Myanmar showcases military might as unrest spreads

Yangon: Myanmar’s military will retain its key role in the country’s fledgling democracy, the armed forces chief said on Wednesday at an annual parade attended for the first time by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing spoke as his soldiers enforced an uneasy peace in central Myanmar, where martial law was declared in four townships last week to quell anti-Muslim riots that officially killed 40 people.

The unrest between Buddhists and Muslims is spreading, posing the biggest challenge yet to a reformist government that took office in 2011 after nearly half a century of military rule.

Min Aung Hlaing said the military would continue to play a “leading political role” in accordance with Myanmar’s constitution, which was drafted by the former junta and reserves a quarter of parliamentary seats for military officers