[A demonstrator holds up a placard during a protest against the military coup outside the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar, 12 February 2021. (File Photo)]
Our eastern neighbour has been facing relentless turmoil following the military coup on 1 February 2021 and it is now witnessing a flare up in violence as many ethnic armed outfits started a massive offensive against the Burmese military junta in the last week of October.
By now some parts of Myanmar have gone under the control of pro-democracy and anti-junta rebels, which have vowed to throw away the military dictators from Naypyidaw. The intense fighting continues in the south-east Asian nation and it slowly expands into new localities with densely populated areas. From the States of Shan, Karenni, Mandalay and Sagaing divisions, the battles against the junta forces (known as Tatmadaw) expanded to Rakhine and Chin States.
The land of golden pagodas slipped into an intensive conflict soon after the present band of dictators, led by Min Aung Hlaing, staged the coup over a thousand days ago alleging voting fraud and ousted a democratically elected government under the leadership of Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party National League for Democracy recorded a massive victory in the last national elections. The pro-democracy icon was detained and later imprisoned by the military-controlled courts for many years with fictitious cases alleging her involvement in various electoral corruption.
By now 2,940 civilians have been killed and over 17,550 people arrested by the military authorities within 1000 days of the coup, where more than 3,33,500 civilians rendered homeless because of the ongoing gun fighting between junta forces and armed rebel groups.
No less than 150 media personnel were also detained by the military council and some 25 are still inside various jails. At least three journalists died of military atrocities in separate incidents. Days back, the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign expressed serious concern over the imprisonment of working journalists in Myanmar and urged the authorities to ensure fair trials to them.
The recent wave of gun fighting broke out on October 27, 2023, when three ethnic minority groups (namely Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Ta'ang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army) coordinated their offensive in northern Shan locality, which is adjacent to China. Named Operation 1027, the offensive has achieved some successes as Tatmadaw had to lose nearly 200 military camps and nine towns till the third week of November.
Lately, the Arakan Army (AA) has launched an offensive in Rakhine State killing many soldiers and even compelling some to surrender with arms and ammunition.
Amazingly, a recent public demonstration attracted the attention of political observers as it chanted slogans against China, which is usually known as a good neighbour and arms supplier to Myanmar. A good number of people assembled in front of the Chinese Embassy in Yangon on November 19, 2023 and propagating anti-Beijing statements was an unusual occurrence in the country.
The agitators, understood as pro-junta, claimed that Beijing was behind the recent offensive against the military regime and also supporting the people’s defense forces, the armed wing of National Unity Government. Speculations are now raised that the Communist China wants to topple the current batch of Burmese military dictators.
Meanwhile, New Delhi has directed Indian nationals in Myanmar to register their names with the embassy in Yangon. It also asked the citizens to avoid non-essential travels to the country in view of the evolving security situation there.
Earlier, India called for cessation of gun fighting between the junta forces and rebel groups near the international border. It maintained the call for the return of peace and stability as well as democracy in the country.
The Buddhist majority country supports a number of north-eastern militants - including the Ulfa (independent) Chief Paresh Barua, who have been waging a war against New Delhi for separatist homelands.
Amazingly, most of the north-eastern militants remain supportive to the Burmese military rulers and hence they are keeping themselves away from the anti-junta armed movement. So their camps are also under the vigil of anti-junta groups. New Delhi must deal with the generals carefully as it cannot ignore them for achieving a sustainable solution to the insurgency problems in our region.
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