Sham Election Doomed to Fail
Let’s be clear: The junta is teetering on the brink of collapse. This sham election is nothing more than its desperate ploy for false legitimacy and hoax democracy—an exit ticket being sold to the international community.
A grave concern persists over international actors’ piecemeal, quick-fix approach towards Myanmar’s crisis: Certain international actors such as China, India, Laos, Russia, and Thailand are backing the junta’s sham election plan. Clearly, any domestic or international support for this hoax election—the junta’s long-anticipated plan to project a false sense of legitimacy—is an insult to the unprecedented sacrifices and tireless efforts of the people’s resistance movement to build a new federal democratic Myanmar. This problematic approach will only allow the Myanmar military to continue to terrorize the people and bring Myanmar back under military tyranny. This approach must stop.
While Myanmar’s people are fighting for their future at all costs, China is actively backing the junta’s illegal sham election plan. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Naypyidaw on 14 August—soon after the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army had seized the Northeastern Command in Lashio, northern Shan State—and met with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and former military dictator Than Shwe. Junta-run media claimed that China promised technical support and aid for conducting a census to prepare the groundwork for the junta’s sham election.
On 16 August, China further endorsed the junta’s sham election plan at the 9th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Under the pretext of a so-called “democratic transition”—which was never genuine and was entirely derailed by the illegal coup attempt in 2021—China is blatantly seeking to normalize the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. This was a full-blown display of stark opposition, and an insult, to the will and determination of the Myanmar people.
In tandem, China is exercising its significant regional influence to advance its interests in Myanmar on its own terms and for its profits. During Wang Yi’s trip to Thailand, he also met with Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith. Given Laos’ position as ASEAN Chair, China appears to be pushing for Myanmar to normalize the junta’s illegal coup attempt and return to the status quo, without addressing the military as the root cause of Myanmar’s crisis and as a perpetrator of international crimes. China’s goals for Myanmar are nothing but destructive.
Meanwhile, Thailand explicitly expressed its support for the junta’s sham election plan earlier this month. Thailand’s Ambassador to Myanmar Mongkol Visitstump met with the head of the junta-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) on 6 August. According to junta-run media, the discussion centered on Thailand’s potential support and future cooperation between the UEC and Thailand’s election commission. Notably, the junta has claimed that Thailand will assist in conducting a nationwide census, which is scheduled to take place from 1–15 October.
In addition, Russia and India, two of the junta’s biggest arms suppliers and allies, continue to consistently back the junta’s sham election plan. Their blatant support comes as no shock, as these countries do not care to abide by their international obligations and only further demonstrate their complicity in the Myanmar military’s atrocity crimes.
Such actors are walking a treacherous path without the approval and support of the Myanmar people, going astray from the direction toward which the people of Myanmar are collectively striving. This must stop; the world must not act deceived by this hot air of “return to normalcy”. Any solution that will allow the military junta to carry on with its failed coup and claim control over Myanmar is doomed to fail.
Let’s be clear: The junta is teetering on the brink of collapse. This sham election is nothing more than its desperate ploy for false legitimacy and hoax democracy—an exit ticket being sold to the international community. In reality, it is not remotely possible for the junta to hold a vote, given the lack of control it has in large parts of the country. According to National Unity Government Defense Minister U Yee Mon, the junta’s control now extends to fewer than 100 out of 350 towns across the country, as resistance groups steadily claim territory, town by town.
Any sustainable solution for Myanmar’s crisis and for the achievement of sustainable peace must be identified, agreed on, and led by the people of Myanmar while international actors must take a backseat and rally all its support behind the Myanmar people.
The people of Myanmar have reaffirmed their stance: They are committed to breaking the vicious cycle of violence and impunity. They no longer seek to resume the pre-2021 democratic transition façade, and instead are pursuing a rebuilding process aimed at achieving genuine systemic change—a federal democratic Myanmar that is just, equal, sustainable, and inclusive, and respects self-determination. The people’s emerging bottom-up governance structures have already established a strong foundation to build the future Myanmar, gained the trust and support of the people, and ensured direct community participation and representation, particularly of marginalized and disenfranchised communities.
What Myanmar people urgently need from the international community is genuine solidarity with practical support to win this revolution and rebuild a new Myanmar—not externally imposed solutions that will rebirth military dictatorship and prolong their suffering. The answer lies in the Myanmar people’s hands as they chart their own path, dismantling the military junta and building a new future, collectively.
[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.
Resources from the past week
Statements and Press Releases
Grave Concerns Over the Escalating Humanitarian Catastrophe in Maungdaw and Buthidaung
By 23 Rohingya Organizations
By 77 Civil Society Organizations
By 77 Civil Society Organizations
Evidence of an escalation in brutal atrocities committed by Myanmar military
By Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
By Karen National Union
By Karen National Union
မောင်တောမြို့သိမ်းတိုက်ပွဲနှင့် ပတ်သက်၍ သတင်းထုတ်ပြန်ချက်
By United League of Arakan
Counselor Sullivan’s Meeting with Burma Pro-Democracy and Ethnic Stakeholders
By U.S. Department of State
Reports
By ALTSEAN-Burma, Asia Democracy Network, Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development, Burma Human Rights Network, Initiatives for International Dialogue, International Federation for Human Rights, Progressive Voice, US Campaign for Burma and Women’s Peace Network
Myanmar: Armies Target Ethnic Rohingya, Rakhine
By Human Rights Watch
Report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
By Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
Myanmar Humanitarian Update No. 40
By UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”
