LONDON – Myanmar’s military junta is staging elections that experts are slamming as a sham. Running from December 28 to January 25 in three phases, these polls are drawing sharp criticism from Western diplomats and analysts. They call it a ‘pantomime’ – a mere performance to grab international legitimacy without any real change on the ground.
The Telegraph reports that even Beijing, which prefers stability next door, views these elections as neither free nor fair. Armed police guard polling stations, while propaganda videos with upbeat music blare to coax voters. Yet in major cities like Yangon, turnout is dismal, a far cry from the enthusiasm of past polls.
This marks Myanmar’s first election since 2021, when Aung San Suu Kyi’s party swept to victory amid massive voter participation. That win prompted the junta’s coup, overthrowing her government and plunging the nation into chaos. Nearly five years later, brutal conflict, economic collapse, and social upheaval define the country.
A 32-year-old woman in Yangon captured the dilemma, speaking anonymously to The Telegraph: ‘I don’t want to vote, but not voting scares me. Voting feels like betraying my beliefs. Every choice feels dangerous.’ Her words echo the fear gripping ordinary citizens.
Experts argue the junta is focused on forcing turnout rather than addressing crises like violence and poverty. Former UN envoy Yanghee Lee labeled it ‘the worst example yet of the military’s fake elections over decades.’ She warns the outcomes are preordained, designed to keep democratic space shut tight.
As results roll in, the world watches a process that promises continuity of military rule, not reform. Myanmar’s people deserve better than this orchestrated farce, but under the junta’s iron grip, hope for genuine democracy remains distant.