It’s hard to write anything about Myanmar these days. The situation changes from day to day and, unfortunately, always for the worse. Some aspects, however, remain certain in a panorama that does not seem destined to change, at least, not any time soon. The military has taken back power, after years in which the political situation seemed headed towards democratic normalization that started with the new Constitutional Charter of 2008 and the elections of 2015. Probably, the fear of losing privileges acquired in a dictatorship that lasted uninterruptedly from 1962 to 2011 was the spark that set this coup in motion, which turnaround happened suddenly on the morning of February 1, 2021.

What is new in the Burmese panorama is the uprising of an entire population, united in demanding the freedom of the “Lady” – Aung San Suu Kyi – the undisputed leader of the country, and its return to the constitutional form of government. Such an uprising uniting all 136 ethnic groups that live together, often with considerable tensions among them, has never happened before. Previously, the youth had demonstrated against the dictatorship in 1988, and in 2007, it was the monks who marched through the streets of the country. Today it is the entire populace rebelling and demanding their rights and freedoms under the Constitution.

The role played by foreign countries in this crisis is essential. On one hand, the most vigorous condemnations have come from the defense ministers of 12 nations. However, on the other hand, China, Russia, Vietnam, and India have blocked United Nations action on Myanmar. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries have declared that they do not want to interfere. Meanwhile, civil disobedience is on the rise, as well as the number of anti-coup protesters killed by the military which has taken a hard stance: shooting into crowds and torture of detainees. Uncertainty, chaos, and fear now reign in the country.

Roberto Catalano