BWI’s open letter to Military Attaches in the Embassies of Myanmar
Respect the people’s will: Join the civil disobedience movement
We call on Myanmar’s military attaches to join the international community in respecting the mandate given by the country’s electorate to their public officials to govern democratically. The country’s voters have already spoken. This was upheld no less by Myanmar’s Union Electoral Commission. The military has no choice but to respect the results of the elections.
We also call on the military attaches to respect the Myanmar people’s popular mobilisation and their growing civil disobedience movement. We urge them to side with the people and call on their fellow military leaders not to use force and brutality against their fellow citizens, particularly water cannons, rubber and live bullets against peaceful rallies. Peace and order must be restored not by suppressing the people, but by arresting all the thugs and goons who are harassing democracy-loving communities. All arrested and detained elected government officials, political leaders, lawyers, doctors, teachers, civil servants, human rights defenders, students, trade unionists and activists must also be freed immediately and unconditionally.
Wihthout a doubt, Myanmar’s people are united in raising their voices in rejecting the military junta’s power grab and condemning the coup d’etat as illegal and undemocratic. Their broad movement symbolises their love for democracy and human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of speech and social justice. These rights, anchored on the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Rights Covenants, must be protected and respected. It is incumbent upon the country’s military attaches to close ranks with their people by helping in the immediate hand over of power to civilian authority.
Myanmar’s military’s attaches have the opportunity to change the course of Myanmar’s history. We call on them to reject the military junta and join the people in holding it accountable. We call on them to be the genuine army of the Myanmar people. We call on them to defend their people and country’s democracy.
