Myanmar: After the exhilaration comes the doubt

Yet such was the intensity of enthusiasm that I fear they might be unable to cope with disappointment.

Though instructed by the authorities not to reveal to journalists who they voted for, many refused to hide their affection for democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

San Yi, 67, a voter in Bahan Township, was proud to reveal that she lived in the same neighbourhood as Suu Kyi.  She waited two hours for a glimpse of Suu Kyi on this historic election day.

“Even just a brief sight of her face is worth the wait. I wanted her to know that there are many people supporting her as well as the NLD. I sincerely believe the NLD will win the election and Daw Suu can lead us to a better status, even though she is prohibited by the charter from becoming president. I am desperate to hear the election result.”

San Aye, 72, was elated to be casting her vote for the first time in 25 years. The retired government official believed that every citizen shared that same feeling. She openly admitted being an NLD supporter.

“I believe in the party, and I have confidence in its candidates,” she said. 

After casting her ballot, she said she would pray that the party won enough seats to form the government. Deep down, she was confident.   

Khin Yi, 50, a senior assistant teacher, spoke with pride at having voted in the same booth as “Aunty Suu”.

“Now I am very excited to hear the election results. This time I hope we don’t miss out on the opportunity to choose our own government.”

Meanwhile Facebook was flooded with pictures of people holding up one purple-inked finger. 

Traffic in the streets was light on Sunday, as taxi drivers disappeared back to their hometowns to vote. It came as no surprise that turnout was as high as 80 per cent.

Normal life returned to Yangon yesterday morning, but concern will linger while the Union Election Commission announces the count constituency by constituency, in a process that will last until Sunday.

Many in Yangon fear that vote-rigging could still shatter their dreams. That’s understandable. They want to show the world their strong determination for real change – but electoral fraud would threaten that impression.

Hla Myint, 69, is among those hoping for the best but fearing the worst. He has confidence in the voters but not in the authorities.

“What worries me the most are the ‘fake ballots’,” he said, adding he was praying the authorities would maintain transparency to ensure the election had been free and fair.

First-time voter Ko Ko Aung, 20, shares that hope. It remains to be seen whether they will be disappointed or not.

Yesterday morning, preliminary results suggested the NLD may have won a landslide victory. That should please Suu Kyi’s supporters, as it would serve as an extra deterrent to any military move to block her party from forming the government.

As an outsider, I am now left wondering how the smooth political transition and economic and social development is to be carried out.

The first question is who will be president, as the military-drafted constitution bans Suu Kyi from running for the job.

NLD supporters are asking the same. A Yangon resident told me he was agitated with Suu Kyi’s announcement, just days before the election date, that she would be “above the president”.

“She has been a democracy defender. But now she says she will be more influential than the legitimate president. That contradicts her long-admired stance,” he said. 

Laying his misgivings aside, he still voted for the party, choosing to remain optimistic about the outcome.

The next question is who will be in the Cabinet. The administration of President Thein Sein saw several retired generals serve as ministers. Some NLD members of parliament may have the right credentials for high office, though most are thought to take their orders from Suu Kyi. 

The NLD leader recently hinted possible changes to a controversial dam project awarded to a Chinese consortium, changes that would certainly threaten foreign-investor sentiment.

Would her Cabinet members dare risk the wrath of Suu Kyi and the attendant unpopularity by going against such a decision?  

The third question concerns Suu Kyi and the future of NLD directly. In a stunning show of support, tens of thousands attended many of her high-profile election campaign rallies. Yet little was reported about the local NLD rallies in remote areas. That led to an impression this was the fight of a woman named Suu Kyi, not a political party. It begs the question, what if something bad happens to the democracy icon? (Though given her overwhelming popularity you would be wise to whisper this qualm.)

After the historic vote, Myanmar’s citizens should brace for the possibility of disappointment. However, I believe they will handle things well. As such, the bulk of the disappointment should derive from their own actions. After decades of military rule, it appears that they have finally been allowed to vote for change.

 

Yangon correspondent Khine Kyaw contributed to this column.