An Execution

“It is true that the military has been killing without any limits since a few days after the coup. But now, this is just cold-blooded murder, with a façade of even any trial court proceedings! This will also heavily impact the fates of other people who were handed out death sentences, including minors.”

It is tragic that this quote from Han Htoo, in a podcast released all the way back in June, is now becoming so relevant, and that it has turned out to be so prescient. Back then, Han Htoo was speaking about the fear that Ko Jimmy and Ko Zayar Thaw would be executed by the Burmese military regime. Sadly, less than a month after the interview was produced, they did in fact murder these two democracy activists, along with two other men.

And the rest of the world and international organizations, did nothing more than express their sorrow.

In that interview from a half year ago, Han Htoo warned that should the military get away with this cold-blooded murder in the guise of a state execution, they would only go on to act with greater impunity after it. And, sadly, that is exactly what has happened, as the regime has now announced its intention to murder seven young college student who it accuses of similarly trumped-up charges.

With no discernible pressure being placed on them in any direction, and scarcely feeling a need to answer for their atrocities, the generals keep on arresting, torturing, raping, and even killing, and doing so with the confidence that they need not step over any line that would bring real consequences.
For now, these seven souls remain in this world. And the plea from the Golden Land and beyond is "Stop Killing My Friends!"