Myanmar migrant workers abroad say they are being pressured to cast advance votes for the military junta’s election, with officials offering promises of improved work permits, residency documents, and labor rights.
In recent days, teams from the Union Election Commission (UEC) and staff from Myanmar embassies abroad have been visiting Myanmar learning centers, workplaces, and areas where migrant workers gather. They claim they will help workers with issues related to labor rights and residency documents, while urging them to join advance voting.
“A common tactic is promising that if the Union Solidarity and Development Party becomes the government after the election, they will review and fix problems with workers’ documents and labor rights for Myanmar migrants abroad. These promises are being used to influence their votes,” said a migrant rights worker in Thailand.
Similar reports have emerged from Myanmar embassies in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Migrant workers renewing their passports or requesting new documents say embassy staff pressured them to vote, warning that their documents might not be issued if they refuse.
The Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok announced on December 1 that Myanmar nationals who submitted Form 15 before October 15 will be allowed to cast advance votes on December 6 and 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the embassy.
However, according to migrant workers contacted by the Independent Mon News Agency, although embassies continue to urge overseas Myanmar citizens to participate in advance voting, many workers say they will not vote because they do not trust the junta’s election process, which they believe is neither free nor fair.
A Mon youth in Thailand said migrant workers also fear that refusing to vote may lead to difficulties when applying for documents at the embassy.
“Most people don’t want to vote. But they are worried about pressure. If we don’t fill out the form, they might refuse to provide certain documents. We’re still worried about problems with our papers,” he said.
During the 2020 general election, large groups of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea collectively applied for Form 15 but were later barred from voting three months before election day.
For the junta-organized election this year, the UEC extended the Form 15 application period several times, but very few migrants showed interest, and reports say hardly anyone has applied.
