Former military leaders absent from voting records as Myanmar junta’s first phase election concludes

Mizzima

The publicized voting records of the military junta’s first-phase election are notably missing the photos of six former top military leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe.

Investigation reveals that while current military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other junta officials were prominently featured casting their ballots on 28 December, records for retired Senior General Than Shwe, retired Vice Senior General Maung Aye, and former President Thein Sein have failed to appear. It was discovered that several of these retired generals, including Than Shwe and Maung Aye, cast advance votes at their residences on 27 December rather than attending public polling stations in Naypyidaw’s Pobbathiri Township.

U Toe Zaw Latt, Secretary of the Independent Press Council of Myanmar (IPCM), said, “Senior and junior military officials alike always attend Armed Forces Day ceremonies, So, why hasn’t there been a focus or highlight on these figures? Is it a deliberate omission? There are certainly things to ponder behind the scenes. It’s possible they don’t recognize or approve of what Min Aung Hlaing is doing now. Especially since U Than Shwe is still alive and his son-in-law has been arrested and imprisoned. There are other factors to consider. Their disappearance suggests something is amiss, which certainly raises suspicions.”

Former President Thein Sein and former Vice President Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo were not found on the Pobbathiri Township voter list, as they are reportedly registered in the Yangon Region, however, no evidence of their participation has emerged from any location.

This absence of public documentation marks a significant departure from the 2020 election, when voting records for nearly all these former leaders were widely shared. The current silence surrounding their participation comes despite recent high-profile international engagements, such as U Than Shwe meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in August 2024 and Thein Sein holding private talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June 2024.