Myanmar Votes During a Civil War: Why This Election Could Tear the Country Apart | Fair Observer

Myanmar is heading into elections on December 28 while the country remains trapped in a brutal civil war. More than 6,000 people have been killed, over 3.5 million displaced, and nearly half the population pushed into poverty since the 2021 military coup. In this episode of FO Talks, Rohan Khattar Singh speaks with Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Executive Director of the South Asia Project at the Millennium Project, to unpack why Myanmar’s military junta is holding elections at its weakest moment. The discussion examines the collapse of state control, the rise of resistance forces, ethnic armed groups, and why the opposition has been entirely excluded from the vote. The conversation also explores China, India, ASEAN, regional spillover risks, illicit trade networks, and why this election is widely viewed as an attempt to manufacture legitimacy rather than restore democracy. Is this election a step toward stability or a move that deepens Myanmar’s fractures? This episode explains what is really at stake.   00:00 Myanmar’s First Election Since 2021 Coup 05:30 Myanmar’s Junta Buying Time? 09:00 Opposition Silenced in 2025 Election 13:15 What Does the Junta Want? 16:00 What Do the Ethnic Groups Want? 20:00 Is the Election Fair? 24:00 Global Silence on Myanmar 27:30 Peace in Myanmar