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By JOE FREEMAN
Portray their faces within the colors of the Ukrainian flag, holding up indicators studying “Save Ukraine”, and incorporating these messages into courageous public demonstrations and social media posts: these scenes may very well be from the besieged Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Irpin or Kharkiv.
However they occurred 1000’s of miles away – in Myanmar.
Inside days of Russia’s invasion, the worldwide neighborhood rallied across the folks of Ukraine in a robust and lightning-fast show of solidarity. From odd folks providing monetary help by reserving Airbnbs in Ukraine with no intention of utilizing them, to governments rapidly adopting powerful sanctions in opposition to Russia, the disaster has proven how rapidly we are able to unite to oppose violent acts of aggression.
However in Myanmar, the place the navy seized energy in a coup multiple yr in the past, the expressions of help for the Ukrainian persons are all of the extra transferring due to the terrifying dangers implicit within the very act of gathering – being shot by troopers or cops, or arbitrary arrest, torture and demise in custody.
Myanmar protesters put their lives on the road each time they step onto the road. Greater than 1,600 folks have been killed by the safety forces for the reason that February 2021 coup, in response to the Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners. A March 15 report from the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights referred to as this brutal repression a “flagrant disregard for human life”.
Parallels abound between Russia and Myanmar, going past shared navy ways and home repression of protesters and the media to more and more shut navy ties. Although the 2 conditions are vastly completely different in context, scope and geopolitical implications, there may be nonetheless extra that may be finished in Myanmar. The fast and strong response to the invasion of Ukraine exhibits the worldwide neighborhood can take significant motion – when it chooses to.
The foot-dragging that has characterised the world’s response to Myanmar’s political disaster, and the intense human rights abuses the navy has inflicted on the Myanmar folks, are heartbreaking compared.
In a screenshot shared on-line in Myanmar shortly after the Russian invasion, a Ukrainian man is doing an interview with ABC information. Requested about being separated from his household as he ready to defend the nation, he says, “All the things will probably be okay.”
These phrases have been tattooed on the hearts of Myanmar’s anti-coup resistance for the reason that demise of 19-year-old protester Ma Kyal Sin. Also called Angel, she was carrying a T-shirt with the identical expression when she was shot within the head and killed throughout a protest in Myanmar’s second largest metropolis Mandalay on March 3, 2021, precisely one yr earlier than the airing of the ABC interview.
As Russia kilos Ukrainian cities with missiles, artillery, and rockets, killing civilians in indiscriminate assaults, Myanmar’s navy is stepping up a marketing campaign of collective punishment in opposition to any type of resistance, whether or not peaceable or not. Satellite tv for pc imagery reviewed by Amnesty Worldwide confirmed properties razed in a number of elements of northwestern Sagaing Area, the place web blackouts are the norm and stories of human rights violations emerge nearly every day, because the navy makes an attempt to crush the poorly armed Folks’s Protection Pressure, fashioned to withstand the navy coup.
Each nations have additionally adopted the identical playbook in suppressing inconvenient truths that problem their disinformation and propaganda. Russia has banned using the phrase “assault” and “invasion” in media protection, whereas Myanmar has instructed media to not use “coup” and different “incorrect phrases”. Authorities in each nations have been accused of looking out cell phones and arresting folks for holding dissident content material.
However the parallels go deeper than oppressive ways – the Myanmar navy’s arsenal contains Russian-supplied arms. In response to a brand new report from the United Nations Particular Rapporteur on the human rights state of affairs in Myanmar, Russia has supplied Yak-130 jet fighters, missiles, armoured personnel carriers and unmanned aerial surveillance to a navy that has “repeatedly attacked civilians utilizing these identical kinds of arms”. Weapons transfers have continued for the reason that coup, in response to the report, even because the UN rights chief warns the Myanmar navy has probably dedicated contemporary warfare crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity throughout that point.
The Myanmar navy has returned the favour. As worldwide condemnation poured down on Russia following the invasion, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s navy tried to justify it. As most governments sought to isolate Russia, a Myanmar navy delegation travelled to St Petersburg on March 16 for an exhibition the place they considered “expertise and merchandise” and “the demonstration of superior counter-terrorism and safety capabilities”. In addition they met representatives from Russia’s state-owned weapons exporter.
Russia shouldn’t be alone in supplying the nation with arms, nevertheless it has emerged as a key arms backer as Myanmar’s navy conducts a reign of terror for the reason that coup much like the violence endured by ethnic minorities throughout the nation for many years. In response to the crackdown, Amnesty Worldwide has repeatedly referred to as for the United Nations Safety Council to urgently undertake focused sanctions and a world arms embargo to stop the stream of weapons into the nation. It should additionally refer the state of affairs within the nation to the Worldwide Felony Court docket.
The cruel actuality although is that many Myanmar folks have misplaced religion in worldwide mechanisms, as Chinese language and Russian veto energy stands in the way in which of much-needed motion. Member states should discover extra inventive methods to rally round Myanmar. Some have referred to as to cease the sale of jet gasoline that would hamper the power of fighter planes to hold out their murderous bombing runs. Others have efficiently urged massive corporations like Chevron and Complete to withdraw from the nation in order to disclaim the navy assets that allow atrocities.
Any actions should rigorously steadiness the must cease the assaults and promote accountability for human rights violations with avoiding knock-on results on civilians in Myanmar, the place tens of millions face starvation, poverty and the continuing ravages of the coronavirus pandemic.
If we are able to come collectively on Ukraine, we are able to come collectively on Myanmar – and anywhere the place grave human rights abuses are going down internationally.
Joe Freeman works on regional communications for Amnesty Worldwide. He was beforehand based mostly in Myanmar as a journalist.
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