Myanmar coup

[Drunk Monkey]

Myanmar protester shot in head during police crackdown dies

Grocery store worker Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, 20, is the first REPORTED and CONFIRMED protest fatality since military took control in coup two weeks ago

https://www.theguardian.com/global-deve ... ys-brother

[Laan Yaa Mo]

This is from the Myanmar Times: 'BREAKING: Police forces and soldiers killed a protester in Mandalay on Saturday, February 20, following their use of live ammunition on demonstrators rallying against the military-led government.
Several others were injured during the clash.
UPDATE: Another protester who was shot has also passed away. So far, a total of two protesters have died in Mandalay on Saturday, according to latest reports.'
#Mandalay #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar

[tamada]

And the generals have grabbed the nation's central bank.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Myanmar ... ssible-way

[Whistler]

These guys must have thought that Trump was sent from god.

The so called beacon of democracy became a beacon of 'whatever it takes' politics. Burma can thumb it's nose at democracy citing the Americans trashing democratic norms. Would they have executed this coup anyway. Probably so, would they have been as confident getting away with it....I doubt very much. America lost it's moral leadership big time.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

These guys must have thought that Trump was sent from god.

The so called beacon of democracy became a beacon of 'whatever it takes' politics. Burma can thumb it's nose at democracy citing the Americans trashing democratic norms. Would they have executed this coup anyway. Probably so, would they have been as confident getting away with it....I doubt very much. America lost it's moral leadership big time.

It's nothing new for the Tatmadaw. Since 1958 they have been staging coups, but in those days they were not so self-serving and brutal as now. 1988 was the beginning of beating up monks, students and anyone else who got in their way

[tamada]

^ How do generations of Burmese army generals manage to keep generations of soldiers onside? Are they guaranteed a decent income or basic food or something? Free accommodation maybe? When I was working there, I asked my driver about the stately, neo-colonial houses on the north side of Yangon, towards the airport. He claimed it was all "army owned" which I assumed was the legions of commanding officers but without conscription or coercion, they still manage to garner just over half a million regular servicemen who have shown the ability to kill their own.

[Whistler]

The waves of public protests I fear will only result in a brutal reaction. With similarities to another SE Asian country, the military brass live in luxury in an otherwise poor country. Push comes to shove, the will do whatever it takes to preserve their power and wealth. I think a wholesale slaughter or very brutal wave of arrests is more likely than not, don't expect Burma's neighbours to protest too much if it does happen.

[tamada]

The position of Myanmar's military in society is unique. I can't see any similarities with any country in southeast Asia.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

^ How do generations of Burmese army generals manage to keep generations of soldiers onside? Are they guaranteed a decent income or basic food or something? Free accommodation maybe? When I was working there, I asked my driver about the stately, neo-colonial houses on the north side of Yangon, towards the airport. He claimed it was all "army owned" which I assumed was the legions of commanding officers but without conscription or coercion, they still manage to garner just over half a million regular servicemen who have shown the ability to kill their own.

The soldiers that do the killing are usually not ethnic Burmans. Generally, they are from the poorer isolated minorities such as the Chins, Kachins, perhaps Wa, and so. If the Tatmadaw put weapons into the hands of the Karin, Mon or Shans they would use them against the government. Myanmar is a very difficult place to govern owing to the numerous ethnic groups that inhabit the country. And, there have been centuries of conflict between the minorities and the Burmans. These are not easily forgotten.


Burman soldiers are sent into the Shan State, the Kachin State, the Karin areas to fight the minorities. The soldiers like this, and remain loyal. Also, it provides them with income, stability and status in return for their loyalty. The generals have alliances between themselves, and are aware that any other general is after their job. Therefore, politics really takes place at the top no matter what the results of an election are.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

The position of Myanmar's military in society is unique. I can't see any similarities with any country in southeast Asia.

They are very good at manipulating the tension between the minorities and the ethnic Burmans. About 30-35% of Myanmar's population is non-Burman. You can find this type of tension in Indonesia too. There the majority of the top soldiers are Christian used to counter extreme Islam. The motto of Indonesia is 'pancasila', a Buddhist concept, which means unity in diversity. There is tons of diversity in Indonesia, but little unity although it is better than in the days of Sukarno.

[tamada]

Insightful.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/23/my ... democracy/

[Udon Map]

Some off-topic posts have been removed. This thread is about Myanmar, not Indonesia. Feel free to start a thread about Indonesian politics if you like.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

You must have mis-read the post by Tamada in which he mentioned that there are no regimes comparable to Burma: 'The position of Myanmar's military in society is unique. I can't see any similarities with any country in southeast Asia.'

There is one similar to Myanmar. It is Indonesia. Do some research. Jeez.

[tamada]

There's no confirmation (so far) that high level talks between the Myanmar FM and his Thai counterpart and the Thai PM at Don Meuang recently.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics ... th-prayut/

[tamada]

Aung San Suu Kyi goes missing.

Election results officially annulled.

https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/nld ... d-location

[Bandung_Dero]

(Reuters) - Myanmar's U.N. envoy urged the United Nations to use "any means necessary" to stop a military coup there, making a surprise appeal on behalf of the ousted government as police cracked down on anti-junta protesters.

This is one pretty brave man, he wouldn't want to be going home any time soon!

Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun holds up three fingers at the end of his speech to the General Assembly where he pleaded for International action in overturning the military coup in his country as seen in this still image taken from a video, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., February 26, 2021

[tamada]

Myanmar's civil servant strikes start to bite

"Despite risks to their lives and livelihoods, many Myanmar civil servants are refusing to work for the junta, as a growing civil disobedience movement seeks to thwart the generals by paralysing the bureaucracy."

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/as ... e-14286876

[Bandung_Dero]

The junta is pissed and sacked Kyaw Moe Tun. One would have to guess he had the path to political asylum sorted before making the statement and gestures in the UN.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-28/ ... n/13200692

[Whistler]

It's started. 18 killed as police opened up on protestors.

[Khun Paul]

AS I predicted the Myanmars Army especially its leaders are NOT to be trusted and will resort like bullies to the problem. Coupled with LOSS of Face and a Cultural Divide which has existed for centuries, it was known and will be known again as a FAILED State , sad because they have some lovely beaches and the people generally are very pleasant