Stand with Myanmar, Act for Myanmar
On 1 February 2024, the people’s continuing collective power made Myanmar’s bustling cities and towns go quiet nationwide, as the people staged a Silent Strike to protest the military junta’s failed coup. Alongside the Silent Strike, youth activists and others carried out creative protests, including a GPS strike in downtown Yangon, the White Campaign on social media, and public demonstrations in Sagaing and Tanintharyi Regions.
Last week, the third anniversary of the people’s Spring Revolution was observed around the world – with the Silent Strike across Myanmar, international demonstrations in solidarity with the people of Myanmar, and panel discussions on federal democracy. Through brave acts of protest, the people of Myanmar have clearly articulated their will to dismantle the corrupt and tyrannical military institution and establish inclusive, peaceful federal democracy. But, from the international community, the people have seen little to no substantial support through action. Now three years on, it is high time for the international community to take significant measures against the military junta, and support the people’s efforts towards a federal democratic Myanmar.
On 1 February 2024, the people’s continuing collective power made Myanmar’s bustling cities and towns go quiet nationwide, as the people staged a Silent Strike to protest the military junta’s failed coup. Alongside the Silent Strike, youth activists and others carried out creative protests, including a GPS strike in downtown Yangon, the White Campaign on social media, and public demonstrations in Sagaing and Tanintharyi Regions. In Tanintharyi’s Launglone Township, youth activist Raymond called directly on the international community: “We hold a collective responsibility to prevent genocide, thwart power-hungry juntas, and halt inhumane airstrikes. By standing together, by upholding justice and empathy, we can put an end to these atrocities, right?”
Solidarity groups also held demonstrations across the world – from Japan and the Philippines to Thailand and beyond. In South Korea, demonstrators arranged a memorial for heroes of the Spring Revolution, displaying their photos and laying red roses. In France, activists wore traditional Myanmar skirts decorated with powerful messages, such as “The junta falls” and “Avec Toi Myanmar” (With you, Myanmar). In Bangkok, around 300 protestors demonstrated outside the United Nations office, urging action against the military junta and proclaiming the determination of Myanmar’s people, with banners stating, “We will fight until the end for this revolution, no rest.” One demonstrator told AFP, “We are here to protest because the military has been killing people.”
To echo these calls and mark three years of steadfast resistance, six civil society organizations (CSOs), including Progressive Voice, organized the Myanmar Solidarity Panel Discussion, which focused on the people’s efforts towards federal democracy. In her remarks, Zue Padonmar, Secretary 1 of the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC), discussed the newly established bottom-up federal governance in Karenni State. Zue also called on the international community to “cease providing legitimacy to the military junta” and provide financial and technical support to the IEC. Likewise, Elena, a member of the General Strike Committee of Nationalities, urged international actors to strengthen their solidarity with Myanmar’s people by ending all engagements with the junta and supporting the youth who are “establishing strong justice and democratic mechanisms” for Myanmar’s future.
Meanwhile, foreign governments marked the third year since the failed coup with empty statements. Their rhetoric continues to pay mere lip service to the people’s calls, showing Myanmar’s people, time and again, that these governments and policymakers continue to fail to meet their international obligations for the people of Myanmar – as their condemnations of the military junta do not match the actions much needed on the ground. As such, the people continue to call for stronger measures from the international community to end the military junta’s war of terror.
To press for such action, 463 CSOs sent an open letter on 1 February, calling on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to fulfill its mandate by adopting a new, effective resolution on Myanmar. As a signatory, Burma Campaign UK has launched a campaign to collect individual endorsements of the letter. Also, on 1 February, activists from National Alliance Bangkok hand-delivered the letter to UN staff in Bangkok, along with a statement from MilkTeaAlliance Friends of Myanmar, urging global solidarity to pressure the international community to deny the junta any legitimacy, among other actions.
With the calls of the people clearly articulated, the international community must no longer evade taking concrete action. Instead, they must answer these calls by ceasing all engagements with the military junta and pushing for the adoption of a new, decisive UNSC resolution. As endorsed by 463 CSOs, “Such a resolution must require a referral of the crisis in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court or the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal; a comprehensive global arms embargo to block the military junta’s access to arms, ammunition, dual-use technology, and jet fuel; and targeted economic sanctions against the military junta, its affiliates, and its sources of revenue that fund its crimes.” Furthermore, the international community must direct and increase its support to the people’s nationwide resistance movement, its bottom-up governance structures, and the administrations and public service provisions of the ethnic and democratic resistance organizations, as well as civil society groups, human rights defenders, and independent media.
As the fourth year of the Spring Revolution begins, the international community must match its words with action, heeding the calls of Myanmar’s people and all who stand with them: “Unite in Solidarity! Oust Myanmar’s military junta! Support the Myanmar resistance movement!”
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[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.
Resources from the past week
Statements and Press Releases
By 463 Civil Society Organizations
Myanmar: Three years on, the Myanmar people courageously push back against the junta
By ALTSEAN-Burma, Asia Justice and Rights, FORUM-ASIA, Initiatives for International Dialogue, KontraS, Progressive Voice
Myanmar: 20,000 political prisoners now behind bars – International Criminal Court referral urged
By ALTSEAN-Burma, International Federation for Human Rights, Women’s Peace Network
Further sanctions on the Myanmar military regime
By Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs
By Commoners Party Thailand, From Singapore to Myanmar, General Strike Committee of Nationalities, Milk Tea Alliance – Friends of Myanmar, Thai-Myanmar Activists Network, Thailand For Burma, Thalufa Thailand, United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration
By Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, The Rt Hon Lord Cameron
Three years since the military coup in Myanmar: foreign ministers’ joint statement
By Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, The Rt Hon Lord Cameron
By Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
By Justice For Myanmar
By Justice For Myanmar
Three years of resistance has blocked the illegal Myanmar junta from taking control
By Justice For Myanmar
US Expands on Myanmar Business Advisory
By Justice For Myanmar
New Sanctions Targeting Myanmar Military’s Regime a Step in Right Direction, Strong Measures Needed
By Myanmar Campaign Network
By Myanmar Campaign Network
By National Unity Government of Myanmar
Myanmar: Human rights situation worsens as military lashes out indiscriminately amid losses – Türk
By Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Denounce the illegitimate military junta’s crumbling sham election plan
By Progressive Voice
အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အာဏာသိမ်းရန်ကြိုးစားမှုအပေါ် ထုတ်ပြန်ကြေငြာချက်
By Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar, Karenni Political Prisoners Association
Treasury Sanctions Military Cronies and Companies in Burma Three Years after Military Coup
By U.S. Department of the Treasury
By United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Reports
Reporting from the Darkness: Journalism and Media in Myanmar
By Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
Monthly Overview of the Human Rights Situation – January 2024
By Human Rights Foundation of Monland
By Justice For Myanmar
(Un)Kind and (Too) Firm: Mapping Myanmar’s Prisons and Labour Camps
By Myanmar Witness
By Myanmar Witness
By Progressive Voice
Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”
