Burma will hold elections in the midst of the war, the first in five years

Burmese citizens will come to vote this Sunday in an election called by the military junta that governs the country since the coup d'état in February 2021.

The country has been in serious crisis since the army's military offensive to overturn the results of the November 2020 general election, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) won the victory.

These elections were announced in July, after a few months of delay, and will take place in three phases : this Sunday's vote, the next on 11 January, will be the third date on 25 January.

The military says these elections will mean a return to the "multiparty system," but critics report that the army is only seeking to "perpetuate itself in power" with elections.

The Armed Forces have stressed the need to continue elections despite wars and fighting and have ensured that the victory of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the 2020 elections is "illegal" because there were "irregularities" in the voter registration process.

However, international observers have ensured that no major problems were identified in voting in these elections and have warned that violence may prevent citizens from going to the polls in the areas most severely hit by the war.

The activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner is 80 years old and still in prison. Suu Kyi is serving 27 years in prison on charges that are part of the political persecution against her. His party dissolved after refusing to register officially under the new rules of the committee.

Other parties have also called for a boycott or refused to participate and accept the conditions imposed by the military. Thus, many insist that this process will not be "free and fair," and accuse committee chairman Min Aung Hlaing of seeking ways to continue to control power and keep it in the hands of the military.

On the other hand, the international community has maintained its sanctions against Burma for its continuedattacks on the civilian population   and its harsh repressive measures against dissidents.

The United Nations has accused the military committee that governs Burma of making "brutal" use of violence to force citizens to vote in elections this Sunday.

As a result of the war, electionscannot be held in 65 villages due to clashes between Burmese forces and rebel resistance groups.

Although more than fifty parties have nominated candidates, most of them stand only at the national level, and only six parties compete at the national level. The legislation supports the Union , Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) of the Military Committee. In total, nearly 5,000 candidates have been nominated to fill the seats of the Burmese Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Assembly.