Category: English

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Vibhu Mishra

January 9, 2026 Human rights

An independent UN human rights expert called on the international community to reject the electoral process orchestrated by Myanmar's military government. The first round of voting revealed widespread pressure on voters, the exclusion of opposition representatives, and violence.

Tom Andrews, the UN Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, emphasized in his statement that the elections lack democratic legitimacy. He recalled that high-ranking UN officials had previously warned repeatedly about the electoral process's failure to meet generally accepted standards.

According to the expert, the December 28 vote was a "staged sham" aimed at strengthening military power rather than expressing the will of the people. Andrews declared that it was not a free, fair, or legitimate election, but a "theatrical production" designed to mislead the international community.

Andrews called on UN member states to reject the process, isolate the junta, and demand the cancellation of the two remaining stages of voting. Andrews emphasized that Myanmar's future must belong to its people, not to those who "imprison, silence, and intimidate."

Myanmar's military authorities held a multi-stage vote five years after seizing power in a coup in February 2021. Since then, the country has been engulfed in widespread armed conflict between the army and numerous ethnic groups, leading to mass displacement, economic collapse, and mounting humanitarian needs, exacerbated by devastating earthquakes in March 2025.

The next two rounds of elections are scheduled for January 11 and 25, but the junta has already ruled out voting in at least 65 districts and thousands of towns, indicating its weak control over the territory.

Low turnout and voter pressure

According to data cited by the expert, turnout in the first round was extremely low, despite threats and intimidation. The National League for Democracy, the party that won the 2015 and 2020 elections, was dissolved by the military and banned. Its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in custody, and her condition is unknown.

Official results show that the junta's proxy party, the Solidarity and Development Party, won nearly 90 percent of the seats in the lower house of parliament. Andrews noted that this is unsurprising, as the process was designed to ensure a victory for the military-backed party and create a semblance of legitimacy amid ongoing violence.

Coercion and threats

According to Andrews, the military used the threat of forced conscription to force young people to vote. The expert emphasized that this wasn't participation in the political process, but outright coercion.

Displaced persons, students, civil servants and prisoners were also reportedly subjected to pressure, including threats of being denied humanitarian aid, education and official documents.

Andrews noted that it is impossible to talk about free and fair elections when thousands of political prisoners are behind bars, opposition parties are dissolved, journalists are persecuted, and fundamental freedoms are destroyed.

Speaking about attacks on election commission employees, the expert called on all armed groups to stop targeting civilians.

Special Rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor human rights situations. They are not UN employees and do not receive a salary for their work.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

January 9, 2026 International law

The United States has shown interest in Greenland before, but this trend has intensified under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly stated his desire to expand US influence in the autonomous Danish territory.

Recent statements from the White House that military intervention is not being ruled out have sparked alarm in Denmark and Europe as a whole, calling into question the sustainability of transatlantic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson reiterated the principle of territorial integrity and autonomy of states, including Denmark.

A long and complex history

Greenland has a long and complex history. The indigenous Inuit people inhabited the island for thousands of years without state structures. Small Norwegian and Icelandic colonies existed in Greenland from the 11th to the 15th centuries and eventually declined.

In the 18th century, Denmark established control over the island. During World War II, the United States occupied Greenland and subsequently maintained a military presence there. In 1946, the United States secretly offered Denmark $100 million in gold for the world's largest island. Denmark rejected the offer.

During the Cold War, Greenland was of great strategic importance to the United States in terms of controlling the sea routes linking Soviet Arctic ocean ports with the Atlantic, and also as a convenient location for deploying early warning systems for intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The 1951 agreement granted the American military broad powers, and during the Cold War, dozens of American bases operated on the island. Today, only the Pituffik base remains in Greenland, playing a key role in the US missile defense system.

Extended autonomy

In 2008, a referendum on self-government was held in Greenland, resulting in the Danish Parliament passing a law on expanded autonomy for the island on May 20, 2009. That same year, Greenlandic replaced Danish as the official language, and local authorities were granted the right to manage local mineral resources.

Denmark legally recognized Greenlanders as a separate people with the right to sovereignty. However, true independence would have meant the loss of significant Danish subsidies, which, in turn, would have required a sharp increase in Greenland's own revenue.

The richest resources

Despite its vast territory, Greenland is virtually uninhabited: the island is home to approximately 57,000 people, and is approximately 80 percent covered by ice. The island's population density is one of the lowest in the world.

Greenland is rich in mineral resources, including rare earth metals, lithium, cobalt, gold, rubies, nickel, and copper. However, the mining industry is underdeveloped due to a lack of infrastructure, the harsh climate, the island's remoteness, high wages, and strict environmental regulations. Oil and gas development is prohibited, and the interest of Chinese companies has not yet resulted in any significant projects.

According to a 2025 poll, the vast majority of the island's residents – 85 percent – oppose joining the United States.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.