In a recent demonstration, young people from Myanmar painted their faces with the colours of the Ukrainian flag in a show of solidarity with the people of the eastern European nation. They held placards declaring “We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine” and “We condemn Russia.”
Despite facing the junta’s reign of terror for over a year, the people of Myanmar showed their support and solidarity with a nation thousands of kilometres away.
Furthermore, the country’s shadow National Unity Government [NUG] and anti-coup activists have also slammed the Russian invasion and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
In mid-March, Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the NUG, said Ukraine’s freedom has not yet perished and neither has Myanmar’s.
“Citizen resistance fighters fighting against tyrant militaries, valiant Myanmar’s PDFs [people’s defense force] and Ukraine TDFs [territorial defense forces] fighting for freedom and democracy. Free world must support and stop the tyrants,” he posted on Twitter.
Russia, a major ally of Myanmar, backed the February 2021 coup and has conducted arms deals with the junta since the putsch toppled the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which resulted in Myanmar becoming a pariah state following sanctions by several Western nations.
Amid the junta’s brutal crackdown, protesters, especially young people, have courageously marched on the streets of several cities and villages to show their opposition to military rule.
More than 1,700 people have been killed and more than 12,000 have been detained by security forces since the coup 14 months ago [Sunday Examiner, 7 February 2021].
While many world leaders have expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Myanmar’s military junta has said Russia’s invasion as “justified.”
Russia, a major ally of Myanmar, backed the February 2021 coup and has conducted arms deals with the junta since the putsch toppled the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which resulted in Myanmar becoming a pariah state following sanctions by several Western nations.
While the nature of the conflicts and contexts of the two countries are different, the Myanmese and Ukrainians bear the brunt of conflicts inflicted by authoritarian regimes.
The world’s eyes are fixed on eastern Europe and the West has quickly responded with sanctions against Russia. Sadly, Myanmar’s crisis, which has dragged on for over a year, is neither on the radar of the international community nor covered by global media.
While the Russian military launches airstrikes and missiles on cities in Ukraine, Myanmar’s military has stepped up its assault on civilians with airstrikes and heavy weaponry
While the Russian military launches airstrikes and missiles on cities in Ukraine, Myanmar’s military has stepped up its assault on civilians with airstrikes and heavy weaponry.
Amid the lack of a coordinated world response, the military continues to commit atrocities with impunity, burning homes, looting property, killing innocent people, and carrying out arbitrary arrests and torture.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said in a March 15 report that Myanmar’s security forces have shown a “flagrant disregard for human life, bombarding populated areas with airstrikes and heavy weapons and deliberately targeting civilians.”
Bachelet has called on the international community to do all it can to resolve the crisis and hold the perpetrators of gross violations of international human rights laws accountable.
The US, the UK, Canada and the EU have pressured Myanmar’s military and its associated companies through targeted sanctions while ASEAN has been using diplomatic means to tackle the crisis in a member state.
The UN Security Council has called for an end to the violence in the beleaguered nation but has failed to issue a binding resolution as China and Russia may veto it.
The people of Myanmar have looked to the international community to solve the crisis but the lack of action has prompted the people to fight for peace and democracy on their own.
“As the military junta escalates its ruthless attacks on the people of Myanmar, the people […] see only endless expressions of concern from the international community, vague declarations that something should be done and a tedious, endless wait for a consensus to act,” Tom Andrews, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, told the UN Human Rights Council on March 21.
“The international community and all member states of the United Nations must stand with and for the people of Myanmar with not only words but, even more importantly, with action.” UCAN
