If not acted upon in time, Myanmar could be next 'Syria'

Geneva: – Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned, ‘The international community should cooperate to stop the oppression by the military in Myanmar. Otherwise, a conflict similar to Syria will be sparked in Myanmar. There will be armed rebellions in Myanmar similar to Syria.’ It has been two and a half months since the military acquired power in Myanmar. Armed groups from Myanmar and even terrorist groups are joining the agitation started by the population demanding democracy. Against this background, the importance of the warning issued by the UN human rights chief increases further.

The junta regime acquired power in Myanmar on the 1st of February, accusing malpractices in the elections held in November last year. A minimum of 300 leaders, including the democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, were arrested by the military. More than 3,000 people protesting since the last two and a half months for democracy and demanding the release of the leaders have been arrested.

It is claimed that 714 people have been killed in the ruthless actions of the Myanmar military. But fears are being expressed that the number of deaths is much more. The Myanmar military opened fire at some locations on peaceful protestors. Moreover, airstrikes using fighter jets were carried out in areas near Yangon. Therefore, UN Human Rights Commissioner Bachelet criticised that the junta regime in Myanmar is carrying out a massacre of its own population.

The Myanmar military is ruthlessly using violence against the protestors. Military and illegal weapons are being used for this purpose. The international community needs to cooperate to end this oppression by the junta regime against its people. Otherwise, there is a possibility of a conflict sparking in Myanmar. Bachelet warned that the mistakes made in Syria and some other countries should not be repeated in Myanmar.

While comparing the situation in Myanmar with Syria, Bachelet mentioned the action taken by the Assad regime, in 2011, against the protestors demanding democracy in Syria. The Assad regime also had resorted to similar military action against the protestors ten years ago. Infuriated by the act, certain extremists joined hands with armed rebels and terrorist organisations to start a conflict. Bachelet warned that the situation in Myanmar is not very different.

Bachelet reminded that a few weeks ago, reports of conflict flaring up between the armed rebels and the Myanmar military in the Kachin, Shan, Kayin provinces had been received. The rebel and terrorist organisations like Tang National Liberation Army, Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army have threatened the junta regime of an armed conflict. After that, the international human rights group warned that a war would flare up in Myanmar.