Reuters,
Wire Service
By Shoon Naing
July 30, 2020
FILE PHOTO: Myanmar police officer poses for a photograph in Maungdaw, Rakhine July 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ann WangReuters
NAYPYITAW (Reuters) - Myanmar will postpone elections in parts of war-torn Rakhine state if the military declares them unsafe, a senior election official said on Thursday, prompting a backlash from ethnic parties with strong support in the region.
"It is necessary to have peace and stability to hold elections," said Union Election Commission chair Hla Thein, adding that the army-controlled ministries of defence and home affairs would soon determine whether the region was stable.