Guwahati: One year since the people of Myanmar (also known as Burma or Brahmadesh), apart from those who were disenfranchised such as the Rohingya, had largely voted to return the National League for Democracy (NLD) into power, the desperation the Min Aung Hlaing led military regime that came into existence on 1 February, only continues.
After the illegal coup in Naypietaw to overthrow the democratically elected NLD government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi the military rulers launched operations in various localities like the northwest area of Sagaing, southern Shan, Tanintharyi, Magwe, Chin, etc. However their military actions also resulted in a strong resistance movement.
“The town of Thantlang, Chin State, which was mostly emptied of its 8,000 residents after junta attacks on the town in September in which 18 houses were burnt down and a pastor murdered, has been the scene of yet more destruction,” said a source in Progressive Voice, an umbrella organisation of various pro-democracy outfits.
According to the Chin Human Rights Organization, a number of churches, international NGO offices, orphanages were deliberately targeted and even the military personnel continued shelling for many days. But the military government only blamed local residents and resistance groups for burning their own houses.
Karen National Union in a statement expressed its solidarity with the people of Chin State saying, “The burning of houses and destruction in Thantlang (Chin) remind us of the same four-cuts operation used by the Burmese Army decades ago, which burnt down 3,000 Karen villages, including churches and schools.”
In southern Shan areas also, the junta continued shelling along with humiliation and even assaults that rendered nearly 4,000 people homeless. Torching of homes, looting properties, destroying paddy fields and other human rights violations such as extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture were reported.
As the rainy season is ending in Myanmar, the security personnel may gear up the military operation that would bring more vulnerable days for the people of the south-east Asian nation. However, the people have already regrouped to raise voices against the junta under the nationwide movement, joined by even defectors from the military and police.
Days back, over 500 Myanmar civil society organizations in a public statement urged the international community to act for the common people who are suffering since the coup day. They also urged the UNSC to support international actions to resolve the crisis, a global arms embargo against the junta and bring the military leaders to the International Criminal Court.