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Military-backed poll faces widespread condemnation
Myanmar holds its first election since the 2021 military coup, but the vote is widely dismissed as a sham. The ruling junta has dissolved the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and imprisoned its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Voting will occur in three stages over a month, but large parts of the country remain too dangerous for polling due to ongoing civil war.
Apathetic crowds and empty promises
In Mandalay, retired Lieutenant-General Tayza Kyaw, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate for Aungmyaythazan, addressed a lackluster crowd of 300-400 people. Many attendees, clutching branded hats and flags, appeared disinterested, with some dozing off in the heat. Families displaced by a March earthquake lingered for handouts but left as soon as the rally ended.
When journalists attempted to speak with attendees, USDP officials intervened, warning that people might say the wrong thing. Plain-clothes military intelligence officers patrolled the event, reinforcing the climate of fear.
Fear silences dissent
In Mandalay's markets, vendors and customers refused to discuss the election. One fish seller shooed away reporters, saying, "You will bring me trouble." Only one woman, speaking anonymously in a private location, voiced her frustration: "This election is a lie. Everyone is afraid. Everyone has lost their humanity and their freedom."
A new law criminalizes speech or actions aimed at disrupting the electoral process. Earlier this month, activist Tayzar San was charged under the law for distributing leaflets urging a boycott. In September, three young people in Yangon received sentences of 42 to 49 years for posting stickers linking ballots to bullets.
Junta seeks legitimacy amid violence
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing appears confident the election will grant him legitimacy despite the exclusion of opposition parties and the absence of voting in half the country. China, which has supplied weapons and technical support, views the poll as a potential off-ramp from the conflict. Other Asian nations are expected to reluctantly accept the results.
The military has regained some territory lost to resistance groups, with plans to include reconquered areas in the final stage of voting in late January. Without the NLD, the USDP is poised to dominate, despite winning just 6% of seats in the 2020 election.
"Those who are with the enemy cannot be viewed as the people, according to the law. So, they are just terrorists."
Retired Lieutenant-General Tayza Kyaw, USDP candidate
War's scars visible beyond Mandalay
A short drive from Mandalay, the civil war's impact is stark. The road to the Mingun temple complex, once a tourist hotspot, is now contested territory controlled by People's Defence Forces (PDF). Police at checkpoints described a brutal stalemate, with no room for compromise. One young commander showed photos of his adversaries, including the Unicorn Guerrilla Force, and admitted, "If we see each other, we always shoot."
Journalists were barred from reaching Mingun due to safety concerns, underscoring the election's limited reach.
Voting without conviction
Despite the lack of enthusiasm, many Burmese plan to vote out of fear or exhaustion. One woman in Mandalay summed up the sentiment: "We will vote, but not with our hearts."
