Myanmar May Postpone Election in War-Torn Rakhine State: Official

Reuters,
Wire Service
By Shoon Naing
July 30, 2020

FILE PHOTO: Myanmar police officer poses for a photograph in Maungdaw, Rakhine July 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ann WangReuters

NAYPYITAW (Reuters) - Myanmar will postpone elections in parts of war-torn Rakhine state if the military declares them unsafe, a senior election official said on Thursday, prompting a backlash from ethnic parties with strong support in the region. 

"It is necessary to have peace and stability to hold elections," said Union Election Commission chair Hla Thein, adding that the army-controlled ministries of defence and home affairs would soon determine whether the region was stable.

For Myanmar's Elections to Be Free and Fair Rohingya Must Get the Right to Vote

TIME
By Matthew Smith
July 27, 2020

Rohingya refugees watch televised proceedings at the U.N.'s International Court of Justice from a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Dec. 12, 2019.
Allison Joyce—Getty Images

Americans won’t be the only voters going to the polls in November. Myanmar’s third national election since transitioning from half a century of military rule is slated for Nov. 8.

Already, several questions loom over this test of the country’s democratic trajectory. How will the government ensure ethnic civilians displaced by armed conflict can vote? How will Facebook protect voters from disinformation? How will the government manage campaigns and polling in the age of COVID-19?