UN expert: Myanmar junta will seek legitimacy in ‘sham’ vote

By Edith M. Lederer The

Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The independent UN special investigator on Myanmar warned Tuesday that the country’s military rulers plan to seek legitimacy by orchestrating a “sham” election this year and urged all countries to reject the illegal and “farcical” vote.

Tom Andrews also called for nations that support human rights and democracy to recognize the underground umbrella organization for opponents of military rule as the legitimate representative of Myanmar’s people.

He said in a report to the Human Rights Council released on the eve of the second anniversary of the ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government that according to the constitution drafted by the military in 2008, its coup on February 1, 2021, “was illegal and its claim as Myanmar’s government is illegitimate.”

UN member nations, Andrews said, “have an important responsibility and role to play in determining whether Myanmar’s military junta will succeed in achieving its goal of being accepted as legitimate and gaining control of a nation in revolt.”

“You cannot have a free and fair election when the opposition is arrested, detained, tortured, and executed,” journalists are prohibited from doing their job, and it is a crime to criticize the military, Andrews said at a news conference. He noted that most of the international community has refused to accept the military’s claim to be the legitimate government of Myanmar. A small minority, including China, Russia, India, Belarus, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, have taken actions tantamount to recognition such as presenting diplomatic credentials to the junta leaders and strengthening military and economic relations, he said.

Andrews called for recognition and support for the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military. It was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power.

Andrews said he is encouraged by the increasing engagement of the United States, the European Union and Canada with the National Unity Government.

Presenting the report at a news conference, Andrews called Myanmar’s situation “the forgotten war”

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