Armed Forces Day, March 27, 2021, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Like a proud peacock, with his chest puffed out, donned by layers of bullet proof vests under his military uniform, General Min Aung Hlaing stood on a podium at the capital Nay Pyi Taw to mark Armed Forces Day. Prior to this day, Min Aung Hlaing had appeared on the military owned State TV and had openly announced that any protester would be in danger of being shot in the head or the back. It was not an empty threat. While the military was celebrating in Nay Pyi Taw, over 100 men, women and children were being murdered in a single deadliest day, from the northern city of Myitkyina to the southernmost town of Kawthaung and almost every town in between, had lost lives that day.
Displaying his latest acquisitions of weaponry, in the presence of so called “friends” Deputy Defense Minister from Russia, military attaches from China , India , Pakistan, Viet Nam , Laos , Bangladesh and Thailand, soldiers marched on in the parade, oblivious to the wide spread human tragedy they have brought on the nation . It was a “Day of Shame” says Dr. Sa Sa, Special envoy to the UN. The display of the weaponry was more or less a show of force to intimidate the public rather than external enemies.
We cannot express in words the pain it has caused, for all the people of Myanmar to see a group of foreign dignitaries celebrating and enjoying a lavish dinner alongside Min Aung Hlaing and his thugs, later that evening, while over a hundred people of Myanmar were being murdered throughout the whole country. An Utter Disgrace!
We have only been seeing a glimpse, only a fraction of the brutality on the streets as the scenes were too graphic to be shown by the media, the actual crimes were much more unfathomable. Daily unspeakable acts of extreme brutality – soldiers chasing innocent people like a prey in a wild life hunt , shooting , maiming and dragging the victims’ bodies along the street like dead animals: university students, doctors, women, children and even infants – no one was spared, as the Killing Spree continues, bringing immense grief, anguish and pain to loved ones. Credible sources have reported thousands of those arrested, have been tortured and some were killed, the bodies of victims showing signs of trauma and severe physical abuse. Like hooligans and thugs, the security forces raided houses, robbing, looting, smashing up cars with bulldozers, and deliberately destroying private properties, with the intent to destroy people lives.
A joint statement by the Chiefs of Defense from the Western nations of Australia, Canada, Greece, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, UK and United States of America, condemned the massacre and stated that “ a professional military follows international standards of conduct and is responsible for protecting – not harming the people it serves.”
The UN responded “it is crucial to find an urgent solution to this crisis”. We doubt if the military of Myanmar heed any of these warnings. In fact, they have totally ignored any condemnation of its violence, as they have a blatant disregard for human life. The people of Myanmar do not want to live on false hopes. Meaningless statements seem pathetic, if it is not followed by the most unified and concrete actions by the international committees.
Words are simply not enough.
We have to expose “these wolves in sheep clothing “to the world and block the lifeline of these terrorists, by hitting them where it hurts i.e. the vast accumulation of financial revenues from their global conglomerates, stolen and forcibly taken from the people of Myanmar.
The overall number of civilians reported killed since the coup has exceeded 400. The UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said that while other sanctions already imposed by the Western allies were commendable, the only meaningful action is to cut off the junta’s financial revenues from other sources like the Oil and Gas companies and to impose a global arms embargo to halt the military’s access to weapons. Free Myanmar congratulates the CDM for the Nobel Peace Prize nomination for 2022. The world has recognized the immense bravery, courage and self sacrifice of the people of Myanmar, risking their lives in the pursuit of democracy. They have converted their pain and sufferings into power – People Power. We stand with you in the hope for a new Myanmar. WE MUST ACT NOW!!
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