Ending Myanmar Junta’s Harassment to Civilians

Nava Thakuria

As our neighbour Myanmar (the golden land of Maan people, who invaded the Ahom kingdom in 1826 and unleashed a reign of terrors on civilians) marks the third anniversary of the military coup, a large number of pro-democracy organizations urge the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to act by its mandate for peace & security and take concrete actions against the Myanmar military junta.

They argued that these actions must reflect the gravity of the crimes against the Myanmarese (also known as Burmese) committed by the junta for which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the UNSC to refer the issue to the International Criminal Court. In an open letter addressing the members of the UNSC, the groups claimed that since the coup on 1 February 2021, the junta forces have launched at least 909 airstrikes, killing more than 364 civilians including many children, and torched nearly 80,000 residential houses.

The soldiers are targeting unarmed civilian populations with blatant attacks on villages, towns, internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps, schools, hospitals, religious sites, where the refugees were seeking space. By now the junta has killed over 4,450 people and arrested more than 25,900 with 19,900 individuals still detained including Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The junta also faces a massive offensive by some ethnic armed rebels as the indigenous fighters have advanced with their operations to take control of over 35 towns and military strategic posts in northern Shan, Karen, Karenni and Rakhine States. Not only the military rulers are losing territory and urban centers, but many soldiers have surrendered to the local armed groups. Now the junta has planned to recruit more young people forcefully in military services so that they can fight against the pro-democracy rebels.

The Burmese civil society organisations have repeatedly called on international actors, including ASEAN, UN agencies, and international non-governmental organizations, to cease any attempts at partnership with the junta in the name of humanitarian aid. Partnering with the junta surely exacerbates the crisis, including by allowing the military rulers to continue to block aid from reaching the populations under its attacks.

The anti-junta outfits also denounced the plan of military dictators to conduct the elections probably next year arguing that 27.5 million voters had already given their mandate in the November 2020 general elections to rule the southeast Asian nation. They pointed out that the current batch of military rulers are planning to hold a sham election as one of its hallmark attempts to claim a democratic mandate, gain international legitimacy, and normalize its relations with foreign countries. The last national polls showcased the unwavering commitment of its nationals for a democratic future without military control. But the military dictator Min Aung Hlaing led a coup to oust the democratically elected government in Naypietaw. Since then the Myanmar people have united and coordinated a resistance movement against the junta. They have collectively prevented the junta from seizing an effective control over the country. Across the country, resistance groups have been building Myanmar’s federal future from the ground up with inclusive, people-centric governance.

Myanmar’s future should be defined by the will of its people and not by any misguided initiatives. The local people have showcased their aspirations and determination to end the military’s decades-long violence. They also dream of a nation where people of diverse backgrounds can co-exist with equal rights and dignity.

The National Unity Government, an interim government formed by the elected lawmakers who were not allowed to function, seemingly holds the public mandate to work with ethnic councils and various resistance organizations for establishing a genuine federal democracy in Myanmar. It’s now clear that the international community (also New Delhi) should not fall prey to the junta’s desperate grasp at legitimacy that would prolong Myanmar’s multi-faceted crisis on the ground. Probably, time has come for global leaders to denounce the junta’s sham election plans and support the Myanmarese in their pursuit of a genuine federal democracy and sustainable peace.

Northeast remains an affected land for the humanitarian crisis that erupted in both Bangladesh and Myanmar. Many tribes of the region feel close proximity towards o some people in Chin State and Sagaing Division because of their ancient culture and beliefs. They should be taken on board while adopting strategies to counter the ill effects from the neighbouring countries. As we have some government investments in western Myanmar through the Sittwe Port and Kaladan river project, the authorities and local population there should be enrolled with bilateral ties so that the outcome of such initiatives can be achieved with no hindrance in the coming days.

Also Read: Military Junta Losing Space, What’s Waiting For Myanmar