In one sense, national and individual freedom, democracy could be the most effected political system. Unfortunately, these days almost every country including the western nations supposedly based on democratic values have been under clouds of fuzzy vision on recognizing and accepting what and who should be supported and helped in their struggle for democracy.
The war waging in Europe between Russian and Ukraine is obvious to all who are the perpetrators and who are the victims. Heavy handed powerful Russian military has totally ignored every international value and United Nation’s regulations, breaking world order of human rights and recognition of sovereignty state border. This dangerous war in the middle of Europe, an authoritarian country like Russia invading an infant democratic country like Ukraine raises the question of how much help and support is needed for Ukraine or for the whole Europe.
At the same time, there is another war going on for more than a year since 2021, democratic forces engaging in a country thousand miles away from Ukraine in Asia - Myanmar.
Comparative studies between these two countries who are taking military actions and defending their rights and freedom need to be analyzed. Ukraine has been invaded by its neighbor Russia and Ukraine is defending for its sovereignty with the help and support from its European neighbors and the United States. Thousands of military supplies and economic support in Euros and Dollars are pouring in Billions and receiving some of the most advanced weapons has been transferred to Ukraine daily to defend Ukraine’s freedom. Ukraine news is in every media coverage around the clock over the world.
In Burma /Myanmar the war had been going on for more than a year with the people defending their democratic rights and freedom due to Military taking over by force for the third time in Burmese history, committing atrocities and war crimes daily. Hardly very few articles can be seen in the world media or in different nation’s news papers. The difference is Burma’s problem can be categorized as local civil war where the different political sectors are in battles. Despite the military is committing atrocities and brutal attacks on the civilians daily including aerial bombardments and heavy artillery people are in struggle for their freedom.
There is no financial Dollars or Euros pouring in for the people defending themselves, nor the arms for the civilians People Defense Forces (PDF) or the different forces fighting against the military regime is out of the question. The war in Burma where people defending themselves is mostly financed by local and diasporas around the world providing for humanitarian aid to the people for their foods, shelters and basic necessities .
There are more than four to five million Ukrainian refugees leaving the country and were welcomed by neighbors and receiving full support. On the other side of the world in Burma, there are more than a million refugees and a million of people have remained home less and displaced (IDP) hiding in the jungle and living in poverty state. UNOCHA released a report on May 31, 2022. mentioned that for the first time, the number of displaced men, women and children in Myanmar has exceeded one million. 14.4 million people are in need of the humanitarian assistance.
More than 20,000 civilian properties, including houses, churches, and monasteries are estimated to have been burnt or destroyed. Burma’s neighbor countries like Thailand, China and India do not welcome refugees from Burma and thousands have been arrested and sent back into Burma to face dire consequences. Do we have different kinds of democracies or democracies fit for different level for different race and ethnic for our human world. Do we consider evil authoritarians’ regimes different - one is good for us, and the other is not suitable or to fight and defeat?
It is time western nations need to consider defending and establishing around the world promoting, advocating for human rights and democracy must have the same answers and same assistance to anyone defending and fighting to achieve democracy in any part of the world. If the western world consider human rights and democracy are the main pillars for the human world it is not too late to help people of Burma as both Ukraine and Burma have been attacked and destroyed, directly or indirectly by Russia who still supply arms to the Myanmar military.
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