Burma Partnership's blog

By Burma Partnership
18 January 2011

"There was intimidation and forced voting. People in the villages also said they were given presents and money. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) told voters to vote for them at the polling station. The uneducated people were convinced by the USDP. We also realized that the USDP had many advance votes. The USDP conducted a census of elderly people and counted them all as advance votes. I do not think significant changes will occur after the election. This is just to change the name [of the government]."

– A voter from Irrawaddy Division

Burma’s elections took place in a highly undemocratic and repressive environment governed by a countrywide entrenched climate of fear. This environment, coupled with a lack of voter secrecy, ensured that the regime and its allied parties were able to easily carry out electoral fraud on a widespread and systematic basis. Through the manipulation of advance votes, tampering of voter lists, vote buying, and illegal campaigning, the USDP was able to comfortably secure an overwhelming victory, despite the complete lack of genuine public support.

By Burma Partnership
19 November 2010

"Voters were watched closely while casting votes. It was not free. There will not be change… We were scared and there was nothing we could do".
- A voter in Shan State

Burma’s November elections took place in an environment marred by widespread violence and intimidation as the regime sought to exploit the pervasive climate of fear in Burma to ensure complete control over the electoral process. Intimidation and threats were carried out in the lead up to the elections, in order to ensure a lack of a viable political opposition and to guarantee ‘popular support’ for regime-backed parties. These threats proved to be largely successful, and when they were not, the regime often followed up the threats with repercussions. Such election related human rights violations took place across the country, but were noticeably worse in ethnic areas, highlighting the regime’s long-standing policy of ethnic discrimination and persecution. This disregard for ethnic rights has translated in heightened tension between ethnic communities and the central regime, and an associated risk of increased armed conflict in ethnic areas.

By Burma Partnership
15 November 2010

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s emergence from house arrest following the expiration of her wrongful detention sentence has caused a ripple effect across Burma’s political scene. Unable to keep the democracy leader under detention any longer according to their own laws, the regime’s inability to manipulate the political environment in this situation has brought about a greater potential for political change that their fraudulent elections ever did.[...]

By Burma Partnership
13 November 2010

Today marked the end of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s most recent term of seven years under house arrest as Burma’s military regime finally released the democracy leader upon the expiration of her sentence. Thousands of National League for Democracy (NLD) members and her supporters gathered outside of her house to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader on this historic day. The crowd cheered elatedly as she emerged from her house. People wept for joy, danced and celebrated to long awaited release of the democracy leader. “We must work together in unison to achieve our goal,” she said, reiterating her timeless commitment to unity and peace.[...]

By Burma Partnership
10 November 2010

On 8 November, one day after the elections, as many as 30,000 refugees spilled across the border into neighboring Thailand as they fled violent skirmishes in the border-town of Myawaddy, Karen State. The violence has abated, but there is a growing possibility of renewed, and escalating violence throughout eastern Burma. The refugees were largely repatriated, but many crossed back to Thailand immediately, citing that the persisting instability made them fear for their lives. These ongoing clashes are indicative of the failure of the elections to address the fundamental concerns of the many ethnic communities.

By Burma Partnership
8 November 2010

Despite crippling media restrictions and a ban on international election monitors in Burma, over the course of the day there has been substantial and mounting evidence of significant elections-related violations emerging from the country.

By Burma Partnership

7 November 2010
On 27 May 1990, the people of Burma gathered in the millions to participate in a historic election – one that resulted in a landslide victory for the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other democracy and ethnic parties. The regime never recognized the results of the elections and has instead retained a firm grip on power through repressive military rule.