The UK must act against Myanmar’s shameful sham election

Three days after Christmas, the military dictatorship in Myanmar (formerly Burma) held the first round of so-called elections. But let us be in no doubt – these are completely sham and illegitimate, designed not to establish democracy but to legitimise the junta’s brutal and repressive rule.

Myanmar’s military regime seized power in a coup on 1 February 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. She and many of her colleagues from her National League for Democracy (NLD) have been held in prison ever since, along with more than 22,000 other political prisoners. Concerns are mounting in respect of the deteriorating health of 80-year-old Suu Kyi and the lack of information about her wellbeing and whereabouts. Earlier this week, her son Kim Aris said that “she could be dead”.

Over 40 political parties, including the NLD, have been dissolved by the regime and banned from contesting the elections. A new decree criminalises criticism of the elections, and threatens those who violate this with up to 20 years in prison. At least 94 people have been arrested so far.

Civil society and independent media have been driven underground or into exile, unable to operate freely in the country. Access to the internet is restricted, freedom of expression is denied, and there is no right of assembly and no independent judiciary.

On top of this, Myanmar is in the midst of a human rights and humanitarian crisis, with the junta conducting airstrikes on civilians on a daily basis. Schools, hospitals and places of worship are deliberately targeted in this campaign of terror, with airstrikes often taking place at night when people are asleep in their homes. On 10 December, International Human Rights Day, the military bombed a hospital in Rakhine State, killing more than 30 people.

It is estimated by the United Nations that almost 20 million people – a third of the population – are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. At least 3.6 million people are internally displaced. Civil society organisations on the ground – who have more access to the conflict areas than the UN – put the figure much higher, perhaps at 5 million.

As a result of the conflict, most of the country’s population will be disenfranchised, because the election cannot be held in the war-torn regions or the areas under the control of the pro-democracy resistance groups. The junta has only been able to compile voter lists in 145 of the country’s 330 townships. Members of the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group that has faced a genocide since at least 2016, have been entirely excluded from the electoral roll, as has all of Rakhine State, where they primarily reside.

A country in the midst of civil war, with most of the legitimate, democratically elected leaders in jail and most opposition parties banned, with much of the population disenfranchised and no free press or rule of law, cannot credibly hold elections. The military’s charade must be entirely rejected by the international community for what it is – a rebranding exercise, not a reform process.

So what should the United Kingdom do?

First, it must address the collective failure of the international community and step up its global leadership on Myanmar. As the “pen holder” at the UN Security Council, and given our historic ties with Myanmar, the British government must lead the global response to these sham elections. It has already made clear that it will not recognise them, but it must now mobilise other UN member states to intensify pressure on the junta to change course.

Last month, the UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews visited London and carried a clear message for our government. “The United Kingdom is in a unique position to help drive a strong international response ... The people of Myanmar have shown extraordinary courage. They deserve an international response that matches their determination. The United Kingdom can play a decisive role – and now is the moment to act.”

This should involve coordinating and enforcing a new round of targeted sanctions, to cut the flow of funds and arms to the junta and to place an embargo on sources of aviation fuel that enable the military to conduct its airstrikes against civilians.

It should also involve increased humanitarian aid to those most in need, to be delivered through border-based civil society groups and not through channels that could be diverted and misused by the regime.

Britain should expel Myanmar’s military attache. There can be no justification for having a military attache in London representing a regime that is perpetrating genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

And Britain should seek a new resolution on Myanmar at the Security Council, demanding the release of all political prisoners, an end to attacks on civilians, and accountability for atrocity crimes.

In addition, Britain must make it abundantly clear not only that it will not recognise the sham elections, but also that it will not engage with or legitimise the regime that takes office as a result of them.

It must also intensify efforts to demand the release of Suu Kyi, the most prominent female political prisoner in the world, who has close ties with this country through her late British husband Michael Aris and her sons. Despite being in prison and in deteriorating health, she remains one of the few flames of democracy still flickering.

Twenty years ago, I visited Myanmar and travelled across the border from Thailand into war-torn Karen State, under the previous military regime. Then, during the decade of apparent reform and opening that began in 2012, I travelled several times to the country, to meet with Suu Kyi and the NLD and support the fragile transition to democracy. The tragedy of the 2021 coup, which turned the clock back by at least a decade and undid all the progress towards liberalisation and peace, must not be legitimised. Britain must lead the world in supporting the people of Myanmar in pursuit of true freedom.

Sir Andrew Mitchell is the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield. He served as secretary of state for international development under David Cameron and as minister for development and Africa, deputy foreign secretary, and shadow foreign secretary under Rishi Sunak