Source: nepia.com |
It was a propitious
day in Myanmar’s calendar, 27th march marked the full moon day of
the bong also an important day in Buddhism when people observe it with
festivities and by visiting the pagodas.
But from today, 27th
March will be remembered and commemorated as one of the deadliest crackdowns by
security forces of Myanmar against its people. The death toll has gone beyond a
hundred and is only rising.
Myanmar has
witnessed massive protests and violence since February of this year and on 27th
March alone over 140 civilians were killed making it the bloodiest day in the
country.
Long stretches of
protests and fatal crackdown have agitated the country since the February 1
coup brought about a complete military rule. The fatality previous to
Saturday’s bloodbath was assessed to be above 400. As many as 512 has been
killed since February and over 2,500 including journalists and civilians have
been arrested by the security forces.
How
Did This All Begin?
Out of numerous
reasons and speculations, one of the major causes for the coup is pointed
towards the military. The military seized power illegally in a coup in Myanmar
by removing the elected leaders.
Since then, the
military is ruling in Myanmar. This all started when democratically elected
leader and noble peace prize-winning activist Aung San Suu Kyi registered a
victory in the elections that were held in November of 2020.
But the military
refused to accept the results of November 2020, calling the elections
fraudulent and rigged. On the 1st of February, the state military
detained Aung San Suu Kyi and twenty-four others who won the elections,
claiming the National League for Democracy party (NLU) committed fraud in the
election process.
They named eleven replacements hours before the newly elected leaders were all set to take the stage, they were all set to take on new responsibilities. The country has seen massive protests against military rule. People want democracy back. They have asked for the release of their leaders.
The power today is
enjoyed by the military and the junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing. Many
countries and world leaders have now condemned the military takeover in
Myanmar. They have written letters and have asked the military to let democracy
take its own course.
But all of this is
like trying to show colours to blind eyes. The military overthrow of the government
was a planned move, and this is taken from November to February and still
happening.
Why
Should All This Matter to India?
India shares its
boundary with Myanmar. Over one thousand people and more than that have escaped
from Myanmar to the bordering state of Mizoram in India.
The military junta
chief Min Aung Hlaing threw a lavish dinner party to celebrate the Armed Forces
Day on the evening of 27th march, all the while his army carried out
strikes in Karen state.
India and several
other countries were attending the parade in Myanmar’s capital city to mark
Tatmadaw day which is another name for the military. On the same day, the
military in Myanmar killed 140 people. So India’s move of attending the Tatmadaw
day did not go down well.
India was among the
eight nations which decided to send a delegate to go to the Myanmar Armed
Forces Day parade in Naypyidaw on March 27. As the information about the
involvement of foreign missions at the parade came about, there was prompt
denunciation from pro-democracy activists on social media.
A Twitter account that
has been verified as the account of the Myanmar pro-democracy movement is said
to have questioned India’s attendance in the parade. It raised questions as to
why one of the greatest democracies of the world shook hands with those
generals whose hands are soaked in the blood of Myanmar’s people.
India has a history of fighting insurgencies along with Myanmar’s military and the cooperation of the military on both sides has helped India in bringing peace to the northeastern states.
But India made its stance very clear in a few days. It
condemned the violence and said that it demanded the release of detained
leaders in a closed-door meeting with Myanmar.
What's
Next For India?
Now, the major
concern for India will be to witness a surge of refugees from Myanmar. Due to
the current situation, the Mizoram government has asked the security forces to
assist all those people who are currently fleeing Myanmar to India to help and
support them.
But the center plans to deport all these migrants as they seem to be entering the country
illegally. The Mizoram government has sent about a hundred refugees back to
Myanmar, but those refugees came back to the state.
What
Might Have Happened If NLD Assumed Power?
In Myanmar, Aung
San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest and several charges including electoral
misconduct, breach of import-export laws and procession of unlawful
communication devices have been filed against her.
The latest win of NLD
back in November 2020 paved the way for a larger constitution but the military
rejected the result citing irregularities in polling. However, NLD and the election
commission said that the elections were fair.
Elections would
have been a major setback to the military as Suu Kyi promised reforms. Elections
gave her the mandate to change the constitution. The military was rattled by
the election and knew that they could lose power.
And hence we are
witnessing what we are seeing today, the coup, the clam down on pro-democracy
protestors or the killing of innocent civilians, children and others who are
demanding that Myanmar be given its due democracy that Myanmar people have
fought for a very long time be restored at its full capacity.
Written by –
Bhavana N
Edited by – Adrija Saha
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