Myanmar formerly known as Burma got independence from British colonial rule in 1948. Since its independence the country remained under the clutches of military junta rule, violence, political instability and economic mismanagement.
Myanmar once again became the center of news in February 2021 when the military staged a coup and officially retook country’s control and seized the power of Suu Kyi.
Aung San Suu Kyi Noble prize winner leader overthrown by the military after months of increasing friction between the civilian government and the powerful military, known as the Tatmadaw. Military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing took over the power.
Suu Kyi and the NLD first formed a government in 2015 after a power sharing formula of understanding under which the military was allocated a quarter of seats in parliament and it retains control of key ministries like home affairs and defense. The military also has veto power on any attempts to amend the constitution
Aung San Suu Kyi and other top government figures were house detained.
The democratic system once again derailed in the country army announced national state of emergency for one year.
Military Junta levelled six charges against Aung San Suu Kyi regime including rigging November 2019 general elections, her party National League for Democracy was criticized to manipulate election results, violating a state secrets law, as well as illegally importing handheld radios (walkie talkies) and breaching coronavirus rules.
Suu Kyi has also faced international condemnation for human rights abuses and brutal violence against Rohingya Muslims in the western state which a UN report said were committed with “genocidal intent”.
Suu Kyi’s government and the military even faced a genocide investigation at the International Court of Justice.
The military coup is widely condemned across the country with violent protest demonstrations. Myanmar’s military responded brutally with intensive cracked down on pro-democratic dissents protesters since the February coup, killing more than 900 people and detaining more than 4,000.
The Myanmar putsch drew global condemnation as well, from Pope Francis to US President Joe Biden.
Almost entire world condemned the military coup and subsequent crackdown. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the Myanmmar security forces as a “reign of terror”.
Despite denouncement by the world’s leader against Myanmar military’s coup and its subsequent, violent crackdown on protestors, the world still seems split into two camps on how to respond in best possible strong manner.
The US, UK and European Union have all imposed sanctions on military officials.
China and Russia on the other hand blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning the coup, but supported calls for the release of Ms. Suu Kyi and country’s return to democratic norms & system. China, India and Bangladesh however opposed international intervention in the internal affairs of Myanmar.
The immediate and irrevocable response from Western superpowers is considered as lip service formality by intellectual segments of the world as these kind of efforts are exhausted many times before, and in many instances, has not yielded desired results in an amicable resolution of the crisis or the conflict.
Cosmetic western intervention on some instances in the nasty game of international politics also results in a prolonging of a crisis or worsening of a crisis under certain circumstances.
Recalling the Bosnian war where USA deliberately avoided risk taking strategy worsened the human rights situation against Muslims, Afghan war, Iraq war where USA invasion left trail of destruction and chaos in the region as well as in the country, Vietnam War, it is no stretch of the imagination to see that it was one of the United States’ biggest blunders. With a huge loss of American Soldiers and Vietnamese Civilians lives. US intervention in the Vietnam War definitely worsened and prolonged the conflict.
Other Western countries are not exempted either. Not least is the United Kingdom. Political analysts are of view that western world, United Nations and USA fully intervene in a situation where it suits its vicious heinous designs. The world has observed hypocrite and dual role of western world nexus and especially USA intervene in other states affairs militarily with the purpose of either expansionism or neo-colonialism. The involvement of USA in gulf war was nothing but an attempt to access or gain control of the lucrative oil supply of the middle-east. In the garb of so called war against terror USA has established more than 800 military and air bases in 70 countries of the world including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan etc. from giant “Little Americas to radar facilities. Washington in unprecedented power spread has established its air and military bases as well as deployed its troops in all the seven continents of the world. America and CIA conduct its secret operation worldwide to counter anti American design and to keep its supremacy and hegemony intact. The capture of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein from his own country and assassination of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan are two deterrent examples set before the world to behave composed & wisely according to the whims of USA designs or face the dire consequences in an attempt of unveiling these conspiracy theories.
In my humble opinion a policy of non-intervention is by no means a moral high ground either, along with its typical stance of neutrality. ASEAN is entitled to take a more active role in Myanmar’s recent political turmoil. Even in the face of gross human rights violations conducted by Myanmar military against pro democratic dissents.
ASEANs is criticized due to lack of the due role it is supposed to play as it widely condemned in response to the persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims in the country’s west.
International relations as well as international politics are a tricky affair. Depending upon foreign policies of respective countries they are strategic, complex and fragile. A single misstep may cause provocation to jeopardize the socio-economic relationship between two states.
The international response ought to be handled and addressed as far as it violates the basic human rights granted by the United Nations charter of human rights hence automatically it becomes an issue which seeks international intervention, resistance and punishment to the assaulters.
The people of Myanmar don’t feel that this is a political issue. It is a human rights issue” and they find themselves isolated as far as world response is concerned.
The apologetic behavior of western powers towards Myanmar political crisis especially of Joe Biden new administration manifest the fact that USA latest regime is pro-military as far its strategy towards developing countries is concerned.
International political analyst believe that lenient policy of USA in context of imposing sanctions against Myanmar incumbent military regime is a strong message to the powerful global military might who are of view that dictatorial form of government or system guarantees their country’s prosperity.
Apart from the global establishment games of international relations I feel it is obligatory for world community to must stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar.