'Democracy imprisoned in Myanmar'

The Myanmar Army launched an assault against the country’s democratically elected government. Myanmar became free from the clutches of the British just a year after India won its freedom. But it remained under military rule for decades since 1962.

Hyderabad:While the nations of the world are busy in their fight against Corona, the Myanmar Army went back to its old practice of launching an assault against the country’s democratically elected government. The National League for Democracy, which won the absolute majority in the Parliamentary elections held in November last, was literally made a political prisoner. The army incarcerated the country’s president Win Myint, State-counsellor Aung Saan Suki and all the other crucial leaders of the country. It is muzzling with an iron fist all voices of protest. An estimated 180 people, that protested the military action, were killed in a span of one and a half months.

It was cautioned that there would be bloodshed if the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development (USDP) lost the 2015 elections. People did not heed to such cautions and overwhelmingly voted for Suki’s party at that time. In the recently held elections, Suki’s party won even greater public support than it had won in the 2015 elections. The fear and suspicion that she is resorting to some crucial Constitutional amendment seem to have led the Burmese Army general Min Aung Hlaing to revolt against the democratically elected government.

Hlaing fears that he may have to face an international probe on the anti-Rohingya pogrom led by him, after retiring from his position upon attaining 65 years in the coming month of July. His coup has changed the fate of the entire Myanmar. The streets of Myanmar are turning red with the protesters’ blood in view of the military excesses. The military general’s blind belief that he can shield himself from any probe by clinging to power, resulted in a major setback to democracy in Myanmar where democracy existed in the likeness of a frog under the shadow of a snake’s hood.

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Myanmar (previously called Burma) became free from the clutches of the British just a year after India won its freedom. But it remained under military rule for decades since 1962. NLD had won a majority in the election held by the military junta in 1990. However, the military establishment of those days had refused to budge on the pretext that transfer of power cannot happen without a Constitution. The junta had at that time put all the supporters of democracy in jail. The latest military coup also caused a repeat of what had happened three decades ago.

The military usurpers of Myanmar have imposed a year-long Emergency on the country. They booked Suki for being in possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies. Violation of Corona regulations is the other charge made against her. They are tightening the noose around her by hurling charges of corruption. America, Britain and Canada have announced sanctions against the military leaders of Myanmar. South Korea on its part has announced the suspension of weapon sales to Myanmar.

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While Indonesia is trying a diplomatic initiative to resolve the crisis, China’s stand is a source of alarm. Recently China has amended its Defense Act, facilitating the People’s Liberation Army’s entry into other countries to safeguard Chinese interests. In view of this, the movements of China should be closely watched. The Government of India should keep a hawk-eye vigil to arrest any rise of the insurgency in the North East of India in the backdrop of instability in Myanmar.

The UN should play a leadership role in safeguarding the developmental aspirations of the citizens of Myanmar. The country can emerge victorious against decades of seclusion and unbearable poverty only when it succeeds in restoring total democracy with international support.

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