Promising Democratic Elections, Myanmar Military Appoints A Former General As Chair Of The General Election Commission

Myanmar military patrols after coup. (Wikimedia Commons / KMK from Myanmar)

JAKARTA - The Myanmar military regime has announced new officials from the Union Election Commission (UEC), or the General Election Commission, to prepare for elections after a coup that rejected the results of the November 8, 2020 election which was won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) by a landslide.

The newly appointed Tatmadaw electoral body consisted of six members led by Chairman U Thein Soe. This figure is believed to be a former judge-general, military lawyer who oversaw the 2010 General Election, reported The Irrawaddy.

The elections run by the junta in 2010 are generally seen as manipulating votes, to ensure power is handed over to the political representatives of the military, the United Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

In the 2010 vote, former major commission general U Thein Soe banned international media and foreign observers from covering the election. The NLD and many pro-democracy parties boycotted the 2010 elections, citing unfair election laws and regulations.

Among the members of this new UEC iteration is U Thaung Tin, founder of the KMD Computer Group. U Thaung Tin served as Deputy Minister of Communication and Information Technology under the quasi-civil government of U Thein Sein. His appointment to the UEC has sparked criticism and calls for a boycott of the KMD.

Earlier, the Office of the Supreme Commander of the Defense Agency in an announcement issued after the coup on Monday 1 February promised to hold free and fair elections. And, power will be handed over to the winning party

For information, a number of political parties and representatives elected in the 8 November 2020 Election asked the military to accept the election results, instead of holding another election. They also asked the detained NLD leaders to be released.