Myanmar’s current situation is a real concern. It has been more than 130 days since the military coup, intense violence against civilians continues ceaselessly and economic activities remain sluggish.

Although large-scale protest demonstrations were suppressed, citizen’s resistance never ends. On April 16, the pro-democracy forces declared the establishment of the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar and announced they would set up "People’s Defense Force" to form the collective army with the country’s ethnic minority groups. Right after the NUG announcement, the military junta identified NUG as a “terroristic organization” and strengthened the military campaign focusing on the area of influence of minority forces. Confrontation between the military junta and the pro-democracy forces is raising fears of a deepening "civil war."

Concurrently, mutual approach is being attempted between Myanmar military forces who are eager to have an “established fact" as the evidence of holding the reins of government and ASEAN nations who are concerned about the political uncertainty in the region. Following a courtesy visit on June 4 to the commander of the armed forces by a representative of Brunei as the ASEAN Presidency Holder, Myanmar’s junta-appointed Mr. Wunna Maung Lwin was present at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Chongqing on June 7 since he was recognized as a foreign minister. On the other hand, NUG accused ASEAN of confirming the military government. The structure of conflict is getting more complicated due to the existing ethnic minority issues and the involvement of the international community.

Under the aforementioned circumstances, Myanmar’s military government strengthens the monitoring system to keep an eye on people seamlessly. Interception or blocking of communications is applied as a matter of course, and collaborators are systematically organized to spy pro-democracy movements while detection is encouraged.

Incidentally, I watched a biographical movie "Gundermann" (Directed by Andreas Dresen) recently released in Japan. The movie narrates the life of East German singer-songwriter Gerhard Gundermann who is often referred to as "Bob Dylan of East Germany.” Living a life as a coal mine worker, he led a music band as a singer, but he had another face as a collaborator for the secret police “Stasi.” He tracked dissidents to carry out his mission as a Stasi informer. But then, conversely, he realized he was also spied on by his colleague.

That is the general outcome awaiting the society governed by authoritarian or power-oriented politics, where criticisms, counterarguments and objections are sealed, manipulated, concealed and eliminated.

House of Representatives adopted a resolution in a plenary session on June 8, urging “an immediate halt of the junta’s violence against civilians and the early release of political detainees including Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as restoration of democracy." The resolution called on the Japanese government to make full use of all diplomatic resources and every effort to end coup chaos peacefully.

Subsequently, the Japanese government responded by saying, "Keeping in line with the international community, we will seek a way to encourage Myanmar to return to democracy." That’s exactly true but it would be unfortunate if the intent of "keeping in line with the international community" implies "wait-and-see" or "follow-suit" policies. What is urgently desired is to take "an initiative action" that appeals the international community, and a decisive attitude to ensure that "the military junta should not be justified at all."

 

This Week’s Focus, June 11

Takashi Mizukoshi, the President