Myanmar, after independence from the British Colonial rule in 1948 has suffered political turbulence and turmoil due to powerful military junta. In 1962, the first time a powerful general U Ne Win took control over the government and remained there for the next twenty-six years.
Most of their policy were socialist economic and isolationist policy, under which most of Burma’s major enterprise became nationalized that caused economic flounder promptly and support to black-market enormously. In 1988, due to the worst economic predicament, rapidly surging corruption and black marketing and shortage of food many of the students protested on the road but a ruthless military crackdown on protesters which corollary the killing of at least three thousand civilians.
After the harsh military crackdown, Ne Win resigned and another dictator took charge of the mandatory responsibility. During the whole military period, the economic predicament of Myanmar was getting worst and worst due to their isolationist policy. So, in 2007 Myanmar government decimated subsidies on saffron due to this the price of petrol and diesel had surpassed to 66-100 percent in less than in a week. Because the national government was the only supplier of fuels so, that spark incendiary to protestor against the military government and the revolution was named as saffron revolution.
In addition, the military junta forward constitution in 2008, under which twenty-five percent of the parliament seats were reserved to Military Bureaucrats which is circulating till now. The military junta officially moved away and terminated their regime and established a civilian parliament.
In 2015, the first, free and fair multi-party election was held in which Aung San Suu Kyi from the NLD party won and had become the state counselor. She won the majority of seats in the upper and lower house. But according to experts mostly military influence had seen even during the civilian government. It was the corollary of the 2008 constitution and also due to military proxy party i.e USDP which had usurped many of the important and powerful places like defense, home and border affairs ministries.
In 2020, a second national election held, but the result was more surprising especially for the military junta. The NLD party won 396 out of 476 seats that were palpable threats for the military because most of the analysts were anticipating that Suu Kyi might be changed the 2008 constitution regarding 25% reserve seats for the military and also the need of 75 percent vote to change the constitution. The military leaders accused of rigging in the election but the election commission rejected the allegations of military. So military detained Suu Kyi and other leaders of NLD under house arrest.
According to experts, the military coup could remain as they were gained impetus in the 1960s. After the military takeover more than ten thousand people calling for the recovery of democracy and the release of Suu Kyi and other leaders.
Ethical groups in Myanmar
Myanmar is a diverse country with more than one hundred ethnic groups. Many of the ethnic minorities are bemoaning for lack of providing amenities, participation, unemployment etc and one of them is Rohingya Muslim who has been targeted since 2016. The military and Burmese (anti-Muslim) have been giving mental torturing, beating, gang rape, killing and anti-Muslim sentiment to Rohingya Muslim. Therefore many of them flee to neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia etc.
The largest flux of Rohingya to flee from Myanmar happened in 2017 as a result of destructive military operations against them. According to UN reports over 700000 people fled and settled in Bangladesh as refugees. In 2016 military crackdown on Rohingya was draconian by the world leaders and called it a ‘’crime against humanity ‘’and criticized Noble prize winner Suu Kyi for being silent over the ruthless genocide.
A study in 2018, estimated that more than 240000 Rohingya people were killed by the military and local Buddhists and over 18000 Rohingya Muslim women and girls were raped.
Myanmar economic predicament
Myanmar's economic predicament is not as good as its neighbor countries due to its isolationist policy. But after the reforms in 2011, their GDP rate had grown at the rate 7 percent till 2020 and the poverty rate plunged from 47 percent in 2005 to 24 percent in 2019 due to better allocation of resources, expansion of trade with countries and better investment policies. But due to the military take over their economy is in flounder it could be in trouble near future due to economic sanctions from the US, EU etc.
Vehement reaction from different countries against the military coup. The United States threatened Myanmar to impose economic sanctions and also different countries urged the recovery of democracy. Many of the people are protesting against the military coups and calling them to relinquish the position.
This is a great lesson for the developing countries, we should encourage democracy and should respect our minorities' rights. Nothing is above the law so we should do our own work according to law. The military junta should relinquish their control and should immediately hold election which is mandatory to maintain democracy.