Residents in multiple townships across Shan State report escalating pressure from military authorities and local administrators to force voter participation ahead of the junta’s Phase 2 election, scheduled for January 11, 2026.

In Tangyan Township, northern Shan State, staff from the General Administration Department (GAD) operating under the military regime have reportedly warned residents that failure to vote could result in travel restrictions and denial of passage through security checkpoints. Since early January, ward administrators have been collecting advance votes and visiting households to enforce compliance.

“My family didn’t want to vote, but the ward administrator told us it was mandatory,” a Tangyan resident told SHAN. “They are threatening to block us at checkpoints if we try to travel. While we’ve heard rumors of legal action against non-voters, it’s hard to say whether they will actually follow through once election day arrives.”

Tangyan and neighboring Mongyai Township are among the northern Shan townships included in Phase 2 of the election. Local sources say ward and village administrators have been instructed to ensure near-total turnout. Residents were also warned that if election margins are narrow, voter lists will be audited to identify and punish those who did not cast ballots.

Public confidence in the process remains extremely low. A Mongyai resident said, “The candidates claim they will bring change, but everyone knows the military holds all the cards. It’s like fishing in a jar where the fish have already been caught. Whether turnout is high or low, they will ensure their own victory.”

Security dynamics in the area have further complicated the situation. Military sources say that following a December 29 meeting in Lashio between the military commission and representatives of Kokang forces, the MNDAA agreed to withdraw and close checkpoints along the Lashio–Hsipaw–Mongyai route, reshaping control over key travel corridors ahead of the vote.

Similar patterns of intimidation have been reported in Mong Yawng Township in eastern Shan State, another Phase 2 election area. Residents there say military officials have explicitly threatened unspecified “consequences” if voter turnout is deemed insufficient.

“People don’t want to vote, but they are terrified of the aftermath,” a Mong Yawng resident said. “High-ranking military officers have warned that there will be trouble if the vote count is too low. This pressure trickles down to administrators, who then beg or threaten villagers to vote so they don’t lose face with their superiors.”

On January 6, the military commission convened a meeting at the township GAD hall in Mong Yawng to prepare for the election. The commander of Military Operations Command (MOC-18) delivered an opening address and oversaw training sessions for polling staff on the use of Myanmar Electronic Voting Machines (MEVM), underscoring the military’s direct involvement in election preparations.

Phase 2 of the election is set to take place in 17 townships across Shan State, including Mong Khet, Mong Peng, Mong Hpyak, Mong Tong, Mong Yawng, and Mong Yang. Many of these areas remain heavily militarized, with overlapping presences of junta forces and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs).

In Mong Yawng, armed actors include the military, Border Guard Forces (BGF), the NDAA (Mong La), and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA). Tensions persist following clashes between the military’s LIB-335 and RCSS units in August 2024. In Tangyan, troops from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) have been stationed since July 2024 with junta approval, while in Mongyai Township, the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP/SSA) maintains an active presence.

Across both northern and eastern Shan State, residents say the election is being conducted in an atmosphere defined by coercion, surveillance, and fear, raising serious concerns about voter safety, freedom of movement, and the credibility of the process itself.