Top democracy activists were executed in Myanmar – 4 key things to know

Protesters in Bangkok hold photos of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s detained former leader, on July 26, 2022. Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images^[12]

The conflict’s complicated back story

When the military staged the 2021 coup, the generals made a miscalculation.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party, the National League for Democracy, had won a landslide victory^[13] against the military-backed opposition in November 2020. Military generals demanded another election, offering little evidence of irregularities, but recognizing that power was slipping from their hands.

Military representatives still held an allocated 25% of parliament seats^[14] because of the constitution^[15], but without their allied political parties, their political leverage was limited.

At the time, there was a global pandemic. The economy slowed down^[16].

The generals likely hoped that the coup would be merely a smooth transition back to the old system – before Aung San Suu Kyi’s party was first elected in 2015 – when the different generations of generals had controlled everything, from 1962^[17] onward.

But the National League for Democracy’s ascension to power brought about many positive changes, particularly in the country’s heartland, where a major ethnic group, Bamar^[18], live. The country’s gross domestic product, an indicator of economic growth^[19], was also at an all-time high in 2020.

Many could see life was improving for them and for their children. The generals did not foresee the outrage that would follow the coup.

Women look out the window of a bus at armed soldiers patrolling a street in Yangon, Myanmar. STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images^[20]

How political resistance has played out

Early days of peaceful demonstrations after the coup quickly turned to armed resistance when the army did not respect the people’s demands to return power to the government they elected.

U.N. human rights experts have said^[21] the military junta is a “criminal enterprise” that is systematically committing murder, torture and forced disappearances. The junta has also blocked access^[22] to many social media sites, like Facebook, and engaged in widespread human rights violations^[23], including attacks on civilians, according to the U.N.

Many young people joined ethnic revolutionary groups, many of which had been fighting the army since 1948^[24], when Myanmar – then known as Burma – became independent^[25] from British rule.

Ethnic armies supported the young people who decided to join the resistance, and housed, fed and trained them.

Some Myanmar citizens, meanwhile, have donated their incomes, houses and cars to help support revolutionary groups. It’s become popular for people to visit websites and play online games^[26] created by Myanmar tech developers – generating money that goes to these groups.

This bypasses the military’s crackdown on mobile money transfers^[27] to members of the armed groups, and the closure of many banks^[28].

The military is also losing some territorial control^[29], as more and more regions slowly form their own administrations^[30], which the military does not recognize.

A cat walks in front of members of the People’s Defense Force – a armed group in Myanmar that opposes the military government. David Mmr/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images^[31]

Other countries are mostly staying out of it

The United States and other major powers have largely been absent as Myanmar has experienced a coup and subsequent political and economic crisis.

While the Myanmar army continues to get support and military supplies from Russia^[32], other countries have taken a wait-and-see approach.

One reason is that Myanmar’s situation is internal, and its military is not fighting other countries. Now, hundreds of internal groups in Myanmar are fighting over their vested interests, including territory.

I believe no clear winner will walk away from this civil war – and staging little to no interference has been the international community’s general position^[33]. People of Myanmar^[34] have interpreted this stance as willful ignorance to their plight.

There are, however, some symbolic victories for the opposition by way of international engagement.

Ousted political leaders from the National League for Democracy and others against the junta formed a new shadow government, the National Unity Government^[35], in May 2021. Most of their top members operate “undercover or through members based abroad,” according to CNN^[36].

The U.N. has not formally recognized the National Unity Government but has allowed representatives to speak at the U.N. on behalf of Myanmar.

The U.S. has hosted National Unity Government delegations^[37] several times^[38] – but it has yet to unfreeze^[39] the US$1 billion the previous Myanmar government held at a U.S. federal reserve bank.

Both the National Unity Government and the military^[40] claim rights to this money.

An uncertain future

The coup triggered an economic collapse^[41], plunging Myanmar’s currency to an all-time low^[42].

Many Myanmar citizens feel trapped^[43] in the entrenched war.

The country is fast-forwarding into the past, when it was deeply isolated^[44] from the world. And there is no clear end in sight to the conflict.

The military hosted peace talks ^[45] in April and May, but fewer than half of the country’s major 21 ethnic armed groups^[46] attended.

Many of these groups together with the newly formed armed People’s Defense Forces, part of the National Unity Government, have vowed to fight on, especially after the executions. Because of their determination, many people in the country feel that the future is uncertain – but not hopeless.

Authors: Tharaphi Than, Associate Professor, Department of World Cultures and Languages, Northern Illinois University

Read more https://theconversation.com/top-democracy-activists-were-executed-in-myanmar-4-key-things-to-know-187671

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