Myanmar military messed with the wrong generation. Its military coup is like the beast!
by Anwar A. Khan
Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in South East Asia. Its neighbours are Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and India.
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| Protest against Myanmar Military Coup |
It has a population of about 54 million, most of whom are Burmese speakers, although other languages are also spoken. The biggest city is Yangon (Rangoon), but the capital is Nay Pyi Taw.
The main religion is Buddhism. There are many ethnic groups in the country, including Rohingya Muslims.
The country gained independence from Britain in 1948. It was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule.
The military is again back in charge and has declared a year-long state of emergency.
It seized control on 1 February last following a general election which Suu Kyi's NLD party won by a landslide.
But mass protests have been taking place across Myanmar since the military seized control on Myanmar.
Military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing has taken power. He has long wielded significant political influence, successfully maintaining the power of the Tatmadaw - Myanmar's military - even as the country moved towards democracy.
Protesters include teachers, lawyers, students, bank officers and government workers. The military has imposed restrictions, including curfews and limits to gatherings. Security forces have used water cannon, rubber bullets and live ammunition to try to disperse protesters.
But every day demonstrators in Myanmar’s big cities come out for their mass protests in defiance of an 8 pm curfew imposed on them by Myanmar’s military junta.
Numerous countries have condemned the military takeover. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said it was a "serious blow to democratic reforms.”
The US and UK have responded with sanctions on military officials.
However, China blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning the coup. Beijing, which has previously opposed international intervention in Myanmar, urged all sides to "resolve differences".
But unjust to hurt and kill unarmed innocent people. Shameful action.
Myanmar military messed with the wrong generation. Its military coup is like the beast!
Shame on you Myanmar Military. You all violated all the books of law. You need to accept and respect people’s vote. Be kind because these are all your people.
South Asian countries have become a center of protest. Peaceful atmosphere is necessary to become more developed and to achieve higher success. Many European and other countries are most peaceful countries in the world. Like Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark etc.
Protesters should give up calling for release of Suu kyi, instead fight for change in constitution. She is irrelevant now. It is time newer generation leaders with newer ideas. She brought this on herself by trying to please the army.
Military of Myanmar must be realized the interests of nation and the meaning of democracy or else they are welcomed to get down from their jobs totally and replaced by the new army league from the interest of people.
We hope soon Military will collapse when realisation of the Myanmar army soldier hit them that they are killing their own people.
There is more to life than technology, politics, and philosophy. Life is meant to be lived fully, not to be fragmented by bands of mad people. Life is not simple enough for one technology. Life is not dull enough for one political party. Life is not boring enough for one philosophy. Life is a mystery that is not meant to be solved by a person. Life is a mystery that must be lived to be understood.
Myanmar army needs to respect the citizen’s sentiment and hand-over power to civilian democratic government immediately before the situation go beyond control.
Because of new military rule and mass protests against the military rulers, many businesses were closed across Yangon after an alliance of nine trade unions launched a general strike in an attempt to back the anti-coup movement and pressure members of the military junta.
They have said, "To continue economic and business activities as usual … will only benefit the military as they repress the energy of the Myanmar people," they said in a joint statement. "The time to take action in defense of our democracy is now.”
Strikes by civil servants, including those operating trains in the country, have taken place for weeks.
The calls to shut down the economy came after another bloody day between the protesters and the police and military, who are occupying hospitals in the main city of Yangon.
The United Nations said Monday that the occupation of hospitals by security forces is “completely unacceptable.” A U.N. team in Myanmar said, “hospitals are, and must remain, places of sanctuary and unequivocal neutrality — to ensure that patients undergoing medical care are safe,” according to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
An official from ousted de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party died in police custody, a party official confirmed to VOA’s Burmese service.
NLD member KhinMaungLatt was arrested during overnight raids in Yangon and died while in detention, party lawmaker SithuMaung said. A cause of death was not released.
Tun Kyi, spokesperson of the Association Assistance for Political Prisoners (AAPP), Burma told VOA Burmese that he accompanied the bereaved family to claim KhinMaungLatt’s body and witnessed blood on his head, his fingers blackened, and wounds on his back.
Police have not commented on the matter.
The AAPP advocacy group said that more than 1,700 people had been detained under the junta.
"Detainees were punched and kicked with military boots, beaten with police batons, and then dragged into police vehicles," AAPP said in a statement. "Security forces entered residential areas and tried to arrest further protesters and shot at the homes."
Myanmar has been consumed by chaos and violence since February 1, when the military overthrew the civilian government and detained Suu Kyi and other high-ranking NLD officials. Military officials say widespread fraud occurred in last November’s election, which the NLD won in a landslide. Election officials have denied any significant irregularities.
Foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries have held talks with Myanmar's military junta in an attempt to tackle the crisis in the country. Meanwhile, protesters continue to flood the streets to protest against the military coup.
A civil disobedience campaign has also since choked many government operations, as well as businesses and banks, and the junta late Sunday gave its most ominous signal yet that its patience was nearing an end.
Protesters are now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youths, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life," said a statement on state-run broadcaster MRTV.
The statement, read out in Burmese with text of the English version on the screen, cautioned protesters against inciting "riot and anarchy".
Protesters were undeterred by the warning, with tens of thousands rallying in Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city and commercial hub.
Stay strong Myanmar’s mass people!
Myanmar Military... You are killing your own people because of your Selfish Military General. Indeed, it is so Sad!
Continued repression of the people of Myanmar's basic liberties and human rights must end immediately.
We also reiterated that those in the chain of command, regardless of rank, can be held liable for any atrocities committed against the people of Myanmar, and that they must disobey orders to attack.
Of course, we cannot rely on the Myanmar military to avoid bloodshed out of a moral or legal obligation alone. We underscore that is why it is so imperative that all those with influence demand that the junta restrain itself from further violence and arbitrary arrests.
Protesters in Yangon have in recent days gathered near the imposing red doors of the Chinese embassy in the city, denouncing China for what they say is its support of this month’s military coup in Myanmar. Conspiracy theories have swirled about the arrival of Chinese technicians to help Myanmar’s new junta build its own “firewall” to control the internet.
Rumors abound about what is being transported on nightly flights between Yangon and the southern Chinese city of Kunming. Online, amateur sleuths have pored over photos of the protests, looking for Chinese military insignia on uniforms and even fair-skinned soldiers among the armed forces that have been deployed to the streets.
So, if China is a really good neighbour of Myanmar, now is the time to prove it.
Power to the people in Myanmar. I stand with you and pray for your freedom. The truth will prevail.
The End –
The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs.
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