As was guaranteed before the elections took place, General Min Aung Hlaing has been appointed president after a series of elections that were widely seen as a sham. Meanwhile, the terrible suffering of the people of Myanmar goes on.
The reality of life in Myanmar
While the world’s attention is taken up with the war in Iran, many other conflicts continue to rage across the world, in Ukraine, Sudan and a host of other places. One of those conflicts which gets little of the world’s attention is that which is taking place in Myanmar.
On 19 March it was reported that an amazing, hidden ceremony had taken place in Myanmar earlier that week. The ceremony involved 21 students graduating with nursing degrees. At first sight this might seem like a quite unremarkable event, but if you dig deeper into the story, it soon becomes apparent that it really was a special event.
The students had to train while working around the military junta’s internet blackouts and hidden away from the regime’s spy drones. They were graduates of what was described as an “underground health system”. This system has been developing in Myanmar over the last five years, since the military coup in February 2021 set off a deadly civil war and destroyed a pro-democracy uprising.
Khun Sue Reh, 23, who was among the group graduating on 16 March with the specially designed three year nursing qualification commented: “Safety is never guaranteed.”
The students had to do the usual coursework and exams, but had other obstacles in their way including air strikes on the hospitals where they were training.
It was also noted that “the UN estimates that since the coup, 18.6 million people in Myanmar have required humanitarian assistance, 3.2 million have been internally displaced, and more than 55,000 civilian buildings destroyed. More than 200 000 people have fled to neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, India and Thailand. A parallel secret health system has emerged, treating those who cannot risk government-controlled hospitals or who live in the vast areas of the country which are outside the regime’s control”.
Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing appointed president after ‘sham’ election
While the nursing students were dodging airstrikes on hospitals and dealing with internet blackouts, a series of sham elections took place in Myanmar. The result was a foregone conclusion as the military junta had rigged the elections to make sure that nobody but themselves could win. Consequently, it was no surprise, when on 1 April, when it was reported that General Min Aung Hlaing, the man who has caused so much suffering in Myanmar in recent years and led the coup in February 2021, had been appointed president. This is despite the fact that he is wanted by the prosecutor at the Interntaional Criminal Court for his role in the 2017 genocide against the Rohingyas.
It was further noted that “the election, which the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development party (USDP) won by a landslide, was widely condemned as a sham that sought to give a veneer of legitimacy to military rule. It is not expected that the changes in leadership will ease the political crisis or the deadly conflict that continues to rage across the country.”.
People in Myanmar demand real democracy
It was argued on 24 March that the sham elections were not what the people of Myanmar really wanted and it was pointed out that while China had supported the elections, as they simply wanted stability with their neighbour, pro-democracy groups in the country had boycotted them.
It was also noted that conflict monitoring group ACLED had stated that 93,000 had been killed in the ongoing civil war since the coup in 2021, while the UN estimated that as many as 3.6 million people in Myanmar are currently displaced.
As for the war itself, it has been stated that the military junta had some victories recently, but are said to be losing ground in other regions. Meanwhile, as the junta plays at being a democratic government, the long-suffering people of Myanmar have not given up on the dream of living in a truly democratic nation. They deserve better and it is hoped that the international community will not be taken in by the sham elections.
Statement from Burma Campaign UK
Anna Roberts, director of Burma campaign UK has issued a statement, which includes the following:
“What does the limited effort in presenting elections as credible, and the continued role of Min Aung Hlaing mean?
“Part is of course his ambition, but part must be that the military have calculated they can get away with it. They have the strong backing of China, Russia and India, three regional allies that are much more assertive internationally than they were 16 years ago. The military may feel they don’t need to make as many concessions as they did last time round, as they don’t need western countries.
They may also be calculating that the way in which western countries are no longer prioritising human rights and democracy in Burma means they don’t need to make concessions, western countries will go along with their sham and start normalising relations. The Burmese military has watched how implementation of sanctions slowed to a dribble and then stopped altogether. They are watching European countries close embassies, and how mentions of Burma have fallen off joint statements at international venues like the G7.
“It might be that the USA, UK and EU are willing to give the genocide general, as Rohingya activists call Min Aung Hlaing, another chance, but most people in Burma will not. They will keep fighting, keep protesting and keep building new local administrations and institutions in areas freed from Burmese military rule. They will keep building a bottom-up federal democracy.”.
The international community should step up
Nobody can doubt that the international community has a lot on its plate, with serious wars in Iran, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere. However, the Burmese army has now ruled Myanmar almost continually since March 1962 and while there have been many brave people in Myanmar who have stood up to their rule it has for most of that time been a case of forgotten suffering in a forgotten country. Here in Britain, we have a special responsibility to help the people of Myanmar, as it was once our colony.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the right things, but the words must be backed up by actions from the government, who must ensure that more aid, not less, is going to the people who need it in Myanmar and that they do their part with the rest of the international community to put pressure on the military reh=gime to allow real, free elections..
Meanwhile we can all do what we can to help the people of Myanmar. To learn more about how to help people in Myanmar see here.
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