Rohingya Condemn Appointment of Min Aung Hlaing as Myanmar's President

Istanbul (ANTARA) - The Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC) has strongly condemned the appointment of former junta leader Min Aung Hlaing as president of Myanmar, describing it as an attempt to consolidate military power under the pretence of democracy.

In a statement on Sunday, the group said that the process of appointing Min Aung Hlaing was “fundamentally illegitimate” because the parliament that elected him is dominated by the military.

Furthermore, the general election has been widely criticised by the United Nations and other observers for not being conducted freely and fairly.

The ARNC accuses Min Aung Hlaing of being responsible for atrocities against the Rohingya ethnic group, including mass killings and forced expulsions during the crackdown in 2016–2017.

They noted ongoing international legal efforts, including proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and an arrest warrant issued under universal jurisdiction by a court in Argentina.

The group also highlighted the ongoing conflict since the 2021 military coup, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions of people displaced.

In addition to calling for global action, the ARNC urges governments to reject recognition of Myanmar’s new presidency, support accountability efforts, and increase pressure on Myanmar’s military leadership to end what it describes as ongoing repression and impunity.

Min Aung Hlaing was elected as Myanmar’s 11th president after winning more than half of the votes in parliament on Friday (3/4).

Min, nominated by representatives of the Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives), secured 429 votes out of 584 attending parliament members.

Myanmar has a bicameral parliamentary system with 664 seats, including 440 in the House of Representatives and 224 in the House of Nationalities.