Latest news with #militarygovernment
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
The Road to Mandalay
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar in March 2025, devastating communities across the country. Al Jazeera was the only international broadcaster with a team on the ground to witness the unfolding crisis. What emerged was a story of survival against overwhelming odds. From the capital Naypyidaw to the spiritual heart of Mandalay, our cameras captured the desperate search for survivors and the scale of destruction. At the epicentre, entire neighbourhoods lay in ruins as hundreds of thousands of people found themselves without shelter, clean water or food. Emergency services struggled to cope with the response required. The disaster struck a nation already fractured by civil conflict, where a military government appeared ill-equipped to handle the crisis. Over seven days, Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Cheng documented not just the immediate aftermath, but how this natural catastrophe exposed deeper challenges facing the people of Myanmar during their darkest hour.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bangladesh student leader fears uprising gains at risk
A key Bangladeshi party leader at the forefront of the revolt that ousted premier Sheikh Hasina warned on Saturday an army-backed leadership could replace the interim government. Nahid Islam, leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP) made up of many students who spearheaded the uprising that ended Hasina's 15-year iron-fisted rule last year, said he worried about an "anti-democratic" future. Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner leading the caretaker government until elections are held, has called for rival political parties jostling for power to give him their full support. Bangladesh has a long history of coups, and the army retains a powerful role. Islam, an ally of Yunus who previously served in his cabinet, told reporters on Saturday that he foresaw a situation similar to January 11, 2007, when a state of emergency was declared resulting in a two-year-long military-backed government. "There are indications that a 1/11-style military-backed government could re-emerge -- one that is anti-democratic and anti-people," Islam said. - 'Should not interfere' - Bangladesh's political crisis escalated this week as rival parties protested with competing demands. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said this week elections should be held by December, Dhaka's newspapers reported, aligning with the demands of the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). But Islam said that the military's role was "to ensure national security", and not to get involved in politics. "While the military is an essential institution for state security, it should not interfere in political affairs," he said. Yunus has said elections could come as early as December but holding them later -- at the latest by June 2026 -- would allow more time for democratic reforms he says are needed. Islam said it was for those reforms that students launched their protests last year, but that Yunus told him during a meeting on Thursday that the pressure put on him had frustrated him. "He assumed office to bring about fundamental change. People expect to see trials, reforms, and a peaceful transition of power. Under the current circumstances, he feels he cannot deliver to those expectations," Islam said. "There is a real fear that elections may not be free and fair but instead heavily restricted." sa/pjm/dhw
The National
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Sudan's army chief appoints ex-UN diplomat Kamil Idris as Prime Minister
Sudan's army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has appointed Kamil Idris, a former UN official and prominent diplomat, as the new Prime Minister of the country's military-dominated government. Mr Idris will be the first prime minister in Sudan since the resignation of Abdalla Hamdok in the wake of a military coup in October 2021, which ousted the civilian-led government and derailed the nation's transition to democracy. The appointment follows significant battlefield gains by the Sudanese army earlier this year, including retaking capital city Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in March. The RSF, which teamed up with the army in the 2021 coup, turned against its former ally in April 2023, sparking a devastating war in which thousands have been killed and millions displaced. Mr Idris, a respected figure in international circles, comes from the Nubian community in northern Sudan. He has an extensive academic and professional background, describing himself on social media as a "statesman, scholar and international civil servant". He served as director general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a UN agency, from 1997 to 2008. His term ended a year early when he resigned over claims he had signed documents with a false date of birth. In 2010, he ran as an independent candidate in an election won by long-serving president Omar Al Bashir. He holds degrees in philosophy from Cairo University and in law from the University of Khartoum, and a doctorate in international law from the University of Geneva. Mr Idris served as a diplomat in Sudan's foreign service, rising to the rank of ambassador, and was twice a member of the UN International Law Commission. He says he speaks English, Arabic, French and Spanish. The appointment comes as part of an effort by Gen Al Burhan to bolster the credibility of Sudan's military-led government both domestically and internationally. The army hopes to consolidate power and push forward a transition to a civilian-led government. As well as naming Mr Idris as Prime Minister, Gen Al Burhan reappointed Salma Abdel Jabbar Almubarak and added Nowara Abo Mohamed Mohamed Tahir to the ruling sovereign council, signalling a broader reshuffle of Sudan's transitional governing structure. While installing Mr Idris as Prime Minister is a significant step, questions remain about the extent of his authority within a government still dominated by the military. The army continues to face resistance from the RSF, which has launched drone attacks on Port Sudan and other Sudanese cities in recent weeks. However, the army's control over Khartoum and other key regions has allowed Gen Al Burhan to strengthen his grip on power and signal a shift towards a new phase of governing. The war between the army and the RSF broke out after disagreements over integrating their forces as part of the democratic transition after the ousting of autocrat Al Bashir in 2019. The current conflict has devastated Sudan, leaving millions displaced and leading to one of the world's largest and most serious humanitarian crises.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Sudan army chief Burhan appoints former UN official Kamil Idris as prime minister
Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan appointed Kamil Idris, a former UN official and ex-presidential candidate, as prime minister of Sudan's military-led government on Monday. (Reporting by Jana Choukeir)
Al Arabiya
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Sudan army chief Burhan appoints former UN official Kamil Idris as prime minister
Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan appointed Kamil Idris, a former UN official and ex-presidential candidate, as prime minister of Sudan's military-led government on Monday. Developing
