Myanmar junta’s election marred by fear and attacks

Myanmar’s military pressed ahead with the second phase of its disputed election on Sunday, staging polls in 100 townships across the country under heavy security. The day was marked by sparse turnout, intimidation of voters, and armed resistance, underscoring widespread rejection of the process at home and abroad.

The junta, which seized power in 2021, is holding the vote in three stages. Its proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), claimed nearly 90 percent of ballots in December’s first round. The final phase is scheduled for 25 January.

In Yangon, reporters observed near-empty polling stations in Latha Township—home to many residents of Chinese descent—and Pabedan Township, where many families trace their roots to India. Most voters were middle-aged or elderly, with younger citizens largely absent. Business owners admitted they cast ballots out of fear their livelihoods could be targeted if they refused.

Security was visibly tighter than in December. Roads were blocked, police and plainclothes officials guarded entrances, and pro-regime militias patrolled neighbourhoods. In some areas, ambulances fitted with loudspeakers drove through streets urging people to vote. Residents described being stopped and searched by soldiers, while others said they voted reluctantly to avoid reprisals.

Elsewhere, violence flared. A junta election official was killed in a drone strike in Bago Region, and resistance forces attacked a checkpoint in Pyu Township, forcing civilians to flee. In Kawhmu, symbolic for its ties to democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition candidates accused the regime of collecting advance ballots without oversight.

International condemnation has grown. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews urged member states to reject the junta’s election outright, calling it “a theatrical performance” designed to mislead the world.

With turnout low and intimidation widespread, the second phase of voting has reinforced doubts about the credibility of Myanmar’s electoral process, leaving the military’s grip on power as contested as ever.

-2026-01-12