US warns citizens on Myanmar election

The United States has warned its citizens of potential security problems during the campaign for the November 8 general election.

The warning issued by the State Department in Washington on October 7 came amid rising political and religious tensions ahead of the vote.

The warning urges Americans to “exercise caution” during the campaign period and to avoid polling stations, political rallies and demonstrations.

“Instances of unrest can occur without warning, endangering bystanders,” it said in a notice that expires on December 20, adding that there was no evidence that US citizens would be specifically targeted.

The United States embassy was among nine in Yangon that issued a joint statement last month expressing concern about the possibility of religion being used “as a tool for division and conflict” during the campaign.

Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member.

National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi acknowledged “worrying signs of religious intolerance in Myanmar,” in an interview published in India Today magazine on October 7.

The NLD leader called in the interview for voters to be “vigilant, cautious, careful and very, very brave”.

More stories

Latest Issue

January 27, 2021

Stories in this issue

The early delivery of vaccines is one of the many boons of the country’s geopolitics, but to really take advantage, Myanmar must bury the legacy of its isolationist past.

The Kayin State Border Guard Force has come under intense pressure from the Tatmadaw over its extensive, controversial business interests and there’s concern the ultimatum could trigger fresh hostilities in one of the country’s most war-torn areas.

Become a Frontier Member

Support our independent journalism and get exclusive behind-the-scenes content and analysis.

Keep your team in the loop

Take a a team membership today so that your organisation is always on top of the latest news from Myanmar.

Join the community

Sign up for Frontier Fridays, our free weekly round-up, and get access to one article a month on the Frontier website.

This site is registered on wpml.org as a development site. Switch to a production site key to remove this banner.