The Star-Light Column (Sakapo Battalion) of the Karenni Territorial Liberation Army (KTLA) has urged the public to reject the military commission’s upcoming election by staging a nationwide boycott, framing it as a peaceful yet powerful expression of democratic will.
KTLA spokesperson Ko Chan said the boycott is intended to signal the people’s refusal to endorse the junta’s authority. He emphasized that while revolutionary forces are not coercing citizens, they advise avoiding participation in the polls, particularly where security cannot be guaranteed. He added that resistance groups would make every effort to prevent civilians from harm.
“We are not pressuring the people to abstain from voting at all costs,” Ko Chan explained. “What matters is that by not voting, you show that you do not support the dictatorship. If the situation is unsafe, we urge people to avoid it. On our side, we are working to protect security and ensure people’s lives are not endangered.”
The KTLA warned that the elections could intensify domestic conflict, noting that the military commission is attempting to use the process to claim political legitimacy. Revolutionary groups and the public, however, are unlikely to accept the results, a stance that could escalate armed clashes and harden the trajectory of the revolution.
According to the spokesperson, KTLA plans to oppose the elections on both political and military fronts. Internationally, the group aims to mobilize recognition campaigns to ensure the polls are not legitimized.
“We will resist on all fronts,” he said. “Militarily, we will launch effective attacks on polling stations and junta security forces to disrupt their operations. Politically, we will campaign for a complete boycott and call on the international community not to recognize the election.”
The group said the military commission’s reliance on what it called “sham processes” reflects both political paralysis and military weakness. KTLA pledged that the revolution would press forward until a genuine federal democratic union is established.
Meanwhile, junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to take action against those campaigning online to disrupt the elections, even as the regime steps up preparations for the polls.
Across Myanmar, revolutionary groups continue to denounce the planned vote as an illegitimate exercise that does not reflect the people’s will. They are intensifying calls for citizens to boycott the election entirely.
