The BBC has reported from a polling station in Myanmar as the country holds its first election since the 2021 military coup, with voters describing a “climate of fear” amid an ongoing civil war. Widely criticized as a “sham,” the election is taking place in restricted areas while large parts of the nation remain engulfed in conflict.
In Mandalay, BBC South East Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head visited a polling station where voters expressed apprehension about participating in an election conducted under military rule. The poll occurs almost five years after the military seized power in a coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government, sparking widespread opposition and a civil war that continues to rage. Head’s reporting highlights the tense atmosphere as citizens navigate the voting process amidst the backdrop of violence.
According to Al Jazeera, the election is being held in only about one-third of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with large areas inaccessible due to the conflict. Two additional rounds of voting are scheduled for January 11 and January 25, while voting has been cancelled in 65 townships, disenfranchising at least 20 percent of the population. International observers from countries such as Russia, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and India have arrived, but the United Nations, human rights groups, and some Western countries have condemned the process as neither free, fair, nor credible.
The military, which governs Myanmar, has framed the election as a path to reconciliation and economic recovery. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing cast his ballot in Naypyidaw, smiling and showing his inked finger, while state-run media claimed the poll would open a new chapter towards prosperity. However, critics argue that with major political parties like the National League for Democracy dissolved and leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi still in detention, the election lacks legitimacy and is merely an attempt to solidify military control.
The civil war, triggered by the 2021 coup, has had devastating consequences, with an estimated 90,000 deaths, 3.5 million people displaced, and 22 million in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 22,000 individuals are currently detained for political offences, according to human rights organizations. In rebel-held areas, which comprise more than half the country, no voting is taking place, underscoring the deep divisions and persistent violence that define Myanmar’s current state.
Voter turnout in urban centers like Yangon has been mixed, with a steady flow of middle-aged voters but few young people participating. Security measures are stringent, with armed officers guarding polling stations and traffic intersections, and electronic voting machines are being used for the first time, preventing write-in candidates or spoiled ballots. Voters like Swe Maw in Yangon dismissed international criticism, stating it is “not an important matter,” while others like Moe Moe Myint in Mandalay called the election “impossible” to be free and fair, citing the military’s destructive impact on their lives and communities.
Analysts predict a resounding victory for the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), leading to a continuation of army rule with a thin civilian veneer. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group noted that this outcome will likely harden political divisions and prolong Myanmar’s state failure, with the new administration facing significant challenges and limited international recognition. The election is widely viewed as a theatrical performance rather than a genuine democratic process, unlikely to resolve the country’s protracted crisis and potentially exacerbating the humanitarian and political turmoil in the days ahead.
