Myanmar’s Election Goes Ahead in a Ghost Town Amid War and Displacement
Good evening. Tonight, we take you to Myanmar, where the country’s military-led election is moving into its second phase and one location on the ballot tells a powerful and troubling story.
The town is called Hpapun. Not long ago, this was a busy regional center in eastern Myanmar. It had banks, government offices, shops and even its own airport, something rare in such a remote area. People lived, worked and raised families there. Today, Hpapun is silent. Completely empty. A ghost town.
Yet this weekend, the ruling military government says voting will take place there.
When journalists visited Hpapun recently, there was not a single civilian left. Homes and businesses were burned or bombed. Nature is slowly taking over. At the police station, a faded sign asks, “Can we help you?” But just inside the gate, warning signs mark landmines. The town itself is too dangerous for civilians to enter.
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So where will voting happen? Not in the town center. Some ballots are expected to be cast at a military command post several kilometers away. To reach it, anyone would have to pass landmines, booby traps and hundreds of government soldiers who have been surrounded by resistance forces for months. In reality, very few civilians can even get close.
Rebel groups fighting the military say this election is not real. They argue it is designed to give the appearance of legitimacy while the army keeps full control. And Hpapun is not an isolated case.
Across Myanmar, the civil war has displaced millions of people. At least 3.5 million eligible voters are unable to vote because they have been forced from their homes by fighting and air strikes. Many now live in makeshift camps, surviving with little help and limited information. Some say they did not even know an election was happening.
Meanwhile, in big cities like Yangon, life looks very different. Security is lighter, shops are open and the war feels far away. Urban areas voted in the first phase late last year. But even there, turnout appears low. With only military-backed parties allowed on the ballot, many people simply stayed home.
The pro-military party has already claimed an overwhelming victory in the first phase and few expect surprises when the final results are announced later this month.
So what does this mean? For critics, elections held in empty towns and amid mass displacement highlight how divided the country has become. They raise serious questions about representation, legitimacy and Myanmar’s political future.
As voting continues, the contrast is stark. Ballots are being cast, but in many places, the people are gone. That is the reality of an election taking place in the shadow of war.
We’ll continue to follow this story closely. Thank you for watching.
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