London, Jan 6 (NationPress) The current electoral process in Myanmar, spanning three phases from December 28 to January 25, is anticipated to yield no significant alterations, as Western diplomats and analysts characterize it as a mere “pantomime”—a superficial exercise by the military junta aimed at garnering international legitimacy, according to a report released on Monday.

Furthermore, while Beijing has determined that an unstable criminal state neighboring its territory is unsustainable, it is clear that the ongoing elections in Myanmar are neither free nor fair.

“Outside polling stations, which are heavily guarded by armed police, a cheerful music video plays on a loop, encouraging public participation in the elections. However, there appears to be little enthusiasm for the vote in Yangon, one of Myanmar's largest cities,” the UK-based publication The Telegraph reported.

This marks the first election in the nation since 2020, with various international media outlets receiving rare access.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm, voter turnout in Yangon and Mandalay—the two largest cities under military control—remains minimal, contrasting sharply with 2020, when a massive turnout resulted in a landslide victory for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“I don’t want to vote, but I am afraid not to. I feel trapped,” expressed a 32-year-old woman, who wished to remain anonymous, echoing sentiments shared by many interviewed by The Telegraph.

“If I vote, I feel like I am betraying my own beliefs. If I don’t vote, I fear that my name will be recorded, and I could be questioned later. Each choice feels perilous,” she added.

The report highlighted that it has been nearly five years since the military ousted Suu Kyi's popular government, which had marked the end of a decade filled with development and democratic aspirations, plunging the nation into a brutal conflict that has devastated the economy and exacerbated social crises.

With little inclination towards genuine reform, the junta's focus has been on urging citizens to vote rather than addressing the myriad challenges faced by Myanmar.

“[The election] is the latest and most egregious in a long history of rigged votes orchestrated by the military,” stated Yanghee Lee, a former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar.

“They have no intention of reopening the limited democratic space—rather, their goal is to ensure that such a space never emerges again,” The Telegraph quoted her as saying during a recent press briefing.

“[The election] does not signify a softening of their stance, but rather a reinforcement of it.”

She characterized the elections in Myanmar as “neither free nor fair,” cautioning that the outcome is predetermined.

Supporting Lee's concerns, Richard Horsey, an analyst at Crisis Group, remarked, “Once more, as it has for 80 years, the military has devised a method to maintain its grip on power,” adding that China has been “urging the regime to move forward with the polls without further delay.”