Prioritizing Power Over People: What You Need to Know About the Military Coup in Myanmar and How You Can Help Those Fleeing for Safety.

Myanmar, the home of the world’s longest running civil war, has a new crisis: on February 1, 2021, the military staged a coup, detaining the newly elected parliament, declaring a state of emergency, and raising concerns among ethnic minorities of renewed persecution and violence.  Although information is scarce, our partners and staff in and around the country report that many people are fleeing their homes, seeking security in informal gatherings of displaced people, hiding in the jungle.    

We have a network of relationships in and around the country trying to make sense of the senseless violence and strategizing how to meet the increased needs amid the new uncertainties. What we know for sure is this: more than ever, vulnerable people in Myanmar need help.  We are committed to finding new ways to do what we have done for decades: meet people where they are; feed the hungry; and bring hope to those in despair. 

You can help children and families in crisis. When you give a one time gift, children in orphanages and families on the run get the food they need to survive. When you give monthly as a member of our community, you ensure that families have what they need not just to survive, but to build new lives, full of hope.

Content:

• A Brief History of Myanmar
• Who is Aung San Suu Kyi and Why Does She Matter?
• What Is Happening Now?
• Why Is This Happening Now?
• What’s Next?
• How Does This Affect Our Work In Myanmar And What Can We Do?

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

A Brief History of Myanmar

Myanmar, known as Burma until 1989, is a country in South East Asia, bordered by Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and India.  Formerly a British colony, the country gained independence as a parliamentary democracy in 1948.  

Shortly thereafter, the world’s longest running civil war began as the Burmese Army fought with various ethnic minorities for control of the resource rich country.  The country has endured decades of violence and a series of military governments, periodically punctuated by protests and violent crackdowns.  Two previous coups, in 1962 and 1988, both lasted more than 25 years.  

You may have heard of some of Myanmar’s largest cities:  Yangon (formerly Rangoon) is the largest, and is the economic center of the southern part of the country.  Mandalay is the second largest city, the economic center of the northern part of the country, and — before British control — it was the last royal capital.  Naw Pyi Taw is the modern capital and third largest city in Myanmar.

In the last half of the 20th century, the civil war war largely fought along the eastern border with Thailand and Laos, and to a lesser extent the northern border with China. More recently, the western border regions (e.g., the Rahkine State) have also been in the news, as the International Court of Justice has pursued its investigation of human rights abuses, including claims of genocide, forced labor, rape, torture, and the use of child soldiers.  

Untold numbers of people have been killed in these conflicts over the decades.  As of 2020, approximately 1.5 million are known to be displaced, internally or across international borders, with another 1.6 million classified as stateless. [1]

Years of instability have allowed Myanmar to become a global center for illegal drug manufacturing, particularly along the northern border with China. Our partners report that drug addition and human trafficking are rife in the area.  

Who Is Aung San Suu Kyi and Why Does She Matter?

Aung San Suu Kyi was just two years old when her father, a hero in the post-WW2 independence movement, was assassinated.  

She was outside the country (pursuing her education, and later starting a family) during the entire period of the first military coup, returning in 1988 to care for her critically ill mother.  She soon became a leader of the peaceful resistance to military rule, travelling the country and speaking at protest rallies.  These demonstrations were met with a brutal response by the army, which seized power in a second coup,  

Ms Suu Kyi spent most of the next fifteen years (1989-2010) under house arrest. “The Lady” (as she is known within Myanmar) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 in recognition of her struggle for democratic reform, hailed as “an outstanding example of the power of the powerless”.

Released in 2010, The Lady rejoined the political process with her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in time for April 2012 by-elections.  Her party won 43 of the 45 contested seats; Ms Suu Kyi was sworn in as a member of parliament, and official leader of the opposition.

In 2015, Ms. Suu Kyi led the NLD to a landslide victory.  Provisions of the 2008 constitution (written by the military) prevented her from becoming the President; instead, she took the title of State Counsellor (and a close aide of hers became President).  Nevertheless, both inside and outside Myanmar, The Lady was widely regarded as the de facto leader.

In the November 2020 parliamentary elections, the NLD won an overwhelming majority, picking up 83 percent of available seats. The military disputed the results, claiming election fraud.  On the day that the new parliament was to be sworn in, the military arrested Ms Suu Kyi along with other political leaders.  Ms Suu Kyi has been charged with illegally importing communications equipment.

What is Happening Now?

Myanmar’s military declared a state of emergency, suspending parliament for at least one year.  They have installed a new cabinet, replaced the Directors of the Central Bank, and are replacing anyone in the civil service installed by the NLD.

In addition to arresting the leaders of the NLD party and political activists, the military is reported to have detained hundreds of influential people — from entertainers to journalists.  According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human RIghts, “over 1,000 individuals have been arrested and detained in the last month – some of whom remain unaccounted for – mostly without any form of due process, simply for exercising their human rights to freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly.” [2]

Communications services have been interrupted, and remain intermittent.  Banks have, at times, been closed as well.

It is hard to imagine this coup coming at a worse time for Myanmar. On the first day of the coup, the military shut down international airspace, turning away planes carrying Covid-19 vaccines. With the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, a poverty rate that jumped from 16% to 60% last year [3].  With more than 700,000 Rohingya people displaced since 2017 [4], and continued ethnic armed conflicts, the coup adds to an already troubled context.

Why Is This Happening Now?

In the November 2020 election, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won just seven percent of parliamentary seats, an embarrassment for the army and particularly its leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Some commentators interpret the coup as a power grab by General Min Hlaing. In June, Min Hlaing will turn 65, the mandatory retirement age in Myanmar. Once the general returns to civilian life, he is widely expected to face charges in the International Criminal Court regarding the army’s treatment of the Rohingya as well as ethnic minorities in Kachin and Shan States. He also has significant reputational and business interests which could be at risk if the military and its proponents were to lose control of the government. 

What’s Next?

Protests against the military began almost immediately, with people banging pots at 8 pm each night, a Buddist practice to chase away evil spirits. 

Next, medical professionals in Mandalay went on strike.

Thousands are now protesting in the streets daily, using the three finger salute popularized in the Hunger Games (and also used in neighboring Thailand and nearby Hong Kong, by democratic protesters), despite new laws aimed to prevent such gatherings. 

Tensions and frustration levels are extremely high.  At least 60 protestors have been killed in recent days, and more wounded, as the military and state police have responded with escalating violence to the protests. [5]

Meanwhile, people and organizations with connections to ethnic minorities who have long been the target of the military are also reporting increased violence.  According to these reports, more than 6,000 people have been newly displaced in the eastern provinces of Myanmar as the fighting has intensified since the new year. [6]  

How Does This Affect Our Work In Myanmar?

Contact with Venture staff and partners in Myanmar and along the border has been intermittent since the coup.  As of the writing of this article, our staff and partners are safe, but naturally concerned by the developments.

Road closures, internet shutdowns, military checkpoints, and violent skirmishes all over the country have made the work we do more vital, but also more challenging. Many of our existing transport routes are no longer usable, so our staff and partners have been creatively finding alternative routes and methods of getting food to the vulnerable. 

While it is too soon to know how (or when) the coup will resolve, or what that means for how we work in Myanmar, we can say with certainty that the coup has increased the number of displaced people, and increased the difficulty of serving those afflicted by decades of conflict and persecution. 

Our commitment to Myanmar is unchanged.  Our staff and partners are among the bravest, most steadfast, and most compassionate people we know. We are going to continue serving the needs of the most vulnerable in this region, and you can join us in this work.

When you give, 100% of your donation goes to help children and families going through this crisis. A one time donation gives children in orphanages and families on the run get the food they need to survive. When you give monthly as a member of our community, you ensure that families have what they need not just to survive, but to build new lives, full of hope.