Myanmar Military’s Delusion

Yesterday, members of a group supporting Myanmar’s military junta attacked and injured people protesting the army’s coup of Feb. 1, that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. At least several people were injured in the attacks in Myanmar’s largest city. The chaos complicates an already intractable standoff between the military and a protest movement that has been staging large-scale demonstrations daily to have Suu Kyi’s government restored to power. The member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are urging Myanmar’s military to make some concessions to help ease tensions. The 10-country regional group views dialogue with the generals as a more effective method of achieving compromises than confrontational methods, such as the sanctions often advocated by Western nations.

After more than three weeks of Myanmar’s military coup, the situation became more serious as the anti-coup protest attracted more participation among the masses and earned global support across the world. The United Nations Human Rights Council has passed resolution denouncing grave human rights violations by Myanmar Military and urged UNSC to imposed sanctions against Country’s military. UNSC failed to make grounds for imposition of sanctions due to disassociation by China and Russia. However, US, UK and other several Western Countries had imposed sanctions against Myanmar’s military generals.

In a move against military coup, Burmese Ambassador to the UN,  Kyaw Moe Tun, separated his way from the ruling Military Junta and warned diplomats at a meeting of the General Assembly that his country’s military had become, “an existential threat,” and called upon the world community to take action against the military for restoration of democracy and peace in the country. The ASEAN’s efforts for de-escalation will also work only if there will be growing pressure on ruling elite at all fronts.

On other hand, the military has sorted to create anarchy in the country by staging pro-military protests, aimed at turning the situation into civil anarchy to divert the International focus from its illegal action against the elected government of the country. However, the rising internal and external pressure had pushed the Military elite in a defensive position, if the similar situation continue to exist during next few weeks the military junta will have to retreat in front of growing public protest for restoration of deposed elected government.