A serious controversy has been created as the defence attaché of the Bangladesh embassy in Myanmar joined a parade of the Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw on a day that saw the highest number of deaths of anti-junta protesters. The joining not only aggrieved and disappointed Myanmar’s democracy seekers, but also rights activists and democracy-loving people from other countries who expressed their astonishment, report local and international media.
Though diplomats of all the countries stationed in Myanmar were invited to attend the parade, only eight countries – Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand – sent their representatives showing their generosity towards the Myanmar junta. The eight countries have come under a barrage of criticisms on the social media. It was the 76th anniversary of Myanmar Army’s resistance to occupying Japanese Army during the World War II on March 27. Strangely enough the Myanmar armed forces and police opened fire indiscriminately on the day, killing the highest 114 civilians so far on a single day.
Meanwhile, the defence chiefs of a dozen nations, including the US, the UK, Japan and Australia, on Sunday issued a rare joint statement condemning the military’s violent action on peaceful processions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply shocked” by the incident. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the military of “sacrificing the lives of the people to serve the few” while British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called it a “new low”. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews called for an international emergency summit. Since China and Russia have not joined the criticism, which means taking action through the UN Security Council – where they have vetoes – could be difficult.
Myanmar civilians are now the victims of the violence inflicted by the country’s armed forces. Bangladesh also suffers the most as it has given shelter to over one million Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds since August 2017. They fled to Bangladesh to avoid persecution in Rakhine State of Myanmar. Showing sympathy or courtesy to Myanmar Armed Forces is quite unwarranted. CVM, an alliance of Myanmars protesters, fighting for restoration of democracy, criticized the incident, saying, “The eight countries are accomplices to the killing. They, thus be ashamed.”
No statement of the Bangladesh government could be found as yet regarding its representative’s joining the Myanmar Armed Forces Day parade even after the concerned office in Dhaka was contacted by the local daily which published the news.
Our government does not have the capacity to understand that even if the new coup leaders succeed to remain in power they will not take back the Rohingyas. The foreign minister is useless for any idea of diplomacy. Please find another incompetent person as foreign minister to see how incompetent a foreign minister could be.
