“Day of Shame” for Myanmar generals

SUBWAYWith their bayonets tied, the soldiers marched through the Myanmar capital on Saturday. The reason for the military parade was the “Armed Forces Day”, which takes place on March 27 of each year. The show of force in Naypyidaw was accompanied by particularly brutal action by soldiers against protesters in various parts of the country. The news portal “Myanmar Now” reported more than 50 deaths; thirteen of them in the second largest city of Mandalay and seven in Yangon, the largest city and ancient capital.

The day before, the military had issued a thinly disguised warning on state television. Consequently, people must learn from the tragedies of the past “that you run the risk of being shot in the head and in the back.” The politician Sasa, a member of an anti-government anti-military coup, said in an online event: “Today is a shameful day for the armed forces.”

Almost 400 dead since early February

This Saturday, Myanmar celebrates the beginning of the resistance of the army of the national hero Aung San against the Japanese occupiers in 1945. The general was the father of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested by the military and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The Tatmadaw, as the army is called in Myanmar, sees itself as the successor to the Liberation Army and the guardian of national unity. Despite decades of oppression, many members of the majority population saw it that way.

But in the weeks since the February 1 military coup, the military has been hit by an unprecedented wave of opposition. “Now people hate the army. Not just Min Aung Hlaing. You hate the whole army. The public outcry is huge, ”said a Myanmar coordinator of various resistance groups in the FAZ.

According to a human rights organization, soldiers and police officers have already killed more than 328 people, not including the victims on Saturday. It is estimated that around a quarter of the victims were shot to the head. Yet people across the country took to the streets again on Saturday against the coup. Apparently, the military had hoped, after the loss of power by the Aung San Suu Kyi government, to quickly bring the country under control and enforce a certain normalcy.

General Min Aung Hlaing promises elections

Myanmar is now very far from that. General Min Aung Hlaing promised another election on Saturday, but did not give a date. “The army wants to keep democracy hand in hand with the whole nation,” Min Aung Hlaing said, according to the BBC. “Acts of violence that endanger stability and security to make demands are not appropriate,” the general warned.

In view of the current resistance against the military, there are now fears that the spiral of violence will continue to turn. In an interview with the FAZ, the resistance group coordinator said that he even considered it possible that the military could also use heavy military equipment in the heart of Myanmar in the future, similar to the situation previously in the border regions, where the The military have been fighting ethnic rebel armies for decades.

Some of these armies have also opposed the military coup. According to information from the FAZ, they are planning an alliance with various resistance groups and the formation of a “federal army”. Many protesters are also calling for the military intervention of the international community. However, they are divided when it comes to dealing with Myanmar. While diplomats from Western countries steered clear of the parade, Moscow even sent its deputy defense minister. In his speech on Saturday, General Min Aung Hlaing called Russia a “true friend.”