In Ukraine, in Myanmar....
One cannot help but compare the ongoing crises now taking place in Myanmar and Ukraine, and we share two commentaries here. The first is from a Burmese activist on the ground expressing his solidarity, the second is from an ally of the democracy movement reflecting outside the country.
“The Ukrainian people are suffering and feeling heartfelt sorrow for their loss of freedom and sovereignty due to Russia's destructive and unprovoked invasion. Likewise, the people of Myanmar are suffering and feeling heartfelt sorrow for their own loss of freedom and sovereignty due to the brutal takeover of their freely-elected government by the inhumane and destructive national military, which has trampled over them just like an invading foreign army. Just like the avaricious Vladimir Putin and his henchmen are impudently committing war crimes in Ukraine, Min Aung Hlaing and his henchmen are doing the same in Myanmar. In a strong show of empathy and solidarity, even as they are facing dangers and limited freedom themselves, the people of Myanmar are standing with the Ukrainian people's just wishes against the high-handed and greedy invasion of Russia. This photo from March 6th show the Ukrainian flag being waved at a restaurant in a forestry area of the Bago Mountains, and a group of protestors in Kale township, Sagaing Region.”
“My heart goes out for the people in Ukraine suffering under such tyranny. Our Myanmar brothers and sisters had their lives uprooted in a similar way over a year ago, and I hope their experience in learning how to resist and survive under such brutal conditions might help you. I get that the situation in Ukraine poses a far greater global risk that Myanmar now, despite the horrific conditions that people have been dealing with for over a year now. In Ukraine, we also see an invasion rather than a civil war/military coup. So I get they are not the same. The situations not being the same, the coverage is also not the same, because the stakes are not the same either. So I get all this, believe me. What I don't get is the devastating difference in international support. Thousands of former soldiers are traveling to Ukraine to join the resistance. Celebrities are sending millions of dollars and making posts in solidarity. Ghost reservations are being booked on Airbnb as a way to provide support. Aid and defensive equipment of all kinds are sent. More sadly, when some commentators reflect on this divergence, they quote the examples of Syria and Afghanistan. Let me tell you, Myanmar only wishes the world would care as much about its struggles as Syria and Afghanistan. It is not even important enough to stand in as a contrast with Ukraine, sadly. At this point, there's not much left to mine here, and I think the Burmese people have also moved on as well from any hope that powerful bodies might one day care about their survival. Whether it's geography, history, or simply skin color, the international community has left. Or rather, they never cared so much as to arrive. The democracy movement and its small band of allies are left alone against a professional military on one side, and the judgmental and condemning voices of outside hypocrites on the other. It's our own revolution to wage and win. Still, it's moments like this which are simply devastating, because as we follows the news out of Ukraine, it represents such a clear indication of what support could be coming to Myanmar with as little as a finger being raised. Yet it's not. The silence of isolation only festers more as we realize that people might be capable of caring, but for whatever reason, and no matter how hard we try to shout for attention, they won't care about this. But in the meantime, we have a revolution to win.”
