Myanmar Must Resolve Its Own Issues

Myanmar Spring Chronicle – April 13 Scenes
MoeMaKa, April 14, 2024**

Myanmar Must Resolve Its Own Issues

Myanmar’s political crisis, expanding civil war, mass displacement, and the destruction of cities and livelihoods paint a grim picture of the country’s current situation. The ongoing civil conflict is causing young people to flee to avoid being drawn into the violence.

In Myanmar, military coups, human rights violations, massacres, and illegal killings occur not only on battlefields but also in cities untouched by armed conflict. Large-scale crimes such as robberies, armed robberies, and murders are becoming daily occurrences.

Some Myanmar citizens hope the international community will intervene to stop human rights violations and mass killings. They desire sanctions against the perpetrators and expect international forces to block the military’s access to resources like jet fuel and military equipment. However, these hopes are gradually fading.

The United Nations and Western powers, whom the revolutionary forces rely on, have not considered military intervention in Myanmar. They have only offered moral and diplomatic support.

One reason for the lack of military or financial support for Myanmar’s armed conflict may be that it does not directly impact other nations’ interests. Myanmar’s proximity to China, a rising power, could also be a factor.

Therefore, Myanmar’s anti-dictatorship armed forces must rely on their strength and the strategic interests of neighboring countries to fight the dictatorial army.

Meanwhile, other significant conflicts, such as the Ukraine-Russia war and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, have overshadowed Myanmar’s struggle for democracy. These conflicts have drawn the attention and resources of Western countries that might otherwise support Myanmar. For instance, Western Europe, busy with the Ukraine war, views it as a broader security threat and has committed significant financial support to Ukraine.

The United Nations has had little opportunity to mediate or find solutions for these larger conflicts, and the potential involvement of Iran in the latest Middle East conflict further complicates matters. Global powers are directly supporting these conflicts with weapons and money.

If diplomatic disputes between Taiwan and China, the United States and China, or territorial issues in East Asia ignite armed conflicts, international cooperation could shift towards forming alliances rather than preventing wars.

Compared to these global conflicts, the civil war in Myanmar is seen as less likely to spread regionally, despite human rights violations and mass killings. The focus on Myanmar may wane as other conflicts take precedence, leading to criticism of double standards among powerful nations and increasing international tensions.

Recently, after an application to charge Israel with genocide in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Nicaragua filed a case against Germany for selling weapons to Israel, holding it responsible for civilian deaths in Gaza. Such events indicate deepening international differences and rising factionalism and war.

Regarding Myanmar, the country’s forces need to focus on practical solutions and realistic decisions rather than unrealistic expectations. It is also crucial to consider the opinions and wishes of the public.