Elections are being held in Myanmar today for the first time in 20 years. However, these elections are not expected to be free and fair and are largely being controlled by the military. The military are using tactics such as marking ballots for voters, advertising the military-backed party at a polling place, and ballot boxes that have been stuffed or tampered with. There were also reports that people were being threatened that they would lose their jobs if they did not go and vote. The last election, which took place in 1990, resulted in the victory of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, but this vote was overruled by the generals and since that time Aung San Suu Kyi has remained under house arrest. The military has taken steps to ensure that the parties they support win by controlling the media and restricting the campaigns of other candidates through high candidacy fees and censorship of their political statements. Most of the opposition candidates are in prison or under house arrest. The critical theory framework could be used to analyze the military's control over the media and how they are using their power over the media to promote their own agenda and ensure victory for their candidates. In addition to controlling the media, the threats and other scare tactics they are using are forcing people to vote for the candidates they are promoting or to not vote at all out of fear. Despite the fact that these elections will not be fair or viewed as legitimate by the international community, some US political elites have stated that it might create "new players, new power relationships, new structures inside the country" that might be important for the future of Myanmar.
Haha, I didn't see this post until after I made mine just now about the Aung San Suu Kyi's release and the Myanmar elections. It amazes me how transparent the military junta is in its violation of the elections. I wonder if they censor the media coverage about all the election issues inside of the country, because you can find a lot of info about it very quickly on the internet. How could they even maintain a semblance of legitimacy amid so many reports of fraud and interference?
ReplyDeleteI also wonder what they think will happen now that they have released Suu Kyi. She was clearly under house arrest so that she couldn't participate in (and win) the elections. But do they think that since they had them now they won't have to worry about her? I am interested to see how the situation in Myanmar develops in the coming months and years. I hope it gets better, but I'm not holding my breath.