#SaveMyanmar Part (1)

In Feb 1 2021, the burmese military staged a coup d'etat, in order to retain its power over the government and the people. 

If we were to cut off from the outside world (which by the way, has definitely happened  in the past), I wanted people to know the truth that we, the people of Myanmar, condemn the military and all of its unjust actions.

This was best explained by a friend of mine. All the credit goes to him and I have not altered a single word about what he said.

"Here is a brief explanation of what is happening in Myanmar.

- From 1962 to 2011, the Burmese military, also known as the Tatmadaw, effectively ruled the country in an authoritarian dictatorship. The public suffered tremendously at the hands of the military leaders in many ways. Resources were distributed unfairly among the people of Myanmar, with the majority of the country’s wealth going towards military generals and their associates. The dictators also denied the people of Myanmar basic human rights, including but not limited to: minority rights, freedom of speech, freedom of media, access to the Internet, and so on. The list of persecutions, and of people whose lives were destroyed, goes on. Those were some of the darkest days in the country’s history.

- As the years passed, the ageing leaders of the military started to formulate their retirement plan. They decided to draw up a constitution that would make sure that the interests of the military elite and their associates remain protected, and yet, would also simultaneously introduce some kind of quasi-democracy into the country. The military managed to get this constitution voted “Yes” in a supposedly free and fair nationwide referendum. This constitution came to be known as the 2008 constitution, as 2008 was when the aforementioned referendum took place.

- In 2010, elections were held. And in accordance with the 2008 constitution, a quasi-democratic form of government came into life in 2011. The government was led by leaders of the USDP, a political party backed by the military itself, and which also comprises mostly of former military officials.

- For the next five-year term, elections were held again in late 2015. As you may already know, that was when the NLD, the political party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won in a landslide victory. The then-incumbent Thein Sein administration handed power over to the new administration in a relatively peaceful transfer of power.

- Between 2011 and 2020, Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD campaigned continually for a reform of the constitution. However, both the military and the Thein Sein administration showed no signs of wanting to cooperate. This was due to the fact that the military elite’s interest was already protected by the constitution. And any kind of reform might have reduced its authority in Myanmar.

- Last November, elections were held for the next five-year term. The NLD led by Aung San Suu Kyi won again in an even greater nationwide victory, when compared to the landslide in 2015. By winning consecutive elections, Aung San Suu Kyi beat the military in its own game, where the rules of the game were already written in the interests of the military.

- Yet, the current Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, nearing the retirement age of 65, has proven to be a power-hungry individual and a sore loser. Since the results of the election came out, the military has accused the elections to be fraudulent. The burden of proof lies upon the accuser. And yet, the “evidence” that the military has put forward is shoddy at best. Moreover, in recent days, the military and its associates created unrest in the country, and staged “civilian protests” by hiring people to act as protesters.

- In the early hours of 1st February 2021, the military detained many high-ranking officials of the incumbent administration, which included State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and the President Win Myint. Citing the “unrest” and the “civilian discontent” that it itself created, the military has announced its intention to hold power for one year, after which they will hold elections again, and then hand over power in accordance with the results of that election.

- In doing so, the military has violated the constitution that it itself drew up. The Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing perhaps long for even greater power than his seniors (the ageing and retired generals) decided to allocate him. And in pursuing his personal ambitions, he commanded government officials to be detained. In the absence of the President, one of the two incumbent vice presidents, who also happens to be a former military general, has claimed the interim president position for himself. Said interim president called for an “emergency meeting” of the National Defense and Security Council, declared a “state of emergency”, and transferred power over to the Commander-in-Chief. In short, the Commander-in-Chief has sieged the country and its people for his own personal ambitions, disguised as being in the interests of the people.

- Such actions by the Commander-in-Chief and the military is akin to spitting in the face of the public. The nascent, 10-year old democracy, that came alive only after five decades of 50 million people being oppressed, has been defiled.

- The fact that the military detained Aung San Suu Kyi herself demonstrates the lack of power she has over the military. The military, or the self-titled Tatmadaw, is an institution that has never given in to the administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

- The people’s true leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is a believer of non-violence, and has repeatedly voiced her preference for civil disobedience as a form of protest in similar situations where the right is threatened by the might.

- The people of Myanmar will follow in her direction, and will continue to non-violently protest against the military’s abuse of power. Even in the absence of Aung San Suu Kyi, the people of Myanmar will unite to cleanse the country from evil, and to pave the way for a better future for the generations to come. We will not submit quietly. And we will not let our descendants experience the darkness that we have already seen.

- Communication channels into and out of the country are subject to disruption at any moment. Before any such thing happens, we would like to tell the world outside about our situation, and about our continuing journey towards a free and fair society. May the righteous defeat the mighteous. May our civilization achieve liberty, equality, and fraternity."