Junta's 'Elections': The Illusion of Choice
📰 THE STORY: Deutsche Welle reports that a junta-backed party is expected to win Myanmar's upcoming general elections, implying a further erosion of democratic norms following the 2021 military coup. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The mainstream narrative conveniently omits the extensive history of Western-backed 'democracy promotion' in Myanmar, often channeling funds and
support to groups designated as 'pro-democracy' but sometimes fostering instability. For instance, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has openly funded various organizations in Myanmar for decades, including the National League for Democracy (NLD) years before its ascent, blurring the lines between genuine grassroots movements and foreign-sponsored initiatives. This interventionism often
creates conditions ripe for military responses, then frames those responses as inherent authoritarianism. Double Standard: Western media decries the military's expected victory in Myanmar as illegitimate, a 'coup-backed' outcome. Yet, similar 'elections' and power consolidations in countries aligned with Western interests, such as those following US-backed coups in Latin America (e.g., Bolivia in
2019 where the OAS, funded by the US, legitimized the coup), often receive a far softer, if not outright supportive, framing. When US client states suppress dissent or hold sham elections, the coverage is often muted or spun as 'stabilization efforts.' Follow the Money: Beyond NED, US and European governments have invested heavily in Myanmar's internal politics, ostensibly for democracy. This