Written by Julianna Feldman
Illustrated by Carissa Tran
Myanmar, a South-Eastern Asian country, which has been under torment for the past few decades, recently faced a tremendous surge in humanitarian violations, war crimes and other atrocities all committed by the Burman military suppressors. To elaborate further into the roots of these felonies, Perspectoverse’s Julianna Feldman presents a report on Myanmar’s militarism and the damage it has caused to the country.
Now that the military is back in power, they have declared a year-long state of emergency. When Ms. Suu Kyi, the Leader of the Democratic party, won the election on February 1, a massive number of people protested and rioted. Citizens made posters and signs that said: “stop military dictatorship”.They stated that the election was rigged, and wanted a recount of the votes. The armed forces declined this request and stated that there was no evidence to back up the claims. A coup took place and Ms. Suu Kyi was taken away to a hidden location for her safety. She is facing many charges such as violating the country's official secret act, spreading information that may cause harm or violence, and possessing illegal walkie talkies.
Since Ms. Suu Kyi is in hiding and unable to be in control of Myanmar, military commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing has taken over. He has been in a position of power for many years and has had political influence over Myanmar before. He has received international condmention and criticism for his alleged role in the military's attack on ethnic minority groups. Due to all of the protests and the coup that occurred, the military imposed restrictions including curfews and gathering limits. Security forces have used measures such as water cannons, live ammunition, and rubber bullets to try and control the protesting people. The deadliest day of the coup was March 27, when more than 100 people were killed.
There has been international uprise and discussion between countries from all over the world. The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, has accused the military and security officials in Myanmar of a “reign of terror”. Unions such as the UK, US, and European have all acknowledged the situation with sanctions on the military.
Many Myanmar journalists and activists were arrested during and after the coup. Some of them even fled over the border to Thailand. They are facing serious charges such as illegal entry and could face possible deportation. The Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) stated that their lives could be in serious danger if taken back to Myanmar. The government has banned media outlets such as the DVB and others in an attempt to suppress independent coverage of the protests. Despite these risks and challenges, many journalists continue to work in hiding. They have documented many of the major events that have occurred in the past year.
As a result of these protests, coups, and violent crackdowns of citizens, 781 people have been killed, including 52 children. Since February, almost 5,000 people have been arrested by the military.
The human rights violations in Myanmar can be attributed to the overpowering military that has too much control over citizens lives.
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