Myanmar’s Military Labels Karen Rebels Terrorists Ahead of Flawed Elections

Myanmar’s military government has declared the Karen National Union (KNU), a longstanding ethnic rebel group fighting for autonomy since independence in 1948, a terrorist organization. This move comes just months before the military’s scheduled December 28 elections, which critics widely denounce as a facade to legitimize the junta’s illegal coup that overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Is this crackdown about security or silencing legitimate opposition? The military claims the KNU has inflicted serious damage on public safety and infrastructure. Yet these allegations conveniently coincide with an election cycle designed to entrench military rule and suppress...