Burma News International (BNI) has urged the international community not to misinterpret the upcoming election—widely seen as lacking legitimacy and shaped by repression—as a step toward political normalization.
The call was made during the launch of BNI’s analytical report on the 2025 election, held on April 5.
According to the report, voting could not be conducted in 67 townships nationwide. Even in areas where the election took place, at least 3,682 people were denied the right to vote, while human rights violations have continued to occur.
BNI Media Development Committee Chair Ma Aye Mi said international policies should be guided by the realities on the ground, particularly the voices of those who have been excluded.
“The public’s rejection and the lack of international recognition show that the election is still far from legitimate. Therefore, we urge the international community not to misinterpret it as political normalization, but to listen to the voices of those on the ground who are being excluded,” she said.
She added that the election has been widely described by international and ASEAN organizations as a process designed to create the appearance of a civilian government, a characterization that cannot be denied.
U Sein Win, managing editor of Mizzima News, said there is little expectation for meaningful change after the election in 2026, noting that political participation remains limited and tensions are likely to persist.
“The election appears to have been carefully pre-planned, with the same actors simply rebranded. Dissatisfaction will continue, conflicts will persist, and territorial control will remain decisive. There is no political solution, so fighting over territory will likely continue,” he said.
He further warned that ongoing competition between opposing sides could lead to worsening economic conditions in areas under their respective control, along with new challenges related to emerging political dynamics.
BNI held the online launch of its report titled “Disenfranchised Voters: An Analysis of Election Processes in Ethnic Areas” on April 6, with the event lasting more than an hour.
The report was compiled using field-based data collected by BNI member organizations to support understanding of Myanmar’s political developments. BNI also plans to continue monitoring future election phases and publish further reports.
