kyi herself - could advance.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing told more than 6,300 troops gathered at the parade ground in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyitaw, that the military must strengthen its capabilities and regional alliances to build a “well-disciplined democratic nation.”

“While the country is moving toward modern democracy, our military plays a leading role in national politics,” he said. “We will keep on marching to strengthen the democratic administrative path wished by the entire people.” The Armed Forces Day celebration, which commemorates Myanmar’s uprising against Japanese occupation forces in 1945, was a show of vast and precise power.