UN Expert Urges ASEAN to Reject Myanmar Junta’s “Sham Elections” and Step Up

“The military junta has been scoffing at ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus since the moment it was signed over four years ago,” said Andrews.

On the eve of the 47th ASEAN Summit, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, delivered a stark warning: ASEAN must decisively reject any attempts by Myanmar’s military junta to hold illegitimate elections designed to entrench its rule and deflect global condemnation.

Andrews called the regional bloc to account, urging leaders to abandon passive diplomacy and adopt a firmer stance against what he described as a deepening human rights catastrophe in Myanmar. With violence escalating and civil liberties extinguished, the proposed elections—widely expected to be neither free nor fair—would only cement military control under the guise of democracy.

“The military junta has been scoffing at ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus since the moment it was signed over four years ago,” said Andrews. “Now, it wants ASEAN to legitimise a sham election despite the fact that tens of thousands of political prisoners are behind bars, freedom of speech and the press are outlawed, and military attacks against civilians continue unabated.”

A Consensus Undermined

The Five Point Consensus, adopted by ASEAN in 2021 in response to Myanmar’s military coup, called for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, a special ASEAN envoy to facilitate mediation, humanitarian assistance, and a visit to Myanmar by the envoy. But as Andrews pointed out, these commitments have gone unfulfilled by the junta, which has only intensified its repression since.

Four years into the crisis, the military continues to ignore regional diplomatic efforts, waging a brutal campaign of repression against civilians, especially in ethnic minority regions. The junta has imprisoned political opponents, shut down independent media, and used airstrikes and scorched-earth tactics against communities resisting its rule.

“To recognise the junta’s fraudulent election would be to move Myanmar backward and defend the indefensible,” said Andrews. “ASEAN leaders must refrain from doing anything to legitimise the junta’s charade, including sending observers to monitor the polls.”

Elections Under Siege: A Farce in the Making

Andrews emphasized that credible elections cannot occur in a context where:

• Political leaders and opposition figures remain in prison or in exile

• Basic freedoms like speech, assembly, and press have been crushed

• The military controls the electoral process without any transparency

• Civilians live under the constant threat of arrest, torture, or death

To support or even observe such a process, Andrews warned, would mean endorsing a facade of legitimacy for a regime that rose to power through a coup in 2021 and continues to act with impunity.

A Path Toward Accountability and Inclusion

The Special Rapporteur laid out a clear set of actions for ASEAN leaders to regain credibility and demonstrate leadership in the face of regional and global scrutiny:

1. Acknowledge the junta’s flagrant violations of the Five Point Consensus and cease treating the military regime as a legitimate political authority.

2. Prohibit junta representatives from attending ASEAN events, meetings, and summits to prevent normalisation of military rule.

3. Engage directly with the National Unity Government (NUG), ethnic resistance organizations, and civil society groups that represent the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people.

4. Facilitate humanitarian access, including through cross-border aid coordinated with local civil society, to reach populations intentionally denied support by the junta.

“The people of Myanmar continue to show remarkable courage in their struggle for freedom and human rights,” said Andrews. “They need action, not words.”

A Defining Moment for ASEAN’s Integrity

The upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit, Andrews stressed, represents a critical inflection point for the regional bloc. Its decisions will reflect not just its position on Myanmar, but its identity as a community founded on mutual respect, human rights, and regional cooperation.

Andrews argued that ASEAN must choose between appeasement and principle, warning that failure to act boldly would further erode the bloc’s credibility on the global stage, while deepening the suffering of the Myanmar people.

“At the very least,” he concluded, “ASEAN must not take a step backward by recognising and legitimising a sham election.”

As the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar worsens and the junta consolidates power, the pressure is mounting on ASEAN to live up to its principles—or risk complicity through silence and inaction.