SIF labels junta-organized election Myanmar’s ‘biggest fraud’

By Admin 19 Dec 2025

DMG Newsroom

19 December 2025, Mrauk-U

A report by the Strategic Initiative Forum (SIF) says elections organized by Myanmar’s military junta are not based on public consent but are aimed solely at ensuring the regime’s survival, describing them as the biggest fraud in the country.

SIF released the report, titled “The Biggest Fraud in Myanmar: The 2025 Sham Election,” on December 18. It highlights factors including manipulation of the electoral system in favour of the military, as well as the absence of participation by popular political parties and leaders.

According to the report, the junta’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has already won 31 constituencies where no other parties are contesting, and is likely to secure at least 83 of the remaining 85 constituencies.

Election observers said the SIF findings clearly indicate that the military is staging a sham election while seeking international legitimacy under the guise of democratic practice.

“The findings are being released to inform the international community, local people and the political community that the military regime is preparing to hold a sham election and deceive the people,” said Ko Tein Oo, former secretary of the All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress (AASYC), who attended the report launch.

The SIF report also raises concerns about the impartiality of the process, noting that the chair of the Union Election Commission (UEC) is a retired general. It further warns that the use of electronic voting machines could enable manipulation of election results.

The report says the military regime has also created USDP-affiliated parties and is preparing to form a government through sham elections, making it impossible for other parties to compete in terms of manpower, funding, offices and organizational capacity.

“The military regime has already decided the outcome. The election is just a name. The regime will seek international recognition as a government elected by the people,” Ko Tein Oo added.

Political analysts say the Myanmar public does not recognize the junta-sponsored election and that revolutionary forces must oppose it through various means.

“The military has already decided to hold its own election and form its own government. This election will only bring more suffering to Myanmar,” said a political analyst in Arakan State. “The country’s future depends on ending military dictatorship, and there must be stronger coordination between the people and revolutionary forces.”

The military regime has announced that elections will be held in 102 townships during the first phase, scheduled for December 28.

It has also enacted the Law on the Protection of Multiparty Democratic General Elections, which prescribes penalties ranging from three years’ imprisonment to the death penalty for those accused of disrupting or intending to disrupt the election.

According to a December 16 statement from the junta-controlled Ministry of Information, action has been taken against 229 people nationwide under the law.

Meanwhile, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has reported that the military regime continues to commit serious international crimes, including in the lead-up to the planned election.