STEPHEN LENDMAN
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]yanmar is no democracy. Junta power rules, civilians representing it since 2011. Expect no change post-election, most Myanmarians unaware about the absence of democratic ballot choices.
On Sunday, they voted in general elections, touted as the first free ones in 25 years. Ignore the hype and lionization of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Western darling, alone enough to raise red flags.
She heads the National League for Democracy (NLD) contesting for Myanmar’s presidency (she’s constitutionally barred from holding) against ruling Union Solidarity Development Party chairman (current president) Thein Sein, a former military commander.
Hundreds of upper and lower house Pyidaungsu Hluttaw legislative seats are at stake – one-fourth of them reserved for military appointees.
Democracy is verboten in Myanmar no matter who wins, the election a worthless exercise in futility. In December 2006, the Burma Campaign UK produced a report titled “Failing the People of Burma (the colonial name under British rule – from 1824 – 1948)?” It exposed Suu Kyi’s Western funding sources.
No so-called Myanmar pro-democracy groups promote establishing it. The US State Department-funded National Endowment for Democracy (NED) funds internal pro-Western interests, Suu Kyi one of its prominent recipients along with groups close to her.
Soros’ Open Society Institute provides generous backing. Washington claiming it supports a democratic Myanmar is a complete fabrication. It wants Chinese influence eliminated, replaced by its own, one of many attempts to isolate and marginalize Beijing.
Western headlines conceal the anti-democratic agenda:
New York Times: “Voters Are Joyful in Myanmar, Days Before Results”
They’re already known. Business as usual again triumphed – junta power like in America, two political systems differing only in style and rhetoric.
Washington Post: “Burma (sic) votes in first democratic election in years”
WaPo calling Myanmar “Burma” would be like Britain calling America “the colonies.”
Wall Street Journal: “Myanmar Votes Amid Claims of Irregularities” – on the one hand, calling the process the “freest…in more than a half-century,” while on the other, citing Suu Kyi claiming fraud.
London Guardian: “Aung San Suu Kyi casts vote in Myanmar’s first free election in 25 years”
Few countries anywhere hold independently judged free, fair and open elections. Monitoring is verboten in most Western countries (especially for America’s money-controlled process) and Israel.
BBC: “Myanmar votes in first open election in 25 years”
Last week, Suu Kyi vowed to run Myanmar “above the presidency,” appointing an unnamed proxy to represent her – a so-called “benchwarmer” until a new ruling party enacts constitutional change, letting her govern.
Before votes are counted, fairly or otherwise, it’s unclear if her NLD alone or with allied candidates has enough support to win more than two-thirds of the contested seats to be able to declare victory.
A Suu Kyi presidency, if permitted, would test her democratic credentials. Junta power remains in control, electoral results when announced changing nothing.
