The national election is knocking on the door of Myanmar people. Is Aung San Suu Kyi going to sit in power in Myanmar again? Or is there going to be a change of power?
These are the questions that are circulating in the international arena. The country is going to have a general election next Sunday (November 8).
Myanmar began its path to democracy in 2010, ending 50 years of military rule. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi was released from house arrest.
In 1962, the army seized power in what was then Burma. On May 28, 1990, Myanmar held its first general election under military rule. Although Suu Kyi’s party won the election, the military ruled the country until 2011.
The country adopted a constitution in 2006. Then the general election was held in 2015. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won the election. But Suu Kyi has been widely criticized in the international arena over the Rohingya issue. Even the International Court of Justice has been accused of genocide against Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi.
Political tensions surrounding Myanmar have never stopped as the military has tight control at the center of power. In 2017, about 8 lakh Rohingyas took refuge in Bangladesh due to inhuman torture by the army in Rakhine State.
Despite hundreds of criticisms and controversies, the Rohingya and Rakhine were not allowed to participate in this election. Various quarters feel that their political rights are being violated in this. The United Nations has also expressed concern.
It is known that the total number of voters in this election is 36 million. Of these, 50 lakh votes belong to the youth. The ruling NLD government used force to stem the recent student movement. As a result, the All Burma Federation Students Union has called for a boycott of the elections.
