A friend of our family is a citizen of Myanmar (traditionally known as Burma) and has been suffering — along with most people in her country — ever since February 1, 2021, when their nation’s military overthrew their democracy and has been violently oppressing the population. The military has killed many people.
Here are a few updates in the past few months:
Many years ago I started subscribing to The New Internationalist. It is a large (82-page) periodical based in the UK that covers the entire world in very smart on-the-ground ways. You can read feature articles from the current issue and previous issues at www.newint.org. The June-July 2021 issue’s cover features a photo from Myanmar, and EIGHT of their featured articles (from paged 15 to 36) are about the crisis in Myanmar. Many of the authors are from Myanmar. Their articles include on-the-ground reports and how people are organizing resistance and survival activities. You can read articles here: https://newint.org/features/2021/06/08/big-story-myanmar-courage-and-terror-myanmar
This news — and opportunity to take action — came out on August 3, 2021, from the International Campaign for the Rohingya (www.rohingyacampaign.org). They encourage people to contact their U.S. senators to take actions to help. Contact the organization for more information:
Not content with letting Covid ravage Myanmar, Myamar army chief Min Aung Hlaing marked the six month point of his military coup by declaring himself prime minister of a supposed “caretaker government.” The civilian National Unity Government quickly labeled the rebranded regime an “unlawful association.” The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has estimated that the military junta has in just six months killed nearly a thousand people and imprisoned nearly seven thousand.
We demand that Congress take action. We are calling for Senator Ben Cardin and Rep. Gregory Meeks to re-introduce a new Burma bill, not only to hold accountable the Myanmar military, but also to provide humanitarian assistance directly to the Myanmar people. Now, let’s make the final push to get this bill introduced!
This Saturday, August 7th, people are gathering in Washington, DC, to call for the introduction of the new Burma Bill. Gathering in Lafayette Square by the White House at 1pm, the group will march to the Capitol.
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) are drafting the new Burma bill. Thanks to your emails and phone calls, they are hearing from other Members of Congress whom you’ve told to co-sponsor the upcoming Burma
Myanmar’s military is allowing Coronavirus to rampage throughout the nation:
The third – and thus far most serious – wave of Covid is hitting Myanmar hard. Hospitals have reached maximum capacity. At military hospitals, staff are turning away civilians under orders to limit treatment to military personnel and their relatives. As Progressive Voice reports:
“Ultimately, the root cause of all these human rights and humanitarian catastrophes is the military junta’s insatiable lust for power at all costs, including letting the people of Myanmar perish from COVID-19 as collateral damage to their ends. This is another impasse which requires the international community’s emergency response.”
We need Congress to re-introduce its Burma bill, not only to hold accountable the Myanmar military, but also to provide humanitarian assistance directly to the Myanmar people. Now, let’s make the final push to get this bill introduced!
BOYCOTT CHEVRON because that oil company supports Myanmar’s murderous military dictatorship!
On February 1, Myanmar’s military OVERTHREW the nation’s DEMOCRACY and made itself a MILITARY DICTATORSHIP! Decent people are disgusted that Chevron buys oil in Myanmar – and paying Myanmar’s generals. Chevron is financially supporting Myanmar’s military dictatorship that is horribly abusing human rights! That is NOT acceptable. Decent people must BOYCOTT Chevron!
Since the February 1 coup, Myanmar’s military has been killing their own people at random every day. NEARLY EVERYBODY Myanmar’s military has killed have been NONVIOLENT AND COMPLETELY INNOCENT of any crime. Myanmar’s military has slaughtered children, grandmothers, passersby, ambulance attendants, and anyone who happens to be in their gun-sights. The military also arrest people for no legal reason – without any legitimate cause – and often after breaking into their homes at night. The military routinely tortures and kills innocent people. The death toll is rising.
A friend of my family is a citizen of Myanmar who lives there in fear for her life! If the military kills her, Chevron should be held legally responsible for financing her murder! Chevron keeps doing business with the murderous military dictatorship. Chevron is VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LAW. Chevron is financially supporting Myanmar’s military dictatorship that is horribly abusing human rights! That is NOT acceptable. Decent people must BOYCOTT Chevron!
On May 4, 2021, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on “The Unfolding Crisis in Burma.”
This hearing helps set the stage for later this month when we expect, in both the U.S. House and Senate, the introduction of new bills to sanction Myanmar’s military and support the Civil Disobedience Movement. Click here to watch a recording of the hearing.
Also in early May 2021, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, led by Jeff Merkley (D, Oregon) and Marco Rubio (R, Florida) called on the Biden Administration to stop money from flowing from the oil companies Chevron, Total, and Posco to the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). As our Members of Congress write new legislation, it is vital that we demonstrate our support of bills to sanction the Myanmar military. See frequently updated information at www.rohingyacampaign.org
Opposition to the military dictatorship has been overwhelmingly nonviolent. I hope people will stay grounded in nonviolence, despite the military’s brutality. A resource on nonviolence translated into the Burmese language for nonviolent resisters to use there:
Here is a resource from an organization I’ve been connected with for many years. I read their materials. I donate financial support. I met Michael Nagler, the author of this publication many years ago. I receive his e-mails, and I’ve sent him some of the written resources I’ve produced. SEE THIS RESOURCE: https://wagingnonviolence.org/metta/2021/04/myanmar-coup-nonviolence-manual-burmese/
