Elections in Sudan and Burma

Here at GI-NET, we often look for trigger events that may spark mass violence against civilians. These take the form of sharp economic downturns, presidential successions and national elections. As 2009 closed, we were focusing on the upcoming elections in Sudan, but the new year has brought news of an additional poll that will take place in Burma.

This focus should not be taken as a predication that violence will necessarily accompany these electoral processes and GI-NET hopes that both the elections in Burma and in Sudan are carried out in a free, fair and peaceable manner. However, it is important to note that these two countries still feature multi-faceted civil unrest, including genocide in Darfur, unrest in South Sudan's Jonglei state and insurgencies along Burma's borders, all of which could complicate the electoral picture.

 - Joshua Kennedy, Research Associate