Myanmar junta coerces displaced families into early voting

The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime is forcing displaced people in Mandalay and Sagaing to cast advance ballots for its December–January election, with residents reporting threats of losing aid and shelter if they refuse.

Authorities insist the measure ensures “eligible voters do not lose their right to vote.” In reality, families say they are being compelled to sign pledges and vote under pressure from local administrators and pro‑junta militias. The UN estimates more than 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) are sheltering across the two regions.

The Union Election Commission ordered displaced voters to cast ballots between 25 and 29 November. In Sagaing, ward officials and Pyu Saw Htee militias told IDPs they must comply, linking the process to cash handouts distributed in September. Adults received 60,000 kyats—framed as refugee support—only after signing documents promising to vote.

Residents describe ceremonies held at pagoda compounds guarded by militias, and ongoing monitoring under the colonial‑era Ward or Village Tract Administration Law. Reactivated after the 2021 coup, the law requires citizens to report regularly to local authorities and allows warrantless searches and arrests. A former political prisoner said the regime is exploiting this provision to threaten IDPs with eviction if they refuse to vote.

Sagaing town alone hosts tens of thousands of displaced families from villages destroyed in military raids, many now sheltering in monasteries, nunneries, and rented homes. Similar coercion is reported in Mandalay, where IDPs in several townships have been warned they will be deregistered as guests unless they cast advance ballots.

One woman in Maha Aung Myay said officials told her community they had “no choice” but to vote, without specifying a party. Residents also report that those lacking ID cards are being forced to use temporary documents issued by police, while students, the elderly, and disabled people are being compelled to vote in advance, sometimes through door‑to‑door collection.

Aid workers estimate Mandalay is sheltering around 250,000 displaced people, many fleeing fighting in Shan, Sagaing, Mandalay, and Kachin since late 2022. Much of their support comes from local charities rather than the state.

The election has been widely condemned as a sham designed to lend legitimacy to continued military rule. For displaced families, the choice is stark: cast a ballot or risk losing the fragile shelter and aid that keeps them alive.

-2025-12-02