In a nation scarred by coup and conflict, Myanmar’s ongoing elections under military oversight are under fire. A damning report from The Telegraph paints them as neither independent nor impartial, with results rigged from the start. Spanning late December to late January, the three-phase polls aim to project normalcy amid devastation.

China may tolerate the junta for regional stability, but even it reportedly sees through the facade. Polling sites bristle with armed forces, propaganda floods the airwaves, yet Yangon and Mandalay see voter apathy. It’s a stark contrast to 2021’s high-stakes election that propelled Aung San Suu Kyi to power – before the military seized control.

Five years post-coup, Myanmar reels from insurgency, economic ruin, and humanitarian disaster. Instead of solutions, the regime pressures reluctant citizens to the booths. One young Yangon resident shared her torment anonymously: ‘Voting betrays my values; abstaining risks retaliation. I’m trapped.’

The strategy? Coerce participation to claim legitimacy, ignoring root problems. UN expert Yanghee Lee decries it as the military’s most blatant election charade, ensuring no real opposition emerges. Pre-set victories will entrench junta power.

Global observers urge rejection of these manipulated results. For Myanmar’s battered population, this ‘election’ is just another tool of oppression, blocking the path to true democratic revival. The international community must not be fooled by this theatrical display.