2025 Election: Potential remedy for Myanmar; International arena should support
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Tun Mon Thet (NP News) - June 25
Despite deepening turmoil the country's situation, Myanmar's de facto leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has updated his pledge to convene the election with possibility in 2025. Political parties show a constructive view on the upcoming fresh election, possibly in 2025.
Arguments have arisen that Senior General frequently said plans to convene the new election within these three and a half years. Notwithstanding, things have been worsening in both political and military spheres. According to the facts finding, the Senior General has asserted once in 2022 pledging to convene the election in August 2023.
Passing a long and hectic journey in 2023 defending the country from harsh military assaults of the external-backed insurrections, Tatmadaw, National Defence and Security Council, State Administration Council (SAC), and Union Election Commission failed to hold the election within the designated time.
Recently, the Senior General has revealed his commitment to the election a second time and the scheme for the fresh election will be in late 2025. Still, there are drawbacks to successfully implementing it. However, those possible drawbacks come from the opposition and terrorism side, not from the Tatmadaw.
A local political party namely the New National Democracy Party (NNDP) gives a welcome remark on the possibility of the election in 2025. The party’s vice-chairman U Khaing Min remarks, “Election is the only exit for the current conflict. The elected government will emerge only through the election.
Therefore, we appreciate to convene the election,” adding that “Just one thing I want to urge the State Administration Council to take a thorough consideration for ensuring tight security so as to convene the election peacefully.”
Without a doubt, there are entities that do not want a new election that brings the country back to normalcy as they generate money from the so-called revolution. Entities such as NUG, PDF terrorists, exile news agencies, and the ethnic armed insurgents have always tried to depict the country with awkward images, information, and results. Those groups will truly try to deter a fresh election at any cost.
Recall the incident that the 1990 Election result was officially annulled by the 2010 Election. History repeats in Myanmar after more than a decade. And who knows that the potential 2025 Election will be another turning point in Myanmar like in 2010-2011.
Therefore, the international community and foreign states no matter whether allied countries or aggressive states to Myanmar should give a wave or a constructive view upon this potential 2025 Election for the sake of Myanmar people’s stability and prosperity instead of a long-lasting military dictatorship.
Only discouraging the Myanmar Military (Tatmadaw) with regard to holding the next election is, in other words, tearing down hopes for Myanmar in returning to democracy. Will the international community disregard Myanmar’s hope for democracy? Does the international community want to extend the military rule in Myanmar by disrespecting Myanmar’s own way of solving? Discouraging and insulting the Tatmadaw isn’t a bona fide positive approach.
Dating back to 2010, the State Peace and Development Council led by former Commander-in-Chief Senior General Than Shwe held the election at all costs by overcoming all hindrances including the lack of all-inclusivity at that time.
The term ‘All-inclusive’ is deemed to be controversy if the international community takes it only when the involvement of the National League for Democracy (NLD). The involvement of the NLD also depends on the willingness and commitment of the NLD leaders, members, and political paradigm of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. At present, the NLD has been dissolved autonomically as it refuses to register under the Political Parties Registration Law which was enacted in early 2023. To make clear, the authorities or the SAC did not annul the party’s existence, but it inevitably dissolved.
As per the statistics, the NLD secured 12 million votes in the 2015 Election out of over 35 million eligible voters under the Fast Past The Post electoral system. It is obvious that over two-thirds of the population did not vote for the NLD.
The NNDP vice-chairman U Khaing Min comments “I’m sure that the international community including ASEAN will support the election. For the issue of ‘All-inclusiveness’, the NLD isn’t a lawful entity right now. They (the international community) needn’t speak out for such outlaw organization or party or whatsoever.”
In fact, every individual in Myanmar has the right to vote, the right to refuse, and the right to be elected. As long as being stubborn to consider the tenacious entity in the bargain by making millions of people’s right to vote a wager in Myanmar’s political sphere is unfair to the citizens. If so, the consequences produced by the international community are deemed to be discrimination instead of practicing democracy – lack of human rights, right to vote and right to refuse individually.
Those foreign states that repeatedly against the potential election should keep in mind whether they are installing the sustainability of the military rule in Myanmar or their true colour is deterring Myanmar back to normalcy via election.