(Photo: Reuters)

As the world marks the fifth year since the military coup in Myanmar, the junta’s recently organised “elections” have been widely and justly recognised as a sham and an illegal exercise designed to further entrench its rule rather than reflect the will of the people. Conducted amid widespread violence, mass displacement, repression of political parties, detention of elected leaders, and the absence of basic freedoms, the process clearly fails to meet the essential conditions for free and fair elections. The European Union has noted that both the context and conduct of the process fall short of international standards. Likewise, ASEAN’s leadership, through the statements by the Philippines, the bloc’s current chair, has made clear that it will neither endorse nor certify the military-sponsored polls, and that ASEAN as a whole does not recognise them as credible or legitimate.

The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) couldn’t agree more. For workers, these so-called elections offer no restoration of rights, representation, or protection. They serve only as an attempt to normalise and legitimise military rule in Myanmar.

BWI recognises the resilience of Myanmar’s people and the growing role of community-based and civilian-led governance structures that continue to organise humanitarian responses, defend labour rights, and sustain social services in areas beyond military control. Any credible path toward peace and democratic transition must acknowledge these evolving realities and engage with legitimate, community-rooted actors, rather than treating the military authorities as the sole interlocutor.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with millions in urgent need of assistance and large-scale displacement inside the country and across borders. Humanitarian access must be expanded urgently, delivered in a principled and needs-based manner, and protected from political or military manipulation.

Against this backdrop, the recent Philippine-hosted Myanmar Stakeholders’ Meeting brought together resistance forces and representatives from civil society and community groups to advance meaningful cooperation on political dialogue, humanitarian access, and accountability mechanisms. Building on this momentum, BWI calls for stronger multilateral cooperation between ASEAN and the United Nations to move beyond expressions of concern toward concrete protection and accountability measures. In particular, we urge coordinated action to give full effect to UN Security Council Resolution 2669 and to invoke Article 33 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in response to persistent and grave violations of fundamental rights, including attacks on civilians, repression of workers’ organisations, and forced recruitment. These mechanisms exist precisely for situations where systematic violations continue with impunity. #