Polling Stations Shut Down Amid Widespread Condemnation as Myanmar's Election is Described as "Sham"
In a country beset by conflict and human rights abuses, polling stations have closed in the first phase of Myanmar's election, which has been widely condemned as a sham designed to legitimize the military junta's rule. The vote, touted by the military as a return to democracy, is being carried out in three stages, with the second and third phases scheduled for January.
Analysts argue that most candidates are seen as military allies, further eroding the legitimacy of the process. The United Nations has described the election environment as "violence and repression," with one official likening it to a "theatre of the absurd." Large areas of the country are excluded from voting due to ongoing conflict or control by anti-junta groups.
The Union Solidarity and Development party, a military proxy, is fielding the largest number of candidates and expected to emerge as the largest bloc. Campaigning has been muted in locations where the election is taking place, with vibrant rallies absent from the scene. Red flags and signs associated with Aung San Suu Kyi and her party have also disappeared.
The election has sparked widespread condemnation from Western governments but support from China, which is the military's most important ally. Campaigners have called on governments to reject the vote, warning that it could further entrench the junta's rule and represent a "significant step backward for the people of Myanmar."
The conflict in Myanmar has plunged the country into economic turmoil, with half the population living below the poverty line. The humanitarian crisis has been described as "one of the world's most dire and yet underfunded." Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights for Myanmar, warned that the election could further entrench the junta's rule and represent a "theatre of the absurd."
The second phase of the vote will take place on January 11, with a final round on January 25. However, the outcome is already looking bleak, with widespread concerns about the legitimacy of the process and the risk of human rights abuses continuing to escalate in Myanmar.
In a country beset by conflict and human rights abuses, polling stations have closed in the first phase of Myanmar's election, which has been widely condemned as a sham designed to legitimize the military junta's rule. The vote, touted by the military as a return to democracy, is being carried out in three stages, with the second and third phases scheduled for January.
Analysts argue that most candidates are seen as military allies, further eroding the legitimacy of the process. The United Nations has described the election environment as "violence and repression," with one official likening it to a "theatre of the absurd." Large areas of the country are excluded from voting due to ongoing conflict or control by anti-junta groups.
The Union Solidarity and Development party, a military proxy, is fielding the largest number of candidates and expected to emerge as the largest bloc. Campaigning has been muted in locations where the election is taking place, with vibrant rallies absent from the scene. Red flags and signs associated with Aung San Suu Kyi and her party have also disappeared.
The election has sparked widespread condemnation from Western governments but support from China, which is the military's most important ally. Campaigners have called on governments to reject the vote, warning that it could further entrench the junta's rule and represent a "significant step backward for the people of Myanmar."
The conflict in Myanmar has plunged the country into economic turmoil, with half the population living below the poverty line. The humanitarian crisis has been described as "one of the world's most dire and yet underfunded." Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights for Myanmar, warned that the election could further entrench the junta's rule and represent a "theatre of the absurd."
The second phase of the vote will take place on January 11, with a final round on January 25. However, the outcome is already looking bleak, with widespread concerns about the legitimacy of the process and the risk of human rights abuses continuing to escalate in Myanmar.
can't believe what's happening in Myanmar... polling stations shutting down like that is so unfair! it's not democracy if only military allies get to run, you know? 
also, China supporting the junta is super concerning - shouldn't they be using their influence for good instead of backing a corrupt regime? 
and what about all these people living below the poverty line... how can we just ignore the human rights crisis over here? 
it's like the world is just watching this unfold without doing anything to help. we need to speak up, governments need to take action! 
I mean can we just say that this election is a total joke? Like, what's the point of even having polls if you're just gonna shut 'em down or let some proxy party run rampant? It's all about the military junta getting their hands on power and China backing them. The whole thing reeks of illegitimacy 
And don't even get me started on the state of Myanmar, I mean half the population living in poverty is just heartbreaking 
We should be supporting the people, not some puppet government or its allies...
i'm not buying this election being a "democracy" thing. they're just trying to cover their tracks after years of military rule. all these candidates are basically military allies, that's not exactly democratic either 
. and what about the areas where conflict is still raging? how can people vote in those places? it doesn't add up. china supporting them is weird too... 
i need to see some proof of this "election" before i believe it's legit.
! The fact that polling stations are shutting down amid all this chaos means the whole thing is a joke. Military allies running most of the candidates only makes it more suspicious. China's support for the junta just adds to the worry 
. We should be calling for a full investigation into the human rights abuses and ensuring the military junta is held accountable 
. The international community needs to take action, not just tweet about it 
. #MyanmarElection #ShamDemocracy #JusticeForMyanmar
It's not just about the election itself, it's about the entire country's future and the people who are suffering because of this. We need to be speaking out against this and supporting the ppl of Myanmar 
i mean, the whole thing feels like it's rigged from the start... but on the other hand, who am i to judge? maybe this is what democracy looks like in practice for some countries 
and the fact that most candidates are military allies just proves they're not really about serving the people anyway 
so yeah, it's all super confusing 
. The UN is spot on saying it's like a "theatre of the absurd" 
. Can we just get some real democracy going over here? 
. I remember when Aung San Suu Kyi was fighting for democracy, and now she's basically been erased from the scene. It's just so sad 
. And don't even get me started on China supporting this whole thing... 
. I hope people will see through this sham and refuse to participate. It's time for some real change in Myanmar 
️ and don't even get me started on the whole China thing... it's just weird that our friends in the West are basically saying "meh" to this while China is all-in. 
This whole thing just feels like a sham, plain and simple. 
. But at the same time, I don't want to be judgmental or accusatory, 'cause that's when things get really complicated... like, what even is a "sham" election, right? 
But then again, maybe that's just part of the problem...
anyway i think we should all just be skeptical of the whole thing and wait for the results before we start celebrating or anything 
. The fact that the election has already been described as "theatre of the absurd" by the UN special rapporteur is just a blessing in disguise - it's finally out in the open for everyone to see 
and what's even more telling is that china is backing them up like, why aren't we talking about the impact on the global economy or the human cost of this election? it feels like we're just stuck in a cycle of empty rhetoric and not really doing anything to help the situation 
also its crazy how China is supporting them, shouldn't we be helping myanmar instead of china?