Historic pro-democracy protests in Myanmar go unnoticed but have lessons for others

Peaceful protests by thousands of people in Myanmar against military coup of continue unabated. It has been a fascinating experience to watch on social media a massive pro-democracy movement unfold

Historic pro-democracy protests in Myanmar go unnoticed but have lessons for others
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Uttam Sengupta

The guidelines are detailed and explicit. Bring steel pans to ward off real bullets. Double material umbrella to cope with water cannons and chemical sprays. Safety goggles to protect your eyes from rubber bullets. Safety cones to trap tear gas shells.

Protestors in Myanmar are being advised to do a lot more. Write your blood group and an emergency number on your arms. Join protests in sneakers and not sandals. Yes, it is hot but put on a helmet. Take videos but don’t show faces of protestors or tattoos that can help identify them.

Social media messages tell protestors what to do when they hear gunshots; and when to run, more importantly how to run. Crouch and shrink your body is one advice. There are detailed instructions on how to attend to gunshot injuries. People are advised to carry water, milk or baby shampoo to deal with tear-gas, jackets and clothes to bandage wounds. Helplines of lawyers, doctors and clinics are being shared as thousands of people pour into streets against the military.

The visuals coming out of Myanmar—increasingly scarce following Internet shutdowns—are striking. They are from different cities and the banners people hold aloft are telling. Even more dramatic are videos of protestors pleading with the police to join them. A grandmother in jeans admonishes armed policemen to stand by the people and protect them. Car owners honk horns in unision to register their protest. Vehicle owners parked their cars on the street in a bid to stall military movement. They opened the bonnets and claimed their cars had broken down.


In the middle of the night a solitary protestor stood silently with a hand-written poster outside the UN office in Yangnon. It reads, “How many more dead bodies are needed for the UN to break its silence?” Two young protestors had been killed by security forces, a girl shot in her head and a minor boy, and anger against the military was mounting.

Last week silent protestors stood with posters outside the Chinese Embassy, saying they were of Chinese origin but they were ashamed at China’s support for the military. The protests were disturbing enough to force the Chinese Ambassador to come out with a statement clarifying that China did not want to see the developments in Myanmar. It failed to pacify the protestors.

Groups of protestors had assembled outside the US Embassy at night and staged a ‘musical protest’, demanding the intervention of the Western super power. Buddhist monks had earlier assembled to chant Buddhist prayers outside the embassy with a similar demand.

India has not yet condemned the coup in Myanmar. Nor has China. Limited sanctions have been imposed by the US, UK and France. And the United Nations has called for an end to repression and brutality. On Tuesday it was reported that Indonesia was spearheading an ASEAN initiative for a fresh election in Myanmar, which has already been promised by the military. It had made a similar promise in 1988 but it took more than 20 years for the military to honour it.

No, people in Myanmar do not seem to be in favour of another election. They had voted in November, 2020 overwhelmingly in favour of NDL, the party headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. While the military has questioned the result, alleged voter fraud and promised a fresh election under a new election commission, people do not want another election, if the protests are any indication.

The fragile economy of Myanmar has suffered a huge setback because of the protests this month. But people seem willing to undergo hardship but determined to restore democracy. While Myanmarese military has begun to come down heavily on protestors, arresting and firing at them, civil servants, monks, women and students seem to be at the forefront of this huge and unprecedented upsurge.

It is distressing to see that the protests have received scant attention in the Indian media. While TV channels have ignored the mass upheaval, newspapers have buried the protests to inside pages, clubbing them with other international news.



The voices are getting muted on social media. But can people be made to shut up on the streets?


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