Myanmar junta holds second phase of polls one day before ICJ Rohingya Genocide Hearings

Mizzima

The Myanmar military junta is forging ahead with the second phase of its sham election today, 11 January, in a move widely viewed as a calculated attempt to manufacture political legitimacy just 24 hours before facing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The “Phase 2” polling, conducted under intense security and reported coercion, coincides with the upcoming Merits Hearings of the Muslim Rohingya genocide case at the ICJ, scheduled to begin tomorrow, January 12.

Earlier this morning, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was seen visiting polling stations in Hlaing Township, Yangon. The military leader has previously asserted that a voter turnout of over 50 percent would constitute a valid public mandate. Following Phase 1 of the polls, junta spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun claimed a 52 percent success rate, though the regime has consistently failed to provide granular, township-level data to back these figures.

An investigation by Mizzima into the Phase 1 results reveals a pattern of data manipulation and discrepancies that undermine the regime’s claims of a “free and fair” process.

In Tiddim Township, Chin State, Mizzima uncovered a glaring statistical impossibility where 4,235 “valid votes” were recorded despite only 3,980 voters being registered – an excess of 255 votes.

In the military stronghold of Zeyarthiri, Naypyidaw, the regime reported a 78.20 per cent turnout. However, local sources confirm this was achieved through the systematic intimidation and forced participation of civil servants and military families.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) has refused to release the “Eligible Voter Lists” required to calculate turnout percentages. Furthermore, the UEC’s official website remained non-functional as of January 10, preventing independent verification.

Analysts suggest the timing of Phase 2 is a strategic maneuver. By establishing a “newly elected” administrative facade, the military junta hopes to argue at the ICJ that it represents a legitimate state authority.

However, Mizzima’s cross-verification of data from all 102 townships in Phase 1 confirms that the UEC (Central) maintains a tight grip on information to mask widespread irregularities.

Over a three-week period, the ICJ will hear arguments based on the indictment that The Gambia submitted to the court in 2019. The allegations state that Myanmar’s treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar violates its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.