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Myanmar people skeptical of junta’s promises of election, peace

July 20, 2025

Myanmar's military junta recently hosted a "Peace Forum" and is preparing for elections in late 2025 or early 2026, despite widespread distrust among citizens. The three-day forum in Naypyitaw excluded resistance forces and ethnic armed organizations actively fighting the regime, while continuing military airstrikes in various regions. The junta claims it will hold elections in 267 townships, though it only controls 32% of Myanmar's townships according to the civilian National Unity Government.

Who is affected

  • 3.5 million internally displaced people across Myanmar due to armed conflicts
  • Citizens who oppose the junta, including 6,863 killed and 29,367 detained since the 2021 coup
  • Residents in areas experiencing continued military offensives and airstrikes, particularly in northern Shan State
  • Members of the Civil Disobedience Movement
  • People fleeing mandatory military conscription
  • Residents of areas controlled by resistance groups and ethnic armed organizations
  • Voters who distrust the electoral process

What action is being taken

  • The military junta is hosting peace talks while simultaneously conducting military airstrikes
  • The regime is accelerating preparations for elections scheduled for December 2025 or January 2026
  • The junta is amending the Union Election Commission Law to allow government staff to chair all election bodies
  • The military is developing a special law to shield the planned election from possible disruptions
  • The junta's election body is approving political parties to contest the upcoming poll

Why it matters

  • The junta's simultaneous pursuit of "peace talks" and elections while conducting military operations exposes the contradictions in its governance approach. The exclusion of resistance forces from peace discussions undermines any meaningful resolution to the conflict. The planned election is widely viewed as illegitimate, with the country's most popular party (National League for Democracy) dissolved and its leaders imprisoned. International bodies including the UN, Western governments, and ASEAN have condemned or questioned the election's legitimacy. The military's limited territorial control (only 32% of townships) further challenges the feasibility of nationwide elections.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices