Myanmar Coup: 5 Years On, Military Control Erodes Amidst Widespread Resistance

Five Years Since the Coup

• 🗓️ Five years have passed since the military re-took control in Myanmar, ending a brief period of democratic rule and ousting elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
• 🗳️ The military celebrated this anniversary by declaring a win in a general election, which has been widely denounced as a sham due to repression and the exclusion of large parts of the population.
• 💔 The UN reported at least 170 civilian deaths from military airstrikes during the election period alone.

Military Miscalculation and Resistance

• 💥 The coup has been a significant miscalculation for the military, which expected to regain complete control but instead faced mass protests and armed resistance.
• 🏞️ Protesters have joined ethnic resistance organizations in jungles and mountains, leading the military to lose control of over half the country, at one point only controlling 20%.
• 🚨 The military's current elections are a desperate strategy to regain credibility amidst deep trouble, marked by daily airstrikes and the detention of 20,000 political prisoners.
• ✊ Despite the violence, the people of Myanmar continue to resist, rejecting the election and vowing to fight military rule.

Nature of the Resistance

• 🤝 The resistance is mixed, involving a national unity government with people's defense forces and long-standing ethnic armies like the Karen National Union and Kachin Independence Organization.
• 🏘️ Multiple local administrations are being built across the country, fostering a bottom-up democracy with informal and formal coordination.
• ⚖️ Organizations fighting the military agree on remaining part of the country but demand human rights, autonomy, and control over local natural resources.
• 🌐 In areas no longer occupied by the military, people are being consulted on governance, laws, and the use of natural resources, with local administrations providing essential services.

International Inaction and Calls for Support

• 📉 Organizations like Burma Campaign UK are calling out the UK government for inaction, noting a halt in Western efforts to stop the flow of arms and money to the military.
• 🚫 It has been over a year since the UK or EU imposed sanctions targeting the Myanmar military, despite increasing airstrikes and civilian deaths.
• 💸 Western companies continue to be involved in Myanmar's gas industry and provide services to military-owned companies, indirectly funding the junta.
• ❓ The lack of action from Western countries is inexplicable, with no significant economic impact on the EU or UK from imposing targeted sanctions.

Future Roadmap and International Justice

• 🚫 Governments must learn from history and avoid backing sham reform processes that allow the military to acquire arms.
• 🎯 The recommended approach is to systematically identify and sanction sources of revenue, arms, and equipment for the Myanmar military.
• ⚖️ Continued efforts for international justice and accountability, such as at the International Court of Justice regarding the Rohingya genocide, are crucial.
• 🏗️ Support for the bottom-up democracy and local administrations being built on the ground is vital, as they demonstrate a viable alternative to military rule in Myanmar's diverse landscape.