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Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
This military junta is rebranding itself to hold elections. But a UN probe has found evidence of intensifying atrocities
As evidence mounts of intensifying atrocities, including the torture of children, being committed in Myanmar, the country's military generals are rebranding their junta regime and planning stage-managed elections in a nation they only control parts of. They've rescinded a four-year state of emergency order, imposed during their 2021 military coup, and formed a caretaker administration to govern the war-torn Southeast Asian country until a new parliament is assembled following a national vote. But it is merely a cosmetic change, analysts say — designed to give the appearance that it's playing by the democratic playbook while remaining firmly in power, something Myanmar's military have a long and notorious history of doing. The election, to be held in stages over December 2025 and January 2026, is resoundingly regarded as a sham and a tool used by the junta to give it a veneer of legitimacy as it seeks to entrench its rule and gain international recognition. The junta's notoriety, though, is only growing. UN investigators have gathered evidence of systemic torture against those detained by the military, summary executions of captured combatants or civilians accused of being informers, children as young as two being detained in place of their parents, and aerial attacks on schools, homes and hospitals. Here's what to know: How we got here For more than four years, Myanmar's military rulers have waged a brutal civil war across the country, sending columns of troops on bloody rampages, torching and bombing villages, massacring residents, jailing opponents and forcing young men and women to join the army. The United Nations and other rights groups have accused the military of war crimes as it battles democracy fighters and longstanding ethnic armed groups to cling to power. Military officers march during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 80th Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on March 27, 2025. Aung Shine Oo/AP At the head of this junta is Sen. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who seized power in 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and installed himself as leader. The military, which had previously ruled Myanmar with an iron fist for decades, sought to justify its takeover by alleging widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which was won in a landslide by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party. The claims were never substantiated. Min Aung Hlaing has been sanctioned and spurned by the West, the country's economy is in tatters, and his military has lost significant territory in its grinding, multi-front civil war. Evidence of 'systemic torture' The UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar has said that the 'frequency and intensity' of atrocities in the country has only escalated over the past year. Children as young as two years old were often detained in place of their parents and some were also abused and tortured, the group found. It has collected evidence of 'systemic torture' in the military-run detention facilities, including rape and other forms of sexual violence. Some detainees died as a result of the torture, according to the IIMM. Protesters sit in the middle of the street during the demonstration to protest against the military coup on February 1, 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar. Santosh Krl/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Inmages/File Those responsible include specific members and units of security forces involved in operations as well as high-ranking commanders, according to the group. The military has repeatedly denied committing atrocities and says it is targeting 'terrorists.' The junta has not responded to media requests for comment. 'A sham election' The junta said its election objectives are for a 'genuine, disciplined multiparty democratic system and the building of a union based on democracy and federalism.' But with most of the country's pro-democracy lawmakers in exile or jail, and the military's widespread repression and attacks on the people, such a vote would never be considered free or fair, observers say. 'It's a sham election… It's not inclusive, it's not legitimate,' Mi Kun Chan Non, a women's activist working with Myanmar's Mon ethnic minority, told CNN. Many observers have warned that Min Aung Hlaing is seeking to legitimize his power grab through the ballot box and rule through proxy political parties. 'He needs to make himself legitimate … He thought that the election is the only way (to do that.),' said Mi Kun Chan Non. The United States and most Western countries have never recognized the junta as the legitimate government of Myanmar, and the election has been denounced by several governments in the region – including Japan and Malaysia. A soldier from the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), a main armed group fighting the military, walks to a reconnaissance mission. Thierry Falise/LightRocket//Getty Images A collective of international election experts said a genuine election in Myanmar 'is impossible under the current conditions,' in a joint statement released by the umbrella organization International Idea. The experts pointed to 'draconian legislation banning opposition political parties, the arrest and detention of political leaders and democracy activists, severe restrictions of the media, and the organization of an unreliable census by the junta as a basis for the voter list.' Others say they cannot trust the military when it continues its campaign of violence, and when its history is littered with false promises of reform. Voting in a war zone Details on the election process are thin, but many citizens could be casting their votes in an active conflict zone or under the eyes of armed soldiers – a terrifying prospect that some say could lead to more violence. Junta bombs have destroyed homes, schools, markets, places of worship and hospitals, and are a primary cause of the displacement of more than 3.5 million people across the country since the coup. There are fears that those in junta-controlled areas will be threatened or coerced into voting. And some townships may never get to vote, given the junta's lack of control over large swathes of the country outside its heartland and major cities. One of the country's most powerful ethnic armed groups, the Arakan Army, has said it will not allow elections to be held in territories it controls, which includes most of western Rakhine state. In pictures: Aung San Suu Kyi 37 photos Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a portrait in Yangon, Myanmar, in 2010. A month earlier, she had been released from house arrest. Drn/Getty Images And the National Unity Government, an exiled administration which considers itself the legitimate government of Myanmar, has urged the people to 'oppose and resist' participating in the poll, saying the junta 'does not have the right or authority to conduct elections.' There are also signs the military is moving to consolidate its power in those parts of the country it does not control. As it rescinded the nationwide state of emergency, it also imposed martial law in more than 60 townships – giving the military increased powers in resistance strongholds. 'The military has been pushing hard to reclaim the territories it has lost, but regaining consolidated control — especially in the lead-up to the elections — will be a near impossibility within such a short timeframe,' said Ye Myo Hein, a senior fellow at the Southeast Asia Peace Institute, based in Washington DC. 'Instead, holding elections amid this perilous context is likely to trigger even greater violence and escalate conflict nationwide.' Already, there are moves to further quash dissent ahead of the poll. A new law criminalizes criticism of the election, threatening long prison sentences for those opposing or disrupting the vote. And a new cybercrime law expands the regime's online surveillance powers, banning unauthorized use of VPNs and targeting users who access or share content from prohibited social media sites. Like 'putting old wine in a new bottle' Min Aung Hlaing recently formed a new governing body, the National Security and Peace Commission (NSPC), replacing the previous State Administration Council. The junta chief also has added chairman of the new regime to the roster of titles he now holds, which includes acting President and chief of the armed forces. And the new interim administration is stacked with loyalists and active military officers. The move was 'nothing more than an old trick — putting old wine in a new bottle,' said Ye Myo Hein. 'The military has used such tactics many times throughout its history to create the illusion of change… The military junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, remains firmly in the driver's seat.' It has been here before. Myanmar has been governed by successive military regimes since 1962, turning a once prosperous nation into an impoverished pariah state home to some of the world's longest running insurgencies. A military soldier (L) stands in front of a pile of seized illegal drugs during a destruction ceremony in Yangon on June 26, 2025. Sai Aung Main/AFP/Getty Images In 2008, the military regime pushed ahead with constitutional reform that paved the way for a semi-civilian government to take power, while preserving its significant influence on the country's politics. What followed was a decade of limited democratic reform and freedoms that brought greater foreign investment –- including the return of global brands like Coca-cola – and engagement with western nations. A generation of young Myanmar nationals began to dream of a different future to their parents and grandparents, as investment and opportunities poured in. But the military never really gave up political power. When state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's party stormed to a second term victory in the 2020 election, it came as a surprise to some military figures, who had hoped their own proxy party might take power democratically. The former democracy icon was detained during a coup the following year, tried by a military court and sentenced to 27 years in prison. The 80-year-old's exact whereabouts is still a tightly guarded secret, and the junta has sought to ensure Suu Kyi and her popular, but now dissolved, NLD party would be politically wiped out. International recognition By presenting itself as a civilian government, analysts say the military will also try to convince some countries to normalize ties. Russia and China are two of Myanmar's biggest backers, and Thailand and India have pushed for more engagement with the junta to end the crisis on their borders. China's foreign ministry last Thursday said it 'supports Myanmar's development path in line with its national conditions and Myanmar's steady advancement of its domestic political agenda.' In recent weeks, Min Aung Hlaing had unexpectedly good news from the US. A letter from the Trump administration detailing its new tariff rates was spun domestically by the junta leader as increased engagement. Then, the Trump administration dropped sanctions on several companies and individuals responsible for supplying weapons to Myanmar, prompting outcry from the UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Tom Andrews who called the moved 'unconscionable and a major step backward for efforts to save innocent lives.' Members of Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) receive military equipment after getting special combat training in a secret jungle near Namhkam, Myanmar's northern Shan State on November 9, 2024. Stringer/AFP/Getty Images Myanmar's Ministry of Information has also signed a $3 million a year deal with Washington lobbying firm DCI Group to help rebuild relations with the US, Reuters news agency recently reported. The group, as well as the US Treasury Department, the US State Department, and Myanmar's Washington embassy did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Democracy supporters opposed to the junta have warned the international community against falling for the military's election plan, and say such a poll will never be accepted by the people. Min Aung Hlaing and his junta 'have sucked all the resources and money than can and the country has nothing left,' said Mi Kun Chan Non, the women's activist. 'Everything has fallen apart … The education system has collapsed; the healthcare system has collapsed. Business is just for the cronies.' So, any future peace negotiations that follow the elections, 'we can never trust,' she said. 'And the situation of the people on the ground will not change.'
Toronto Sun
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
UN envoy to Myanmar warns violence puts country on 'path to self-destruction'
Published Jun 10, 2025 • 2 minute read A temporary building is seen after clearing a collapsed building caused by a strong earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, May 23, 2025. Photo by Aung Shine Oo / AP UNITED NATIONS — Myanmar is on 'a path to self-destruction' if violence in the conflict-wracked Southeast Asian nation doesn't end, the UN envoy warned on Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Julie Bishop told the UN General Assembly that 'alarmingly' the violence didn't end after a powerful earthquake in late March devastated parts of the capital, Naypyitaw, and the country's second-largest city, Mandalay, killing more than 3,000 people and injuring thousands more. Ceasefires announced by some parties have largely not been observed, 'embedding a crisis within a crisis,' and people in Myanmar must now deal with the raging conflict and the earthquake's devastation, said Bishop, a former foreign minister of Australia. 'A zero-sum approach persists on all sides,' she said. 'Armed clashes remain a barrier to meeting humanitarian needs. The flow of weapons into the country is fueling the expectations that a military solution is possible.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More A widespread armed struggle against military rule in Myanmar began in February 2021 after generals seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 6,600 civilians are estimated to have been killed by security forces, according to figures compiled by nongovernmental organizations. The military takeover triggered intensified fighting with long-established armed militias organized by Myanmar's ethnic minority groups in its border regions, which have struggled for decades for more autonomy. It also led to the formation of pro-democracy militias that support a national unity government established by elected lawmakers barred from taking their seats after the army takeover. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. More than 22,000 political prisoners are still in detention, Bishop said, including Suu Kyi, who turns 80 on June 19, and the ousted president, Win Myint. The UN envoy said she detected 'some openness to political dialogue with some regional support, but there is not yet broader agreement on how to move forward.' In meetings with the country's leaders, Bishop said she encouraged them to reconsider their strategy, which has left the country more divided. She also warned against elections, planned for December or January, saying they risk fueling greater resistance and instability unless there is an end to the violence and they can be held in an inclusive and transparent way. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Bishop said she has been co-ordinating further action with Othman Hashim, the special envoy for Myanmar from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, and they agreed to visit Myanmar together. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The UN envoy said she had a meeting online on Monday with representatives of the Rohingya minority from Myanmar and Bangladesh. She said the situation for the Rohingya in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state remains dire, with up to 80% of civilians living in poverty and caught in crossfire between the government's military forces and the Arakan Army, the well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority, and 'subject to forced recruitment and other abuses.' More than 700,000 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar starting in late August 2017 when Myanmar's military launched a 'clearance operation.' Members of the ethnic group face discrimination and are denied citizenship and other rights in the Buddhist-majority nation. Bishop said there's hope that a high-level conference on the Rohingya and other minorities called for by the UN General Assembly on Sept. 30 will put a spotlight on the urgency of finding 'durable solutions' to their plight. NHL Columnists Toronto Blue Jays Editorial Cartoons Toronto Maple Leafs
Globe and Mail
28-03-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
In photos: Powerful earthquake in southeast Asia kills several
A powerful earthquake centred in Myanmar rocked Southeast Asia on Friday, killing several people and causing extensive damage, with rescuers in Bangkok searching for 81 people in the rubble of a collapsed building. People stand by the debris of a collapsed building in Mandalay after a powerful earthquake. STR/AFP/Getty Images 1 of 24 Rescue teams operate at a construction site where a building collapsed in Bangkok following an earthquake. CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP/Getty Images 2 of 24 Patients are evacuated outdoors at a hospital after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand. Tadchakorn Kitchaiphon/The Associated Press 3 of 24 A worker reacts near a site of a collapsed building after the tremors of a strong earthquake that struck Bangkok, Thailand. Ann Wang/Reuters 4 of 24 Damaged pagodas are seen after an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Aung Shine Oo/The Associated Press 5 of 24 Vehicles make their way near a road damaged by an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Aung Shine Oo/The Associated Press 6 of 24 Thai rescue workers arrive on scene at a construction building collapse following an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand.7 of 24 Image from UGC video footage taken shows workers running away from a building as it collapses at a construction site in Bangkok. Supplied/AFP/Getty Images 8 of 24 A person uses his phone on a street after a strong earthquake struck in Bangkok, Thailand. Ann Wang/Reuters 9 of 24 Patients lie on beds in the compound of Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok. CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP/Getty Images 10 of 24 Vehicles pass near the site of a building that collapsed after a strong earthquake struck in Bangkok, Thailand. Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters 11 of 24 People ride motorcycles past a damaged building after a strong earthquake struck in Mandalay, Myanmar. Stringer/Reuters 12 of 24 People wait to be told it is safe to go back inside the Sathorn Gardens condo building after an earthquake in Bangkok. Brian P. D. Hannon/The Associated Press 13 of 24 A bridge that connects two high-rises is seen damaged after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand. Sakchai Lalit/The Associated Press 14 of 24 A damaged monastery is seen after an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Aung Shine Oo/The Associated Press 15 of 24 Rescuers work at the site of a building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok. Sakchai Lalit/The Associated Press 16 of 24 Damaged pagodas are seen after an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Aung Shine Oo/The Associated Press 17 of 24 Rescue personnel walk near a building in Bangkok that collapsed after a strong earthquake struck. Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters 18 of 24 People stand on the road as cars drive through the traffic in Bangkok, Thailand. Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters 19 of 24 Thai King's volunteers work near the site of a collapsed building in Bangkok, Thailand. Ann Wang/Reuters 20 of 24 People stand near the site of a collapsed building after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand. Ann Wang/Reuters 21 of 24 A worker carries a casualty on his back in Bangkok, Thailand. Ann Wang/Reuters 22 of 24 Rescue personnel stand near a building that collapsed in Bangkok, Thailand. Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters 23 of 24 People gather on a street in Bangkok after a strong earthquake struck central Myanmar. Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters 24 of 24
