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“They are doing anything but the right thing”: Report on the Myanmar Q & A






On the 7th of April, the Activities and Education committee hosted a group of speakers to talk about the current situation in Myanmar. Due to security reasons it could not be recorded, but we wanted to offer a short summary of the conversation for anyone who couldn’t attend. For more information about the context of the military coup and ensuing protests check out our other article on the topic which delves more into the history. It was enlightening to hear from people who know more about an issue I had seen floating around but never gained a deeper understanding of. At times, the conversation was very intense because of the gravity of the situation and how close the speakers are to it. We are privileged to be able to learn about these issues from a distance rather than being confronted with it every day in the streets. Nevertheless, as the speakers highlighted, it is important that we stay aware of what is happening, and hopefully sharing these stories will bring it closer to us as well.


The first speakers were two members of the team behind the @whats.happening.in.myanmar account on Instagram. They not only share news but also focus in on some of the movement’s prominent figures with a personal touch. Through this account, and also this talk, they connect the national situation with an international audience. During the event, they provided a brief overview of Myanmar’s history and the latest coup which sparked these protests. They also provided some of the facts and figures: most notably that over 600 civilians had at that time been killed, the youngest of which was only two years old. They also noted specific events like the aerial bombings of the Karen region, and the torture of former senior officials. Almost everyone in Myanmar has felt the impact of what is happening, not only physically but through the national state of mind. One civilian that they spoke to said: “There is no law. Our human rights are gone. The democracy I hoped for is far away now”. It means a lot to them that people continue to follow them and share what is happening, especially early on with the popular hashtag #whatshappeninginmyanmar. With their Instagram account they hope to keep people up to date with these developments, inside and outside of Myanmar. They hope that this will lead to governments taking action as well, although they acknowledge that it is hard to put forward measures that are effective but do not disadvantage normal civilians. Historically, some sanctions have had this effect. International actors are trying to specifically target military-held companies but these companies have far-reaching investments, making it difficult to effectively isolate them. Additionally because the government and military have been the target of sanctions for such an extended period of time and throughout different conflicts, they have become used to functioning under them and their continued effect is questionable.


The second speaker was a representative from the Dutch Foreign Ministry, working specifically on Myanmar. Their angle was more about the international response to the issue. Overall, their outlook was not very optimistic. The burgeoning democracy that had existed previously had been more fragile than the international community had thought and since the start of the conflict it has only gotten more complex. Different ethnic organizations have started getting involved, and the military has become more violent over time with no signs of stopping. This current movement also threatens Myanmar’s broader future as it is affecting other areas of society such as the banking system and the ports. The longer it goes on, the harder it gets to see a solution, as options for dialogue have largely closed. Internationally, countries have started to apply pressure by condemning the coup and asking the military to release political prisoners. The EU already had sanctions in place due to the Rohingya crisis, and the UK, US and Canada have put more sanctions in place since the coup. The EU also has maintained and expanded their arms embargo. The speaker acknowledged however, that larger scale action, including at the level of the UN, is difficult because of the vested interest of some countries. Specifically Russia, China and India were named as having stakes in the arms trade, and several non-state actors are also still willing to do business with Myanmar because of its rich natural resources. On the 27th of March, Armed Forces Day in Myanmar which was marked by protest and bloodshed, the deputy minister of defense for Russia was present at the official celebrations, presumably showing his support.


The third speaker described the moment when the military coup occurred. She was up late doing her math homework when suddenly the power cut out. The next morning telecommunication was down as well and the only thing on television was propaganda. It took some time before the protests started as the country was in complete confusion, and soon after, the violence by the military started too. She describes the fear, for her personally and for everyone, as you never feel safe. The armed forces are no longer considered the military but terrorists, terrorizing those that they are meant to protect and “doing anything but the right thing”. Another speaker continues on from this, not a citizen of Myanmar but currently living there. She notes how everyone, across the board, is affected. Even working conditions have become difficult, whether there are protests or not, because everybody is mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted by the extent to which their daily lives have been disrupted. Because of this, it is also so impressive how people still have hope despite everything.

One issue that came up was how the coup intersects with the treatment of the Rohingya in Myanmar, which has continued to be an issue. Many of the officials involved in the coup are also responsible for the Rohingya crisis. This coup only highlights the many atrocities committed by the military against several minority groups in Myanmar, and has also reversed the positive change that was occurring in some areas of the country. For a long time it was not popular to speak out about this, and discrimination against them was considered normal, but this is changing. The younger people who are involved in the protests to a greater extent realize they have been fed propaganda about the Rohingya, but many of the older generation, the speakers argued, are less aware of the murders occurring there.

Personally this talk was really impactful for me, and shows the value of organizing these events to connect and learn more. One of the speakers also compiled a document of links to petitions, organizations and information which is copied here:



Petitions to Sign

  • Stop training the Burmese military


Donations & Fundraising

  • Mutual Aid Myanmar, work closely with CDM organisers to sustain the livelihoods (can join mailing list & donate)

  • Karen Women’s Organisation- donations for food and supply of IDPs


Staying up to date & sharing stories of the journalists on the ground

  • Frontier News (Twitter, Website)

  • Myanmar Now English (Twitter, Website)

  • Khit Thit Media (Twitter, Website)

  • The Irrawaddy (Twitter, Website, Facebook)

  • Poppy McPherson (Twitter & Reuters)

  • Dr. Sasa (Twitter)

  • @whats.happening.in.myanmar

  • @spotlightmyanmar (Instagram)

  • @humansofmm (Instagram)

  • @ThetHtarTher1 (Instagram)

  • @meemalee (Instagram)

  • @theohtet (twitter)

  • @cape_diamond (twitter)

  • Mratt Kyaw Thu (Twitter @mrattkthu)

  • Justice for Myanmar @justicemyanmar (twitter)

  • Mathew Tostevin (Twitter-@TostevinM)



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