Solidarity with the Burmese people!

Solidarity with the Burmese people!

by Kat Ulrike

"A nation is a collective term applied to a people, irrespective of their ethnic origin, living in close contact with one another and having common interests and sharing joys and sorrows together for such historic periods as to have acquired a sense of oneness. Though race, religion and language are important factors it is only their traditional desire and will to live in unity through weal and woe that binds a people together and makes them a nation and their spirit a patriotism."

- Aung San

It is not surprising that the Burmese people fight back in condemning the February 1 putsch and its imposition of national emergency. The putsch, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing have seized political power and imprisoned elected leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National league for Democracy (NLD). 

Using claims of electoral fraud as its pretext for the putsch and the refusal to recognise NLD's victory over the military-backed party, this preempted the opening of the parliament which was elected in the November 2020 elections. This justification for dissolving the parliament in favour of the junta shows that the military can't go beyond its perceived order as it is imposed against the will of a democratically-elected parliament and government of the Union of Burma. Moreover, the arrests of the personalities, especially those of Aung San Suu Kyi is opposed by the majority of the Burmese folk as well as the international community. But still, the junta and its ulterior moves, no matter how people strongly oppose it, continues to remain stubborn as those of its past predecessors that has reigned for more than 50 years.

If to recall back, the Burmese people have suffered untold abuses, human rights violations, plunder of natural resources, and corruption by military officers especially those implicated in drug and gem smuggling. It was in 2016 when the military had to set a compromise with elected civilian leaders through a power sharing agreement- with seats reserved for the military, and granted the power to appoint the vice president, as well as ministers such as defence, interior, and other ministries and departments of importance. 

On the other side, despite Aung San Suu Kyi's popularity, the 2017 military crackdown at the Rakhine state, which forced to displace 70000 Rohingyans to neighbouring Bangladesh, has benefited the order through the military. Worse, to hear state counsellor Suu Kyi defended that action before the International Court of Justice, thus damaging her reputation as a stateswoman. The military putsch also represents a major change in strategy by the military with the 2008 Constitution was created by the military to protect their interests and continue their influence in the political sphere in the knowledge that the NLD would win elections. The putsch also meant Min Aung Hlaing's yearning to enter the political arena especially with the Defence Services Act would have meant forcing him to retire on his 65th birthday in July 2021. It is unsurprising that with Min assuming the leadership  means distorting the constitution solely for himself first as a Junta leader, and eventually a potential "president". This would saved him from potential prosecution and accountability for alleged war crimes during the Rohingya conflict in various international courts.

But what is really concerning is the Burmese folk themselves and its "newfound democracy". For after the "democratic experiment" being quashed by officers in uniform on the basis of "restoring order", the imposed restrictions on information flows has brought concern not just for the Burmese but also the international community the way authorities forced internet service providers to block social media sites Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Despite this threats looming, the Burmese folk must fight back against the moves brought by the Burmese military junta and its supporters. True that the "democratic experiment" is interrupted by the putsch that lead to the return of the military in power. But, as seen by recent events, the Burmese folk is roused by the military junta to take the streets, mount strikes, take arms, and assert a real people's democracy as envisioned by Bogyote Aung San and his compatriots in his struggle for independence.