6 Killed, Dozens Injured and hundreds Arrested as Protests Spreading
Myanmar military junta frightened from the continued protests and demonstrations send in police and military to crush the protests on Wednesday in the largest city Yangon. The security forces opened fire and used tear gas to violently disperse the peace full demonstrators in the heart of the city. 4 monks and two activists were shot dead and more than 300 were arrested. The military junta imposed the curfew on Tuesday to stop the protests but up to 1,00,000 people including thousands of monks and pro-democracy activists gathered in the city centre despite the threats from the junta to take stern and extreme steps against protesters. The use of violent means and excessive force has been the hallmark of 45 years rule of military junta. The security forces have also stepped up the crackdown against the dissidents and hundreds of people so far been arrested to crush the current wave of protests against the military rule. The security forces brutally attacked the protesters with batons and tear gas.
Lost the Fear
The hundreds and thousands of people are coming out on the streets despite the repeated warnings from the junta to use violence. The official warnings have failed to stop people from participating in these monks led pro-democracy marches and protests. The Wednesday protests were a significant sign of defiance to the junta. The security force was present on the streets to prevent the protests. It was not like the previous protests where security forces were kept a distance from protesters. Every one that comes to the protest was sure that force will be used and they will come under attack. But still more than one hundred thousand participated in the protest. The mood was very charged and more politised than the previous demonstrations. People have started to loose fear and they are becoming more confidant. A young school student said “we are not afraid; we know they will use force but we are here to sacrifice even our lives”. Another young man said “I heard about the struggle of 1988 and bloodshed, but I am not afraid to come out to show my dissent to the military junta. I am here to repeat the heroic of 1988 martyrs”. One political commentator put it in this way “the general mood is of anger and hatred towards the military junta. The people are suffering and there is no hope for them under this military rule. The only way is to fight against it to bring it down for a better future. A layer of young people have lost their fear and they are ready to sacrifice everything”.
Protest movement growing and spreading
The military junta decided to use the violence on Wednesday protests as they fear much more bigger and spread out protests and demonstrations. One western diplomat told AFP news agency “the military junta has decided to crush the movement at any cost because it is becoming out of control and seriously dangerous”. Gulf News quoted one military official saying “the situation is far more serious than we thought in the beginning. The Monday protests and the mood of participants were beyond our tolerance. If we are not going to act now, the game will be over in next few weeks”.
The Monday demonstrations were not just in Yangon, but also organized in Taunggok, a costal in the north of Yangon. Now these protests are spreading to the other cities and towns. In Yangon two separate marches were organized in which more than 1, 30,000 people took part. In Taunggok nearly 40,000 took part in the street protest. In the beginning the demonstrations and protests were very small and most cases it was around 400 to 500 people, mainly political activists. But now these protests have crossed the figures of even thousands. This movement was started by a small dissident group called 88 Generation Students with mainly political activists. Now monks, nuns, students, lawyers, trade union activists and other layers of the society are coming out to join the protests. It can further spread if it lasted for few more days to come against the increased repression and violence will be used by the junta.
The Starting Point
The current wave of protests started in the second week of August against the sudden 100% increase in the fuel prices. This was a shocking increase for the 53 million people, mostly living under abject poverty. The leaders of the 88 Generation Students Groups, the former student leaders of 1988 pro-democracy movement, started the protest movement. These protests were not very big but continued for more than 3 weeks without any help from other sections of the society. The military junta started the crackdown against this group and arrested more than 20 leaders in Yangon. This crack down failed to stop these protests as they spread out in the other cities and towns. Some trade union activists also joined the protest movement which was arrested and sentenced to long prison terms.
The military junta made the mistake for underestimating the strength of this group which is organized underground and has the support of workers, peasants, students and monks. Most of its leaders are living in exile in Thailand. These protests took a decisive turn when police beat up and publicly humiliated the monks of this group which was taking part in a demonstration in Yangon. This treatment of monks enraged the whole layer of monks and they join the movement.
One leader of 88 Generation group Htay Kywe which recently arrived in Thailand escaping his arrest in a crackdown against this group, told the AFP that these protests are just the beginning. There will be no end to these protests as anger is high against the junta. The movements like this will never end, like the rising tide and waves, the military government will be hearing these voices loud and clear. As long as public are experiencing a lack of development, economic hardships, authoritarian rule, injustice, repression and exploitation, there will be and will always be, a situation where the public will not accept it and will fight back.
Military junta in Trouble
As the protests and demonstrations are growing and movement is spreading out, the tension can be felt in the top brass of junta. This is a most serious challenge faced by them since the 1988 pro-democracy uprising which was crushed by the junta. There are already frictions in the junta. Specially the middle rank officers are not satisfied with the situation. This movement can widen these friction and tensions in the junta. It is most likely that if this movement becomes stronger and wide spread, the military junta’s all out violent action against the movement can spark rebellion in the middle and lower ranks of the military. There are differences in the top brass on the question of political reforms and return back to some sort of civilian rule. The hard liners want to continue with present military rule without giving concessions to pro-democracy groups. But on the other hand some moderates (in Myanmar’s term) wanted to make compromise for a smooth transition with the pro-democracy forces to protect their interests in a civilian rule. The time is running out for the junta to make a peaceful transition. One thing is clear that junta can not continue like this in the long run. The military junta might be able to survive the present wave of protests but it will become very unstable and vulnerable. A new military quo against the present military rulers can not be ruled out.
Imperialist Strategy
China and India are the main supporters of the military junta since long. But China has taken a u-turn on its policy towards Myanmar. China has first time criticized the junta and urged them to press forward with a democracy process that is appropriate for the country, according to Chinese official news agency. According to the Chinese TV CC9, the Chinese government is worried about the on going unrest in Myanmar and urges the government to start the democratic process to calm down the situation. Chinese officials are also in constant touch with opposition groups and minority rebel tribes. A spokesman for the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma in Thailand said his organization is in the contact with Chinese officials from last one year. The Chinese government has not officially recognized us but they are very friendly and wanted to help the country to end the crises (Reuters September 26). One Chinese official said “we want internal stability and national reconciliation in that troubled country”.
China also facilitated a meeting between American and Burmese officials in Beijing, The Burmese officials assured the American and Chinese officials that they will proceed on the road map for a dialogue to restore civilian rule. Chinese are putting lot of pressure on the Generals to make some concessions to defuse the situation. But on the other hand, the India still continued to stand by the side of Generals. Chinese shift in the policy is a blow for the military regime.
Imperialist powers are trying to avoid a full scale confrontation and clashes between the people and military government. The military can not continue to rule the country without the active support of China, India and Russia. These 3 governments do not want a government potentially much hostile to them. The visiting Indian Petroleum minister Murli Deon saw a glimpse of future events when he was received by very angry and hostile demonstrators in Yangon. They were holding play cards and shouted slogans against the minister and Indian government. One play card read as “India stop supporting Burmese Generals”, the other reads “Murli, do not go for gas, go for democracy”.
It is most likely that present movement will continue, but the continued repression, arrests and increased violence might bring the size of protests down. Next couple of days will determine the future out come of this movement. The people are determined to fight but there is no proper organization and leadership to organize a well organized movement with clear program and slogans. The present movement at this stage has become a spontaneous movement. But the main shortcoming of this historic movement is general low consciousness and lack of clear program and strategy. At this stage this movement is centered on the monks and nuns, undoubtedly they have a history to sacrifice for democracy and fundamental democratic rights of the people. But they have no clear political vision and program to bring this movement forward. They are discouraging the people for raising political slogans. They want to give more religious colour to this movement to counter the political currents in the movement. At the moment the mood is entirely against the military regime and for a democratic government. The restoration of the democracy is the main slogan but some economic issues are also coming in the forefront.