Features|Elections‘A comedy show’: Myanmar youth in exile slam military-run ‘sham’ electionMyanmar tattooist Ng La cares little for Sunday’s national election organised by his country’s despised military leaders.
## Political and Social Impact in Myanmar
Political and Social Impact in Myanmar
The military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has led to significant political and social upheaval. Following the coup, the military overturned the results of the 2015 and 2020 elections, which were considered the first fair elections in Myanmar's history. This action triggered a civil conflict that has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread violence, including air strikes on rural populations, the use of landmines, and oppressive conscription laws enacted by the military regime.
The Myanmar military has announced plans to hold its own election on Sunday, which is perceived as lacking credibility and intended to legitimize its power. Several political parties have registered for the polls, but the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, is barred from participating.
The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has criticized the election as a "sham," noting that elections held amid military violence and repression cannot be free, fair, or credible.
The military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has led to significant political and social upheaval.
The United Nations estimates that approximately 3.5 million people have been displaced internally in Myanmar, with hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in neighboring countries such as Thailand, India, and Bangladesh. Thailand hosts about 85,000 long-term refugees in permanent camps along the border. Recently, Thailand granted working rights to registered refugees, although undocumented migrants continue to face challenges, including harassment, arrest, and deportation.
Many Myanmar nationals living in exile, particularly in Mae Sot, Thailand, experience difficulties such as lack of legal access to healthcare, education, or work. Some are considering applying for refugee status to build a new life elsewhere, while others hope for a return to Myanmar when conditions improve.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.