Patriotism can be defined as a feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one’s country. This sense of attachment can mean a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one’s own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or historical aspects. We often refer a country to as the Motherland so we should treat it equally as we respect our own mother. To become a patriot of one country is not your choice but an innate right when you enter this world. We defend our land and protect our sovereignty with patriotic pride. As we evolve and progress towards political choice for democracy we defend and establish the democratic principles.
Since the end of the WWII, to be a democratic nation has not been an easy choice but rather a daunting one to deter the opponent of the left or socialism, communist or authoritarian, and dictators’ interruption towards establishing a peaceful democratic nation.
One profound obstacle is the location and the stage of geopolitical situation to withstand the surrounding environment which is a crucial challenge for any nation to be free.
Since the dawn of the human world, throughout biblical times Israel has always struggled to survive as a nation, from the Roman Empire to the modern era till the end of WWII. Israel is one example because of its location, Israel is an island surrounded by mainly hostile Arabs nations. Some are so volatile and others not so friendly due to their social, culture and which remain in total conflict on values and beliefs. There are numerous full-scale wars with these neighbors, and it has been a war and peace situation since their Independence for the last 70 years or more.
Why did Israel survive and continue successfully to defend its enemies and sustain democratic values as a free democratic country in the whole Middle East? Firstly, they possess strong patriot values, discipline and cooperation of citizens in defending and upkeeping their rights. Secondly, patriotism alone cannot defend the nation, it needs additional outside support and help, to get help you must have a shared value friendship. Israel shares and bond friendship with the democratic nations around the world and consistently achieve help and support from the western nations. It is their choice of decision making in foreign policy to withstand their freedom and democratic value - vice versa from the western countries towards Israel.
Burma / Myanmar is a nation in Asia which has been in a similar situation to Israel, since its independence it has struggled to achieve democratic values facing numerous obstacles in order to overcome and sustain its democratic rights for its citizens. Similarly, Myanmar’s neighbors are like Israel’s- dishonest, looking out only for their own selfish benefits. Myanmar went through civil wars and battles still being fought. The longest civil war is still engaging in Myanmar due to citizens division on ethnic and political beliefs. Most of all, Myanmar has a political disease of coup - d ’etat by military regimes ingrained into the military solely to control political power.
Myanmar people are patriotic like any nation fighting for their rights. Myanmar people fought for their independence, fought for the invasion of communism, and still fighting for their democratic freedom. Like Israel, Myanmar fought for their freedom. Myanmar people have been fighting the authoritarian military for the last six decades. Myanmar geopolitical neighbors are mostly hostile towards the changing of Myanmar for their own benefits. Two of the largest powerful nations in the world, namely China and India are Myanmar’s neighbors. Their friendship is based on their own interest for monetary gain, and the other neighbors are just pretending to be acquaintances remaining neutral.
Patriotism alone could not free Myanmar they need to establish solid friendship just like Israel. Since Myanmar is fighting for democratic values, it is time to establish solid friendship allies with the nations according to Myanmar people’s choice. At present, young people are fighting for democratic rights and sacrificing their lives, thousands have been arrested, millions have become refugees in their own land as displaced people (IDP), and some have been taking shelter in an unwelcoming neighbor's land.
As we compare Myanmar to Ukraine on the other side of the world, same kind of situation facing the two nations’ struggle for democratic rights. Russia invaded Ukraine because Russia would not allow Ukraine to become one of the democratic nations on its border. While Ukraine openly applied to be a member of EU and NATO, Russia seems to be envious for its progress in economy and freedom for Ukraine citizens, if membership is approved. Due to Ukraine’s openly request towards the West for help and support, Ukraine has been receiving supplies, monetary and military hardware to defend the Russian invasion.
As we compare Myanmar, Israel and Ukraine Israel is allied with the west and stand strongly even though surrounded by hostile neighbors, protected by her allies. For Ukraine they are receiving help before they become a member of EU and NATO because Ukraine committed to be a member of the groups and will become a member eventually. Myanmar could not receive any major help, monetary, material or military support from the west or any democratic nation. Myanmar citizens struggle to help themselves but do not garner any international sympathy political or otherwise since Myanmar is not an ally to no one.[1]
In this modern world, we can only receive two ways to get help specifically for monetary or other support. One is sitting at the corner of the street begging for help where people walk by feeling pitiful for you dropping a few coins in the bucket and then go on their way, never to be seen again. The other is to shake hands and establish friendship making a mutual solid deal and promising to support one another.
It is time Myanmar must choose what kind of friendship she must designate and establish to move on in this world and adopt ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ motto.
[1] ASEAN is not an ally nations it was forms for regional block for mutual interests with divided political values with no common value to protect each other beside nor interference policy could not help to each others in the membership
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