Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
A hue and cry has been raised around the world following execution of pro-democracy activists in Myanmar on 25 July 2022. They were executed in spite of defying the request of the current chairman of Asean who is presiding over as Prime Minister of Cambodia Hen Sen. Hen Sen wrote a letter to the Chief of Tatmadaw of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing on 12 June this year not to carry out execution of Pro-democracy activists of Myanmar while Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi holds the opinion that Japan urged repeatedly to settle the situation in Myanmar peacefully as well as demands to free detainees but leader of Tatmadaw gave deaf ear. The United Nations condemned the execution of pro-democracy activists as depraved. Meanwhile, G-7 Foreign Ministers plus the High representative of European Union have strongly condemned the execution. Asean has not spared either.
It seems to be interesting but unusual that the security council of the United Nations on 28 July unanimously condemned the Myanmar military’s execution of opposition activities while recalling the Secretary General’s statement of 25 July of 2022 and echoed his call for the immediate release of arbitrarily detained prisoners. Interestingly both Russia and China — junta’s two major allies as well as neighbour India have previously shielded it the UN. Now, both China and Russia joined hands with the rest of the Security Council members in condemning the Tatmadaw. The United Nations as of now has failed to introduce harsh sanctions as a result of opposition from China and Russia. Incidentally, both Russia and China are in cooperation with the Tatmadaw of Myanmar. Though Russia joined hands with other members of the Security Council on 28 July Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Myanmar on 3 August, 2022 to have discussion on expansion of economic co-operation, security and defense and humanitarian issues. This is the first visit of the Russian Foreign Minister to Myanmar.
The Military junta of Myanmar has been in conflict with several ethnic minorities of Myanmar for several years. There are 135 ethnic minorities living in Myanmar. Amnesty International reported that the Myanmar military has launched eight air strikes largely in villages and displaced people between January and March this year in Katah and Karen states where only civilians appear to have been living. It is surprising to note that Pakistan and Teheran have joined with China and Russia to supply arms and ammunition to the military junta of Myanmar.
As of now ASEAN could not succeed to bring Myanmar under control in its fold since the coup d’etat in February in 2021 but the leader of the coup d’etat has been debarred from participation in the meeting of ASEAN on 16 October in 2021.
Since the coup d’etat on 1st February in 2021, Myanmar has been having an economic crisis in spite of huge mineral resources like gold, silver, nickel, copper, jade, rubbers etc plus timber, apart from gas and oil.
The World Bank is reported to forecast that economic growth is expected to be 3 per cent only. Meanwhile, the shadow government in Myanmar has made calls on the people of Myanmar to revolt against the military junta. It is an irony that Burma known as Suvarnabhumi (golden land) has now turned into a Pariah state.
(The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh, former Joint Director of Central Kachi- kachar Mela (children organization) of Bangladesh and former President of Nova Toastmaster International club of America, Falls Church, Virginia, USA).
