Transcripts For ALJAZ Inside Story 20240711

Hell go to court to make sure election laws are upheld. But theres been celebrations in cities across the United States from new york in the east to los angeles in the west rounds of government on the streets to cheer doms and play music to my little shell has more from wilmington delaware. In terms of movements obviously today is sunday however biden did promise that he would be getting to work right away at least in an interim period is limited what he can do as president elect obviously cant really be meeting with or fish holes within the government or the state but that wont stop him from putting together a plan that he can execute soon as he takes office later in january. Theres been an escalation in the conflicts between azerbaijan and armenia azerbaijans present says his troops are now in control of shushi its one of the most important cities in the fight overseeing the regional capital of the goanna current. Polls have closed a mere miles general election the 2nd since the end of direct military rule and actually for democracy to buy unsung suchi is expected to win a 2nd term. Thousands of protesters are in thailands capital bangkok demanding political reform rallies have grown in recent weeks. The United Nations says 9000000 people are at risk of being displaced by the escalating conflict in ethiopia is to grow a region. Made ordered airstrikes in the region earlier this week he accused the degree of Peoples Liberation front attacking a federal base they deny the charge those are your headlines do so with us we have inside story next. Could mean more be on a path to democracy the country holds its 2nd election since the end of military rule but with minorities excluded will the outcome lead to real change this is inside story. Hello and welcome to the program im. Me and moore is preparing to go to the polls on sunday for its 2nd general election thats despite a growing number of covert infections and conflicts in some states in 2015 the National League for democracy won the 1st parliamentary election ending the militarys tight grip on power that had lasted more than 50 years its widely expected that the n. L. The party of Nobel Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi will retain power despite being internationally criticized for its handling of the 2017 military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims meanwhile more than 1000000 people in conflict areas have had their right to vote canceled by the government raising concerns over the credibility of me and more as election scott heiler explains. Its been 5 years since the people of myanmar went to the polls in a general election and only the 2nd time theyll cast ballots since the nation emerged from 50 years of military rule but no surprises are expected the National League for democracy or headed by the high profile and one time symbol of democracy. Is expected to maintain its ruling position but with reform slow and stalled Economic Growth and peace talks their victory is not expected to be a landslide as in 2015 the normal. To change the whole system 5 year is just a short period we were under the dictatorship for more than 40 years and this is to stop of the democracy we need more time i can give to and ill be more time you know i knew that they couldnt change anything for us thats why i dont like the. For me personally i just dont like the end of the turnout for the election is expected to be lower than the estimated 70 percent 5 years ago because the nation is facing a 2nd wave of covert 19 but also because some ethnic areas wont even have polling the government citing security due to ongoing fighting between the army and armed ethnic groups this along with other rules and regulations have raised concern by human Rights Groups about the fairness of the election despite facing International Condemnation for its 2017 military crackdown in Rakhine State sending hundreds of thousands of ethnic muslim fleeing to bangladesh on song suchi is still very popular at home and broadly people live really. A kind of test on thanks popularity and more or less like a referendum on the achievements and. Ministration but actually i think obviously that came. With things like me. The countrys now fighting even with the anticipated victory for the end of the end its 75 year old leader theres growing concern about the lack of depth within the partys leadership unsung suchi has not positioned anyone to be a potential successor so any sudden changes could lead to a political crisis scott hodler aljazeera. Me and more formally known as burma is the largest country in Southeast Asia since gaining its independence from british rule in 1988 the country has been battered by civil war the conflict began a year later when power was unexpectedly handed to the majority bermans excluding many ethnic minorities in 1960 to me and more was under an oppressive military junta that lasted more than 50 years gradual liberalization began in 2010 leading to free elections in 2015 and the establishment of a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2017 a military crackdown against the muslim or hindu forced more than 700000 to flee to neighboring bangladesh in what the u. N. Called a textbook example of ethnic cleansing this damaged the International Reputation of the newly elected government and highlighted the continuing grip of the military in myanmar. All right lets bring in our guests nikki diamond is a human rights specialist at fortified rights he joins us from yang on it meant more to kim is president of the burmese were he to organization u. K. And joins us from london and joining us from bangkok is Phil Robertson Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch is Asia Division welcome to each of you nikki let me start with you in me in march there was a wave of optimism and a sense of hope that greeted National League for Democracy Victory in 2015 what is the sentiment around this election cycle. It is a look at me how to feel but ive seen the most the people hardly know no one can pay the rent a bit issued in the big trust in austin City Government right now and also are i am seeing that most of the people who support for instance now i like the back less again how and they will not vote for and will d be again solar people a lot of people frustrated men all with the and these in the bullpen with the human rights situation as well with government performance as well phil Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called these elections fundamentally flawed what are the electoral problems that youve identified well there are quite a few 1st of all weve got to discriminatory citizenship and other laws that are most Rohingya Muslims 600000 who are still in Rakhine State another 1100000 who have been forced to flee to bangladesh from being involved at all theyre not considered citizens the 2008 constitution reserves 25 percent of the parliamentary seats for the military theyre appointed by the Army Commander in chief so youre talking about the richt requirement for anybody to actually get a working majority in the National Parliament you have to actually win 67 percent of the seats either as a sole party or as a coalition of parties to overcome that 25 percent set aside for the military and thats quite unclear quite unfair and theres big problems with the supposedly independent Union Election commission which is proving to be anything but independent or even basically competent. Turn youve stated that you are concerned about the lack of International Condemnation of the disenfranchisement of their anger in this election what do you worry could happen as a result i think its a quite alarming situation because you know International Community weve been campaigning at a big 8 in that. Role in just the dealership issue for many years and then we can see here. These 2020 alexion s. Gluey sen and there is no such condition International Committee have and you know they instead rohini. Are as glued up from election they are funding to e. C. Races commission i worry that these really encouraged to the military same time to the government they can move well what are their human rights abuses and violations particularly as you know right areas in our kind of stayed on generals on the go in generals i did practice in politics after that i guess rohingya you know this is. My slow worry in that you know. Every day of daily life around us are facing crimes or you know and by their brummies military and same time government is not allowing enough minuter in aid thats also restriction of movement mary h. R. Still on top of that so why how much farther situation can get was you know it can be much less was so there is one point that of cause burmas military and government practice in general sidle policy and and congressman to this election will be much much lost and i worry that. It could it will be much farther and its really encouraging point one of the important thing here is you know so they can move on when they can kill anyone they can do what about they want to ruin us so nobody can nobody caring about you know as to their slaughter that International Community supported it funding it you know so this is the point here i want to point out mickey many analysts have said that at its core this election is really a referendum on some suchi would you agree with that assessment everything the one of the i mean a primary concern for me is i mean majority still believe in all sincerity and also people i mean hope for instance achieve the never dying but also have been on the other hand the increased number all people who lost their homes and all the and also serve one of the problem it was a hot and only human rights situation specially on the writings of duration iraq and also other at the minority so her treatment again her installation in iraq hiring in 11500000 went to the for the at the minority in africa affected areas like iraq kind sense they cannot allow him to participate in your election. So ive seen a number everyone all the political differences so lets make people crazy and back less again Current Situation and also unique i mean you know. Be trying. Just then what i mean by youre elected government how to appoint the member of the Election Commission you know Election Commission member so now began a kinds that you dont favor or the current government which made me which make me up thats ration so frustrated and also. And felt and exposed room to as well religious minority in nema but thats the kind of indicator that. Increase number of people i mean i dont mean help in and will be a film where weve already spoken a lot in this program about rak kind state about the persecution that the rohingya have faced at the hands of man mars military but id like you to give our viewers a Bigger Picture of what exactly is playing out in iraq i say because you have the continued persecution thats been reported of the rink but then you also have other ethnic groups that are involved in the violence that is going on there how dire is the situation and who exactly is being affected. Well it is a very very difficult situation right hind state and most of the voters in Rakhine State are not going to be able to vote in this election because the election for their areas have been canceled it will only be in the sort of southernmost districts of Rakhine State where the election will probably still be held i mean we have the rohingya approximately 600000. 00 of them are estimated to still be in Rakhine State we know that at least 130000. 00 of them are locked down and what is essentially internment camps where they are unable to leave those areas theyre stripped of their livelihoods they Lack Basic Services and certainly theyre not allowed the right to vote but then you know thats the rohingya but that the Ethnic Rakhine who are the other Major Ethnic Group in the country are now and involved through a ethnic on borgen ization there are common army in very very fierce fighting with the Burmese Military its probably the most serious fighting going on anywhere in the country right now and what you have is attacks by the military on civilians youve had shelling of villages youve had use of landmines and i e ds you know weve had abductions of people by the our common army including 3 n l d candidates so it is a very dire situation i mean we see that crimes against humanity are being committed not only against the rohingya but also against the record people by the vermes military and its really rather amazing that you know the Myanmar Military has managed to commit crimes against both ethnic groups in record and state and you know this is an area where the people are were unified in 2015 and supporting a party that was not the n. L. B. And that party won the state elections. But it was not allowed to become chief minister and thats going to be an issue again this year is even if ethnic parties win in their actual states or the National Government whoever wins that and most people believe that will be the end of the are the ones who appoint a century the chief minister or the governor of that state or province tune there have been many Rights Groups that have called upon the government in myanmar to allow rohingya candidates to run for office that have called on the government to allow for rohingya to be able to vote of course we all know thats not happening now were you at any point in the process hopeful that things might change or is this playing out as you had expected it to play out. For now tomorrow election 2020 alexion and there is. Going to be blowing ahead i think for the 2025 is depends on how International Pressure you do really walking International Community really care about as a whole burma including other minorities in burma you know. Is not really a good. A good thing for not really important for International Community because of the earth do you support hindu Union Election Commission Races commission and theyre moving ahead including the u. S. U. K. And you and other countries this is really really disturbing you know so is depends on how much International Community will Pay Attention one thing and secondly. Is not only rohingya tight election when banning the routine yes the ethnic you know method the minorities will suffer much more because 1500000 people are. Barred from election this is very important point when you look at as a whole election in burma so i think is deeper and. Our new government. Feel pressure from International Law and funding issue in in a few share there is should be a condition that with out. You know this is not a kind of week we have we have we have seen a 2020 election in the free and fair at all. International community should focus on without any minority of schools and there is no such thing because some more funding you e. C. And this would not acknowledge human new government whenever these 2 or 3 days after that this is not this government is not. Not happy at a kind of late. You know recognition they should not give because this is totally flawed election they come up learn from their 22 in turn im sorry interrupted i want to go to nikki cause i want to expand on the point that youre making if thats ok. You know last year on some suit she appeared in the International Court of justice and denied the charges that have been leveled against me and more for perpetrating a genocide as the gambia alleges. And thats something that made him some soup cheese reputation suffer even more in the International Community diminished it even more but in but enemy and more itself thats something that bolstered her popularity has it not. Yeah thats the 1. 00 and 1. 00 evidence that we have seen an awful lot one of the need to think is that shes defending the human rights violation of the the finding the perpetrator and why washing so thats thats thats the nature of being why she lose her face in International Law and also in number are so international and media investigated generally reveal the interest in the athlete and also others and also the perpetrator like got to sort of do in that way justify and again up a trigger so these kinds of revealing the truth story when what people think price and i guess what ive seen the Civil Society back less guns that were meant and even how for the best kinds of i mean i yeah i feel like you know that kind of varying. Redeeming a true and investigative journalist in investigating you know i mean d a Group Document been roundly. Russia again. And then the government now and also people sometimes people dont trust in him right or can i mention i came right back and documentation but became not but 9. By the builders and Beirut International apartment as well so i reckon now people are now thinking like not rank she doing that one question that the military perpetrator thats right people in them are now considering i mean i tried as a supreme being for higher against you. I mean but i still dislike all International Law. Breaking International Law and i also musing. In the domestic would be the country as well still i want to turn our viewers attention to Something Else that been going on for several years and memoir which is the spread of hate speech particularly through social media. Channels i mean this has been a serious problem dating back several years at this point and apparently its a problem again in this election cycle that hate speech is spreading against certain ethnic groups there throughout the country now there are platforms like facebook that have said that they are clamping down that the problem is getting under control from your Vantage Point is that the case or is it again a huge problem and is it once again dangerous for different minorities. Well i think that facebook of charge has put a lot more resources in this time around they got caught flatfooted several years back by the hate Speech Campaign that came out against the rohingya and really. In others a great deal of harm done through the facebook platform you know the whole issue went all the way up to Mark Zuckerberg so this is a real priority for facebook to try to get it right and and for all intents and purposes facebook is the social media medium that is what matters in myanmar and so were talking about hate speech its all about them getting it right and we are seeing them try to do more but you know theyre playing a game of whack a mole to be honest i mean theyre trying to take hate speech off the platform but more of it comes up certainly the. Union solidarity and Development Party the u. S. D. P. Which is the major party backed by the military has been saying racist things against the rohingya and has been denigrating muslims in general throughout the entire country the actual head of that party the u. S. D. P. Party has said some of these things on the record and so its quite clear that there is a current of discrimination and hate being particularly protected against the muslim people who are in myanmar and the government has said nothing about it. Thats the shocking thing theyve sort of left at the facebook to deal with it but the reality is that the government itself doesnt want to say anything and doesnt want to do anything to stop the hate Speech Campaign from Going Forward to and you know a lot of analysts have said that this election is another important test for me and more as it is making its transition away from military rule do you believe that that mean more is actually making a transition away from military rule. I dont think so because i cant see that civilian government led by ourselves would see is really. A practice in democracy there is no science freedom of media there and. Media is not allowing opposition and you not to highlight things and the state media is controlled in many ways and you know also all there is. One thing is less have a look on the issue how can add democratic transition can will wear what you know while running up or about 1000000. 00 population us till in bangladesh where they belong you know where all you got belongs to burma and the flattest do their it is normal sized thing government is doing to bring bad them to give them the right where you know living in our kind of state time immemorial and 600000 rohingya 6 you know or at death right to what a right to be a member of parliament and we cannot see anything policy towards rohingya and minorities been shared in under an elder government too and of course many are now telling that. Roland but and then the government is currently my apologies to we only im sorry i dont interrupt you i just we only have about a minute left and i want to ask one more question about the military to nikki before we end the show nikki in me and more its the military that essentially still controls the levers of power is that correct. You know some call is correct because the thought that a constitution provides that special i mean a lot of power to the military but every Republican Party who grew up and got the government constitutions share of the political power with the military well electic they have to share with the millet the political collar with the military as well i mean a 91 did you win the election. 75 percent all i mean majorities the at the poly whatever theyre all things i mean i talked with the political editors so they only doesnt like to show they are political pop that the political howl with the naked democratic on a democratic side of this thats kinds of where. Most of the time the i mean our when and where this constitution its good everybody elected government will share with girl. Power with the military all right weve run out of time so were going to have to leave it there thanks so much to all our guests nikki diamond to ken and Phil Robertson and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time by visiting our website aljazeera dot com and for further discussion go to our Facebook Page thats facebook dot com forward slash a. J. Inside story you can also join the conversation on twitter our handle is at a. J. Inside story for me and the whole team here i for now. November on aljazeera. Following huge protests and the introduction of the beijing back National Security will carry lamb sets out have vision for hong kong. All hail the lockdown explores the complexities of our Global Response to the coronavirus pandemic. 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A lifelong search for answers and closure finding some witness on aljazeera whats most important to me is talking to people understanding what theyre going through here and i just we believe everyone has a story worth hearing. Joe biden thanks americans for electing him the 46th president and promises to bring dignity back to the white house. America called upon us to marshal the force of the decency the forces of fairness to marshal the forces of song. And the forces of hope. The great battles of our time. Of my favorite for the good this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up the most powerful woman in the country coming to harris