Myanmar's military junta holds second phase of election widely decried as 'sham exercise'
Voters in war-torn Myanmar headed to the polls on Sunday for the second and final stage of elections that have been heavily criticized as a tool for the junta to consolidate its power. The initial round, which took place on December 28, saw a low turnout of just 52.13%, with many accusing the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) of rigging the system.
The USDP is on track for a landslide victory, with analysts pointing out that the playing field was heavily weighted in its favor. The party has won all but three seats in the first phase, and it's clear that the regime has taken steps to suppress any opposition.
The election process has been marred by controversy from the start, with many Western countries and human rights groups denouncing the polls as a "sham exercise" that is neither free, fair nor credible. The regime has also been accused of removing serious rivals and passing laws designed to stifle opposition to the polls.
Despite the lack of legitimacy, the junta claims that the election will bring stability and a better future for the country, which is currently grappling with one of the worst humanitarian crises in Asia. At least 16,600 civilians have died in the conflict since the coup, and an estimated 3.6 million people have been displaced.
However, analysts warn that the junta's attempt to form a stable administration amid raging conflict is fraught with risk. The regime's lack of international recognition and legitimacy will only add to the challenges it faces in rebuilding the country.
As the second phase of the election comes to a close, it remains to be seen what kind of future Myanmar will have under military rule. One thing is certain: the junta's grip on power seems unlikely to be loosened anytime soon.
Voters in war-torn Myanmar headed to the polls on Sunday for the second and final stage of elections that have been heavily criticized as a tool for the junta to consolidate its power. The initial round, which took place on December 28, saw a low turnout of just 52.13%, with many accusing the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) of rigging the system.
The USDP is on track for a landslide victory, with analysts pointing out that the playing field was heavily weighted in its favor. The party has won all but three seats in the first phase, and it's clear that the regime has taken steps to suppress any opposition.
The election process has been marred by controversy from the start, with many Western countries and human rights groups denouncing the polls as a "sham exercise" that is neither free, fair nor credible. The regime has also been accused of removing serious rivals and passing laws designed to stifle opposition to the polls.
Despite the lack of legitimacy, the junta claims that the election will bring stability and a better future for the country, which is currently grappling with one of the worst humanitarian crises in Asia. At least 16,600 civilians have died in the conflict since the coup, and an estimated 3.6 million people have been displaced.
However, analysts warn that the junta's attempt to form a stable administration amid raging conflict is fraught with risk. The regime's lack of international recognition and legitimacy will only add to the challenges it faces in rebuilding the country.
As the second phase of the election comes to a close, it remains to be seen what kind of future Myanmar will have under military rule. One thing is certain: the junta's grip on power seems unlikely to be loosened anytime soon.
. The way they're rigging the system and suppressing opposition is just heartbreaking. And the turnout of 52%? That's not a democracy, that's a farce 
. I'm not surprised that Western countries and human rights groups are calling it out as a sham exercise - it's not like anyone with any integrity would support this setup.
. The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is real, people are dying and getting displaced left and right, but what are they doing to address it? Nothing, it seems. And now they want to legitimize their power by holding elections? It's like they're trying to whitewash their involvement in all the suffering.
. They need to let the people have a real say in their government, not just manipulate the system to keep themselves in power 
.
... it's like they're stuck in a never-ending loop of conflict and suffering, and nobody seems to know how to break free from it. the military junta thinks it can just sweep everything under the rug and come out on top, but what about all the people who are actually affected by this? the ones who are dying every day, or being forced to flee their homes... do they even get a say in their own country's future?
. I mean, who needs free and fair elections when you've got a military junta that just wants to solidify its power? The whole thing feels like a joke. They rig the system, suppress opposition, and now they're expecting us to legitimize their rule by voting for them? 
Not buying it.
I mean, it's hard not to feel disappointed about the state of affairs in Myanmar right now. The whole election process just feels like a joke, you know? They're trying to present this fake image of democracy and stability when really they're just using it as an excuse to maintain their grip on power. It's like, I get that they want to restore order after all the chaos that's been going on, but at what cost?
the whole point was supposed to be giving people a voice, but it feels like they're just rubber stamping for the military 
and let's not forget about all those civilians who have lost their lives in the conflict... 16k+ dead? 
that's insane. The whole thing just smells like a joke to me 
how can you even call this democracy when people aren't allowed to participate freely? 
. And those results are just gonna get worse because the USDP has all but three seats... it's like they're playing some kinda dirty game here 
.
. The human rights groups are right on this one - it's a sham exercise with no legitimacy whatsoever 
. The numbers are just mind-boggling - 16,600 dead and 3.6 million displaced... when will this end? 
. Maybe then we can start talking about a future with some actual freedom and representation 
.
i don't know how much more of this humanity can take, 16k+ dead civilians is just too many 
what if the regime wins and it gets worse for everyone? 
shouldn'tnt there be a way to sort out this mess with all these people suffering? 
The way it looks like they are just using these elections as an excuse to stay in power is super suspicious 
this election is literally a joke! 
. I mean, come on, 52.13% turnout? That's just laughable 
. It's all about the junta's grip on power and they're not going to let go 
. Like, where are our leaders? Where's the outcry? 
.
. I just hope they don't do too much damage to the country before they finally give up power 
. Fingers crossed, right? 
wanna believe that but i dont think it's gonna happen anytime soon 
. I mean, 16,600 civilians already lost their lives... how can you even talk about stability and a better future when there's so much human suffering going on? 
, and everyone knows it. But hey, maybe they're hoping to fool the international community into recognizing their "victory" 
. We need to put pressure on the regime until they start listening to the voices of the Myanmar people, not just their own propaganda machine 
. This isn't going away anytime soon, but if we stand together, maybe we can create some change 
And what about all the human rights abuses that have been happening? It's like they're just sweeping all of that under the rug.