Myanmar's second round of voting in its disputed election has taken place, and the reality on the ground remains bleak for millions of civilians. Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Cheng reports live from rebel-held areas where people are living in fear of attacks, yet their voices have been excluded from the electoral process.
In these contested regions, the military remains firmly in control, with no signs of easing its grip on power despite international pressure to hand over responsibility to civilian authorities. The rebels, who claim to be fighting for democracy and human rights, face a daunting task in challenging the established order.
A palpable sense of unease pervades the rebel-controlled areas as people anxiously wait to see if their votes will count. Many believe that the election is a sham and that the outcome has already been predetermined by the military, which dominates Myanmar's politics.
In Yangon, the country's largest city, millions of people are anxiously awaiting news about the fate of the rebels' candidates who were barred from participating in the election. The consequences of losing would be dire, with many fearing increased military crackdowns on dissent.
With no signs of hope for a peaceful resolution to Myanmar's political crisis, concerns are growing that the country may be on the cusp of another devastating chapter in its long history of conflict and violence.
In these contested regions, the military remains firmly in control, with no signs of easing its grip on power despite international pressure to hand over responsibility to civilian authorities. The rebels, who claim to be fighting for democracy and human rights, face a daunting task in challenging the established order.
A palpable sense of unease pervades the rebel-controlled areas as people anxiously wait to see if their votes will count. Many believe that the election is a sham and that the outcome has already been predetermined by the military, which dominates Myanmar's politics.
In Yangon, the country's largest city, millions of people are anxiously awaiting news about the fate of the rebels' candidates who were barred from participating in the election. The consequences of losing would be dire, with many fearing increased military crackdowns on dissent.
With no signs of hope for a peaceful resolution to Myanmar's political crisis, concerns are growing that the country may be on the cusp of another devastating chapter in its long history of conflict and violence.
... but then I think about all the amazing people out there who are still holding on to hope 
. Like, can you imagine if we had a chance to start over every time something goes wrong? 
It's crazy how some rebels are still fighting for democracy and human rights – that takes so much courage! 
And I guess it's kinda awesome that the people of Yangon are still showing up to support their rebel friends, even though things look bleak. That's like, super solidarity vibes 
. We just gotta keep believing in a better future, you know? 
what's the point of even having an election if the military is just gonna dictate the outcome? And don't even get me started on how people are living in fear, it's like they're not even human beings anymore 
these rebels need to step up their game and find a way to take down the military without putting everyone at risk 
and what really bothers me is that these people are living in fear of attacks, yet they're expected to just sit back and wait for an election that might never actually make a difference. it's like they're being treated as second-class citizens...
I guess we'll just have to wait and see if anything changes, but it doesn't look good 
.
and those people in Yangon, stuck waiting for news about their candidates... it's like they're living in limbo 
my heart goes out to them.
. I mean, it's like they're taking all the progress from their election in 2020 and just throwing it out the window. All these people are suffering in silence while the military is basically running the show. It's like, what even is the point of having an election if no one's gonna let the people choose who they want to lead? 
.
. The people of Myanmar deserve a say in their future, but it feels like they're being silenced 
. It's just going to lead to more suffering and violence 
. The international community needs to keep putting pressure on the military to let go of their grip on power 
.
. It just goes to show how hard it can be to create change when you're up against such powerful forces.
. Let's all hope for a peaceful resolution soon!