"How can they do that?"
By now, the whole world knows that using the pretext of fraudulent elections, the Burmese military seized control on February 1 by overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Zach Hessler of Insight Myanmar recently spoke with a brave Burmese protester, Inda Aung Soe, about the situation there. When asked if there were questions that should not be broached to help maintain his safety, he said no, adding, “Don’t worry…we are already at risk.”
He said the main feeling he and his countrymen have right now is of “being bullied,” and it is clear that they are not going to just stand aside and let things happen. And he can’t keep the sadness and outrage out of his voice when he talks of how militarized the coup is, with tanks and soldiers flooding the streets. “It’s so shocking. How can they do that?” They have even raided pagoda treasuries and philanthropic organizations for money.
Inda spoke at length about the breathtaking, courageous and heroic resistance of the Burmese people—consistently kind, consistently non-violent. The scale and direction of the protest has been an organically developing, bottom-up, grass-roots movement, unlike resistance in previous coups, which had identifiable leaders. Inda and Zach take a moment to share a laugh about how the normally disorganized, even chaotic Burmese society has become so highly organized during this resistance. Now, the community somehow acts as one, as a single organism. Government workers are refusing to go to the office, and are being supported by the people; food and water are being distributed—trash is even being collected after street protests—everyone is being cared for by everyone else. Inda also notes that in the two past military coups, the younger generation was mostly not allowed to participate by their elders for fear of their safety, but it is different this time; in fact, the younger generation has taken the lead, with their technological savvy and coming of age in a more politically open society.
While obviously trying to cow the population into submission, the coup leaders have thankfully skirted the edge of using violence themselves on a large scale…so far, anyway, because at the same time, they are trying to provoke the so-far peaceful population into some incident or other to justify a violent crackdown. For example, they have released many prisoners, often injecting them with drugs, to go into neighborhoods at night and cause trouble, in order to hopefully provoke a violent backlash. Some have been dressed as monks, but the people have not been fooled. Up to now, these provocations have amounted to naught. When the people do catch these marauders, they treat them with dignity and kindness in keeping with the non-violent spirit of the resistance. But it must be exhausting, having to remain vigilant day and night.
The optimism, and kind, non-violent resistance shown by Inda and his fellow countrymen—Dhamma-inspired and sustained—is truly inspiring! Hopefully the military will soon realize what they are up against, reconciliation can begin, and life can get back to normal.