Myanmar Spring Chronicle – August 29 Scenes
MoeMaKa, August 30 2022
When the fortunes of Myanmar and the World were new low
Myanmar’s decade of transparency and positive movement became worse and negative than when everything fell back to zero settings since the military coup last year. It has been spiraling downward gradually, comparable to periods like the Second World War and the time of the Civil War after Independence. Because the word ‘fortune’ is used here, it is not like I believe in fortune-telling and astrology and I use it as a Myanmar word. When it is said that the destiny of Myanmar is not meant to be created by something, it is understood that the consequences that have occurred are the result of what we have done.
In Myanmar, there is an outbreak of civil war, the number of IDP-refugees has increased by tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands within months this year, and is approaching the figure of one million domestically, and thousands of lives have been lost and continue to be lost. When the armed forces attack with weapons, lives of not only members, but also ordinary civilians, immature children, elderly people, those who were unable to run and dodge and also women, were lost almost every day. So I think it must be said that Myanmar’s fortune was at a low point.
Houses were burned and destroyed along with armed clashes, and when civilians were arrested, they were insulted in a way that is not appropriate for human dignity, tortured and killed. These events have become a daily part of our lives, and I heard that on the news and from close friends and family members who have experienced it.
When we look at how the world is heading when Myanmar is in a bad state, you will find many countries with competing interests and forming political and military groups to strengthen the military and working to replenish military equipment. As developed countries, their defense budgets are set to increase competitively because of the danger that may threaten their national security and that may affect their interests, and instead of helping the needy, they are spending a lot of budget on purchasing military weapons and obtaining permission.
Democracy, human rights, equality, and the issues of providing aid to those suffering from famine and war, have been buried under the headings of defense spending and armaments. Fuel and natural gas restrictions, which are implications of politics and reductions in food production and exports due to war, have caused high prices and an economic recession, and some countries are on the brink of recession even before the world can recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
At this time, it is not easy to expect humanitarian aid or much active support for famine and refugees. Countries of similar political groups and similar interests will only help each other, and in countries that fall into opposing political groups, it is not easy to get humanitarian aid even when there is a danger of natural disasters and war. The world is in a situation where it can be said that it is a time of rising differences of opinion and arms-power competition like never before.
It is also a time when we have to use more fuels like coal, which can make the world warmer, even though we are witnessing the effects of climate change, which can only be achieved through global cooperation. Even though scientists warn that climate change is the cause of large rivers drying up in many parts of the world and abnormally heavy rains causing floods in many areas, people were choosing to use coal and energy sources such as nuclear energy, which is dangerous for accidents, due to political problems.
Pakistan was facing heavy rains killing more than 1,000 people and washing away houses, bridges, and roads, which was its worst flood in more than a decade. Some of the big rivers in China were drying up to the point where the bottom of the sand was showing up. Europe was also experiencing unprecedented drying of rivers reaching new records for high temperatures, and forest fires were burning. While the world is facing such events, people are still choosing options other than decisions to maintain the environment.
As for Myanmar, it is necessary to understand this world’s situation and to face their political problems, military problems and socio-economic problems. It is also an important time to be able to correctly determine what is most important and what is most feasible, in order to formulate strategies and tactics that are compatible with the background situation.