Residents of Nawnghkio, a town recently retaken by Myanmar’s military, prepare to vote in a phased election while living in fear of renewed fighting.
NAWNGHKIO: New election billboards stand in stark contrast to the shattered homes in this northern Myanmar town.
The military recaptured Nawnghkio in a summer offensive ahead of a phased national election beginning on December 28.
One resident, speaking anonymously for safety, said the community remains fearful. “We are still living in fear,” she told AFP. “We have no idea when fighting could happen.”
The town in Shan state, once known for its orange plantations and strong coffee, became a civil war turning point.
It was captured by a rebel alliance last year before being retaken by the military after an 11-month battle in July.
Candidates campaigning last week were shadowed by plain-clothes security for their own protection.
One aspiring MP complained his campaign trail to outlying villages was littered with landmines.
Military and police checkpoints now surround the town, where security forces photograph suspect vehicles and inspect civilian ID cards.
The junta promises the election will heal the conflict sparked by its 2021 coup and return the country to civilian rule.
Critics dismiss the poll as a charade, saying participating parties are vetted by the military.
For the Nawnghkio resident, voting feels like an obligation rather than a democratic opportunity. “We are not interested, but we will go to vote,” she said. “We just want to live peacefully here.”
Nawnghkio once marked the peak of a rebel advance that threatened the junta’s power.
The coup transformed long-running ethnic conflicts into a full-scale civil war, with pro-democracy forces joining established ethnic armies.
A coordinated opposition offensive starting in late 2023 made significant gains, pushing down major trade routes from China.
Farmer Aik Tun, 58, who fled the fighting but has since returned, hopes the vote might bring development. “Only when we are united can we be successful with happiness and peace in the future,” he said.
The town’s recapture secured the military’s position near key locations ahead of the vote.
Pyin Oo Lwin, home to a military officer academy, lies just an hour’s drive south, with the major city of Mandalay another hour beyond.
The phased election results are expected in late January, leading to a nominally civilian government.
The previously ruling National League for Democracy has been dissolved, and the junta has imposed decade-long sentences for election criticism.
In Pyin Oo Lwin, former army captain Hein Htoo Hlaing, 33, is now a candidate for the People’s Party.
He campaigns in civilian clothes, wary of old rivalries. “I have no idea who is out for me,” he said.
The former soldier noted a key difference on the campaign trail. “I have no gun in my hand to shoot back now if someone attacks,” he added. – AFP
