(MoeMaKa) March 12, 2021
Among the community on the street today, people were found discussing how to put gas in a bottle and how to make it strong explosive. Protesters, who have suffered brutal beatings, are beginning to consider hand-to-hand self-defense. Some young people are also reportedly searching on Google for ways to make handguns. A video of a black pipe and firebomb tested and fired on a residential street in Rangoon has been posted on social media today. Bamboo and sheet-metal were used to build fences to block roads and townships and some even build man-made wall piling up sandbags and other heavy objects on the road. Unarmed protesters were not thinking of retaliation if attacked by Military during initial days of protests. It was not popular at first arguing that Military wants to crush such retaliation as an excuse to use deadly force. But even though people were peaceful, the news that Military is still using brutal force to kill and torture non-violent protesters on the streets and under detention were growing, young generation of protesters were now thinking for defending and protecting themselves from Military attacks on the street. Black flags are now being flown in townships devastated by the military. The signature is that unarmed civilians will be protected by its own community members by any means necessary.
During non-violent protest like Gandhi’s teaching, submission to Military’s arrest and not running away when chased by police, such thinking is found questioned and challenged in real life situation in Myanmar. The idea of retaliation rather than being caught easily is on the rise. There are more and more reflections and discussion among young protesters that after days and weeks of finding out about the families and protesters who are dying or attacked every day, they are starting to think of having and preparing weapons of resistance. Some did resort to armed revolution like in the past to go to liberated areas in the borders to form or join revolution army there. But some of them still want to fight in the concrete jungles rather than fighting in the real jungles with arm or without against Myanmar military.
Initially, protests erupted in the city downtown center for the first week of Spring Uprising. Cracking down at city intersections has intensified so protesters started to leave those areas and moved and blended into more densely populated residential areas. The lower classes and middle class neighborhoods were found more densely populated and interconnected among community. It becomes right place to continue fight and protest the Junta. Not just during the day, but at 8 o’clock at night, after beating the pots and pans, they took to the streets and lit candles. It is also turning into a night of shouting slogans. This is a strike, night-protest. During the day-strikes, there were sit-ins and marching-strikes. Some strike was called a guerrilla strike or “hit and run protests’ where they come from nowhere and vanishes when police arrives. Some of the street protest has also been arranged and transformed into a live broadcast on social media. Protests have erupted in neighborhoods and streets, and have now escalated into night protests against the military council. In the minds of many young people, they are determined to continue the Spring Revolution and have decided that it is no longer strange for them to be shot and killed. Thousands were arrested and at least 60 killed by the military.
In areas where there are ethnic armed groups in ethnic areas, clashes between the military council and ethnic forces are on the rise. Ethnic militants were also seen defending the protesters in towns and villages. Fighting intensified in Kachin and Kayin states, with reports of airstrikes by Burmese military council troops. The PPST Ceasefire Group started discussion among themselves which began yesterday, ended today. In their statement, they said that they discussed with other relevant organizations including CRPH. They stated that PPST’s International Relations Committee was approved with the name “FRC” and will be starting to communicate with the international community. It sated that The Coup d’état will be considered a clear violation of the NCA (National Cease Fire Agreement). They urge their each groups to work and help with the Myanmar people suffering from Military crackdown. In Karen and Kachin areas dominated by armed ethnic groups, they announced that they will accept refugees if they flee because of oppression. It seems that each ethnic group has the right to work freely with the people for the establishment of a federal union to end the military dictatorship.
Dr. Zaw Wai Soe of CRPH said that he met with students and youth unions. He said he gained understanding and cooperation with young people. March 13 marks the 33rd anniversary of Phone Maw, an engineering student who was killed by the military in March 1988. On March 13, nation wide rally is called for marking 33rd anniversary of Phone Maw Day. Kyaw Ko Ko, a leader of the GSC strike committee, said in a statement that the people believed in those who took the lead on the streets during the protests. People cooperate and united more towards practical movements and actions. He said that in some military forces, there’s sympathizer for Myanmar people and they were helping and freeing some protesters on the street when arrested and detained. Some of the townships are in industrial zones, and the strike camps have stated that they will not be able to take responsibility for the security of factories under Chinese businesses if the military cracks down on them.
While Dr Sasa and CRPH are currently prioritizing international pressure and action. Myanmar embassies abroad were also being urged to join the CDM to join the CRPH. Some pointed out that those who have strongly supported the role and position of the CRPH in the international arena have not been particularly recognized by the CRPH Committee and its international representatives. They have been protesting weekly in front of Myanmar embassies, Chinese embassies, UN offices and international government courts. They are in the backdrops. They are Myanmar ethnics who are now settling in second or third countries for various reasons in hundreds of thousands in numbers all over the whole World and they are actively financially supporting the CDM movement in Myanmar. CRPH should also recognized Myanmar Ethnics people abroad and organized them into Spring Revolution Movement too.