Burma: six months after the putsch, the population is now fighting for its survival

A group of women hold up torches as they protest against the military coup in Rangoon, Burma, July 14, 2021. REUTERS - STRINGER

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10 mins

It has been six months, this Sunday, August 1, that the junta seized power in Burma.

Since then, the country has been sinking into one of the most serious crises in its history.

While some areas have slipped completely into civil war, millions of Burmese are now fighting for their survival.

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Just six months ago, Burma plunged back into dictatorship after a ten-year democratic hiatus.

On February 1, General Min Aung Hlaing decides to

overthrow the

democratically elected

power

in the November 2020 elections, orders the arrest of civilian head of government Aung San Suu Kyi and proclaims a state of emergency for a period of one year. . 

There followed an unprecedented movement for democracy, hit hard by a health disaster that the military in power are unable to control. After having fought for months against the dictatorship of the military, the Burmese must now face a deadly third wave of Covid-19. The country reports at least 300 deaths a day but the outdated administration has stopped keeping the death toll.

Burma is bloodless and the population exhausted.

The economic situation is catastrophic: after six months of an economy at a standstill, the closure of borders due to the pandemic, an interruption of commercial flights and the transport of goods, millions of Burmese have no more jobs - many have lost their jobs, especially in tourism - no longer have an income and find it difficult to feed themselves, poverty is exploding.

The United Nations is sounding the alarm and fears dramatic consequences for the civilian population. 

"Humanitarian imperative"

For Min Zin, a political scientist exiled in Chiang Mai, Thailand, interviewed by our correspondent in Bangkok

Carol Isoux,

the humanitarian disaster is total and must call for international solidarity.

" 

We have reached a level of humanitarian imperative, as the crisis is so serious," he

says.

In the last few days I have lost two very close cousins ​​and 14 of my colleagues are sick. The economy is stifling, even if you have money in your bank account you cannot withdraw it, due to the banking sector crisis and now for many Burmese food is running out, it there are food shortages. That's why I think we can talk about the humanitarian imperative.

 "

The urgency of the situation requires strong and effective action by the international community, otherwise the country could fall into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, also believes Manny Maung, researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW). She talks about a tragic situation because one of the problems that is little talked about, according to her, is the lack of food.

“ 

Regarding the food shortage, we have reached the point where prices have exploded so much that some families do not even have the means to buy eggs,

says the specialist

.

And in a largely rural society, if people are sick, they won't be able to go to work.

Others will fight the junta or are on the run because arrest warrants have been issued against them.

The situation is such that it is imperative in the next six months to deliver emergency humanitarian aid to the population before it worsens further.

 "

►

To read also: Burma: "It is clear that a health disaster is happening"

"Crimes against humanity"

The results of the bloody repression of the Burmese army which followed the overthrow of the government of Aung San Suu Kyi is heavy: more than 900 dead including 75 children, nearly 7,000 arrests, arrest warrants by the hundreds. Disproportionate use of force, acts of torture, enforced disappearances, the repression of civilians is such that these violations could be qualified as crimes against humanity according to Manny Maung.

“

 We are very concerned about the scale of these crimes,

” she said.

Arbitrary detentions, the use of torture, hostage-taking also during which members of a family are arrested in place of the person wanted by the military. The junta has issued nearly 2,000 arrest warrants, including 600 against doctors and caregivers. How under these conditions can the population overcome this Covid crisis which is wreaking havoc in the country

?

"

Human Rights Watch also documented cases of torture and rape of victims held by soldiers.

Cases that are not isolated to a region, a neighborhood or a prison, according to the organization.

“ 

We also have testimonies of sexual violence or rape on women but also on men in remand centers.

This mass violence against the population cannot be tolerated.

It is a truly tragic situation which we must put an end to as quickly as possible.

 "

“

 The number and extent of crimes can constitute crimes against humanity, which certainly justifies an unfettered international investigation 

,” adds the researcher.

The pro-democracy movement at an impasse, yet the resistance does not weaken

The pro-democracy movement, its political bodies, criticized by the country's ethnic leaders, and which have not yet obtained real

international recognition

, seems for the moment to be at an impasse. 

But the population continues its movement of civil disobedience after months of mobilization, strikes that have paralyzed entire sections of the economy, boycott campaigns for products whose profits feed the coffers of the junta.

In the midst of

a health crisis

, civil society is resisting and organizing itself to face the lack of equipment and medicines, the hospitals literally looted by the junta which confiscates the oxygen bottles and the arrest warrants issued by the junta against the doctors to discourage the population and remove them from the civil disobedience movement. 

A parallel system has been set up to help families of Covid patients, donation collection operations meet the needs of the poorest.

" 

We distribute medicines, oxygen bottles and food, including in cities,

" said a member of the National League for Democracy, who wished to remain anonymous.

We provide emergency care to civilians through our members, civil society and organizations.

This is our priority mission.

 "

And in the many states that have suffered decades of rebellion against the junta, battalions are forming to form forces capable of opposing an all-powerful army.

“

The army cannot control the whole country. Thanks to our resistance we will succeed in facing the military, she

adds. 

Even during the pandemic, the military continues to brutally torture citizens. But the military cannot control and rule us. We have formed the People's Defense Forces to protect our country. This is not the only way to obtain democracy, we are looking for other ways to achieve it.

 "

The government of national unity in exile, which enjoys enormous popular support, has again appealed to the international community to “end

 the reign of terror

 ”.

As for the head of the civilian government, Aung San Suu Kyi, arrested during the putsch, she is still in detention.

Last Monday, the junta annulled the results of the 2020 elections, won by an overwhelming majority by the National League for Democracy (LND).

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