Myanmar to hold national census next month to compile voter lists

Sept. 2, 2024, 4:34 p.m.

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Myanmar is scheduled to conduct a national census next month to create voter lists for a general election and to analyze population and socioeconomic trends, as announced by the head of the military government.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing's declaration on Sunday comes amidst a civil war in Myanmar where the army has been pushed onto the defensive by pro-democracy fighters and ethnic militias seeking autonomy in various parts of the country.

Advertisement A group spearheading the pro-democracy movement, the National Unity Government, expressed doubt about the military government's genuine intention to hold an election anytime soon and advised people to exercise “caution” when responding to census inquiries.

Min Aung Hlaing said the “ultimate mission” of the ruling State Administrative Council is to hold a “free and fair multiparty democratic election" and that the census would be used to build voter lists, but did not specify a date for polling. He previously has pledged to hold an election in 2025.

He further stated that the data would be used for current and future development initiatives.

In a televised address, published Monday in the state-controlled newspaper The Mirror, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing announced that the census - conducted every decade - will take place across the country from October 1st to October 15th. He urged the population to participate fully and answer all questions without fear or hesitation.

The junta has stated that elections are their goal since taking control from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. They initially announced that elections would be held in August 2023 but have consistently postponed the date.

The military justified its 2021 takeover by alleging widespread electoral fraud in the November 2020 general election, which saw a landslide victory for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. However, independent election observers rejected these claims.

Advertisement The military's seizure of power triggered widespread protests, which were met with brutal suppression, leading to the emergence of armed resistance. As a result, large portions of the country are now engulfed in conflict.

The National Unity Government (NUG), opposed to the junta, condemned the census plans and labeled the military government a “terrorist” group.

“If the people share their information with the terrorist organization, it will only use it to further terrorize the public,” NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt told The Associated Press. “The election is a mere pretense. A terrorist group has no right to hold elections. Therefore, it is crucial for the public to be cautious about sharing information.”

Critics argue that any general election held by the military would be an attempt to legitimize its power grab through the electoral process.

Critics have already denounced the upcoming elections, claiming they will be neither free nor fair due to the lack of a free press and the arrest of most National League for Democracy party leaders. Suu Kyi, 79, is currently serving a combined 27-year prison sentence after being convicted in a series of politically motivated trials.

The country’s security situation poses a serious challenge to verifying voter lists, because the military is believed to be in control of less than half the country.

Advertisement According to a July report by the Institute for Strategy and Policy, an independent think tank, there have been at least 14,374 clashes in 233 of Myanmar’s 330 townships since the military takeover. The report states that pro-democracy fighters and ethnic minority armed groups have taken control of up to 60 towns.

At a meeting at the end of July, Min Aung Hlaing said the data collecting process for the census would be prioritized in areas under the military’s control. He also said that the election will be held in the peaceful areas first, state-run media reported.

Early in 2023, when elections were anticipated later in the year, the military initiated an attempt to create voter registration lists. Resistance forces disrupted these three-week survey efforts, resulting in the deaths of approximately a dozen individuals, including two police officers and local officials, and the capture of four military government personnel.

Advertisement The National Unity Government, which considers itself to be Myanmar’s legitimate government, at that time warned that those who helped collect survey information would face reprisals.