Myanmar Votes in Widely Criticised ‘Sham’ Polls Amid Civil War and Repression

By: The Trek News Desk

Myanmar’s military-led government has begun the process of holding nationwide elections nearly five years after seizing power in a coup. Still, the exercise has been dismissed by critics at home and abroad as a “sham”. Ongoing civil war, the banning of major opposition parties and the jailing of political leaders have cast serious doubt on the credibility of the vote, with fears that more than half of the country’s population may be unable to participate.

The junta is conducting the elections in three phases at a time when fighting continues between the military and armed resistance groups, as well as ethnic militias that control large swathes of territory. Political observers say the army, with backing from China, is using the election as a tool to legitimise its rule and break out of a prolonged political and military stalemate.

Authorities have cracked down hard on dissent linked to the polls. Under a new law introduced in July, more than 200 people have been charged for opposing or disrupting the election process. The legislation imposes severe penalties, including the death sentence. Among those punished are a well-known film director, an actor and a comedian, who were each sentenced to seven years in prison after criticising a movie that promoted the elections.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned that Myanmar no longer provides conditions for basic freedoms such as expression, association or peaceful assembly. He noted that civilians are being pressured from multiple sides, by the military authorities on one hand and by armed opposition groups calling for an election boycott on the other.

Years of conflict have deepened the country’s crisis. Thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and the economy shattered. A powerful earthquake in March, coupled with cuts in international aid, has further worsened the humanitarian situation. Against this backdrop, organising a nationwide election is widely seen as a logistical and political challenge.

According to election officials, voting will take place in only 274 out of 330 townships, with the remaining areas deemed too unstable. Analysts estimate that nearly half of Myanmar may see no voting at all. Even within participating townships, not all constituencies will go to the polls, making voter turnout difficult to predict. Results are expected by the end of January.

Only six parties are contesting the election at the national level, including the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. More than 40 parties have been dissolved, among them Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, which won landslide victories in 2015 and 2020. Suu Kyi and many senior party leaders remain behind bars or in exile under charges widely criticised as politically motivated.

Public sentiment on the ground appears bleak. Residents in several regions say people have little faith in the process. An elderly man from western Chin State said the military governs for the benefit of its top leadership rather than ordinary citizens. He recalled that life under an elected government offered at least a glimpse of democracy, something he feels has now disappeared.

International reaction has been strongly critical. Western governments, including the United Kingdom and the European Parliament, have rejected the polls as illegitimate, while the regional bloc ASEAN has urged political dialogue before any election. The junta, however, has dismissed the criticism, insisting the vote is meant for Myanmar’s people and not for international approval.

Military chief Min Aung Hlaing has warned that those who refuse to participate are rejecting what he described as progress toward democracy, a claim that remains deeply contested as the country continues to grapple with conflict and repression.

Source: News Agencies