Myanmar's military junta has welcomed the decision by the United States to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 4,000 Myanmar nationals, urging them to return to the country to vote in the upcoming election.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leader, made the announcement during a joint press conference with visiting Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. He stated, "We are making arrangements to receive around 4,000 Myanmar nationals whose temporary protected status was revoked by the US Department of Homeland Security."

The general further added that for those on the voter list, the junta will "ensure they have the right to vote." He also issued a broader welcome to all Myanmar people abroad, inviting them to return and "cooperate peacefully in democratic affairs."

The US Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of TPS for Myanmar earlier this week, effective in late January. The department justified its decision by stating its assessment shows that citizens can now "safely return" due to purported "improvements in governance and stability" and the junta's preparations for what it described as a "free and fair" election.

The junta quickly seized on the US assessment, welcoming the move and using it to bolster its efforts to gain international recognition for its planned national election, scheduled to begin in late December. Junta spokespersons have previously urged the nationals to return, vote, and "help build the country," according to reports from The Irrawaddy.

The TPS status, which shielded foreign nationals from deportation to countries facing war or disaster, was granted to Myanmar nationals following the 2021 military coup that plunged the country into civil war and repression.

BOB Post