The Burmese military doesn’t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to upholding election results. But on Monday, the Burmese commander-in-chief assured, “The Tatmadaw’s [the Burmese military] desire is to see the upcoming elections be held free and fair. We will approve and support the results announced by the Union Election Commission.” A verbal commitment is welcome, even if it must be taken with a very large grain of salt.
Unfortunately, even if the election is conducted in accordance with international standards, there is virtually no way for the election results to be representative of the Burmese people’s desires. First off, by law, a quarter of seats in parliament are reserved for unelected military officers. That group can, most importantly, block revision of the constitution, which bars democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from running for president.
Military representative members of Myanmar’s Parliament register as they attend a Parliament meeting at Lower House of Parliament in Naypyitaw August 18, 2015. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun.
Second, the Burmese government is in the process of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, many of whom have lived in the country for decades but whom Naypyidaw now insists are not citizens. The new, open, freer Burma is not nearly as open and free as one might hope.
The US government has seemed to adopt a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the elections. Speaking in Burma earlier this year, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken had this to say:
All eyes will be on Myanmar during the parliamentary elections later this year. We welcome the government’s pledge to hold credible, inclusive, transparent parliamentary elections in November, and we’re working together to promote a peaceful, inclusive election environment. The election will be an important marker in reaffirming to the world Myanmar’s commitment to political reform. Citizens must have the freedom to speak their minds without reprisal. And all people of Myanmar must be able to elect their representatives without fear.
This is an important moment, when Myanmar must move forward together as one nation to advance its reforms, strengthen the roots of democracy, and protect the rights and freedoms for all people in Myanmar, regardless of race, regardless of religion. Doing so is critical to Myanmar’s national security, to its prosperity, to its unity, and to its future.
We don’t need to wait for the elections this fall to see that Burma has already limited its people’s freedom to speak by taking away their vote; or that rather than strengthening the roots of democracy, the Burmese government is poisoning them; or that the rights and freedoms for all people in Burma have, in important ways, been curtailed since the last elections were held.
After easing sanctions on Burma, President Obama issued an executive order expanding the secretary of the treasury’s authority to impose sanctions on “those who undermine the reform process, engage in human rights abuses, contribute to ethnic conflict, or participate in military trade with North Korea.”
If the United States wants the upcoming elections to be truly free and fair—and inconclusive—the president must use his leverage now.
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