[[GRETA]]
On Plugged In …
It's happening again...
Myanmar endures …
another military coup …
In the nation of Myanmar...
putting the country’s …
nearly 10 year …
democracy experiment …
on hold.
((SOT/MITCHELL: 9:12 “illegitimate government leads to instability, you're seeing that now in the streets.”))
Nobel Peace Laureate ...
Aung San Suu Kyi …
is detained ...
along with hundreds …
of her political allies.
((SOT/BIDEN)
“The Burmese military should relinquish power they have seized...”
((GRETA/VO))
And what of the Rohingya? ...
Massacred and made homeless …
by Myanmar’s military.
On Plugged In:
Myanmar ---
Democracy in Peril.
###
[[GRETA]]
Hello and welcome …
to Plugged In.
I’m Greta Van Susteren …
reporting from Washington DC.
Another setback …
in Myanmar for democracy …
with another military coup.
((VO))
On February first the military took control …
of the southeast Asian country …
declaring a one-year …
state of emergency …
The military claiming the government …
did not act on claims …
of voter fraud …
during November’s elections …
Where results showed overwhelming won …
by the party …
led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
She and top officials …
from the National League …
for Democracy ...
are under house arrest …
putting in jeopardy …
Myanmar’s experiment …
with democracy that began …
with Suu Kyi’s release ….
from house arrest about …
10 years ago.
Before that …
the country also known …
as Burma …
was among the world’s …
most repressive.
Brutal crackdowns …
on dissent in 1988 …
and 2007 …
marked nearly 50 years …
under military rule …
((PAUSE NAT SOUND))
https://twitter.com/kyawhsanhlaing1/status/1358774939717828609
What started …
as the banging …
of pots and pans …
in protest of the coup …
spilled into the streets …
as police used water cannons …
to disperse …
relatively peaceful protestors.
Coup leaders threaten …
unspecified “action” …
will be taken …
if the demonstrations continue.
###
(GRETA OC)
World reaction to the coup …
Has been swift.
Australia …
the European Union …
and Great Britain …
condemned the takeover.
The United Nations …
Secretary General …
called it a “serious blow …
To democratic reforms.”
China however blocked …
a U.N. Security Council …
statement of condemnation …
And instead urged the sides to …
“properly handle their differences.”
The United States has …
Denounced the coup …
And is reviewing …
American assistance...
to the Myanmar government.
More from …
VOA Diplomatic Correspondent ...
Cindy Saine.
(TAKE PKG)
((VIDEO: AFP-TV-20210201_POL_MMR_Army Democracy_8ZY4F2 trucks with supporters flying flags -nice footage at top and very end of the AFP reel and then dissolve to show Aung San Suu Kyi sticking out of car & supporters from AFP-TV20200906_POL-MMR=GovtArmy 1WX3VK at 3:36 ))
((NARRATOR))
The arrest by Myanmar’s military of civilian leaders and members of parliament has prompted an unusually swift reaction -- in the form of a weighty legal determination -- by the U.S. State Department.
((Video: Ned Price soundbite: ([VOA] Central Published > Central Tuesday 02-02 > MRT CLIPS > State Department Briefing / Spokesman Ned Price)
((Ned Price, State Department Spokesman)) [MRT:00;57;06;03 MRT PRICE we have assessed Burmese militarys actions constituted coup]
“After a review of all the facts, we have assessed that the Burmese military’s actions on February 1st, having deposed the duly elected head of government, constituted a military coup d’etat.”
((Video: file video of Rohingya refugees receiving humanitarian assistance))
Price told reporters the designation triggers a review of the $135 million of U.S. aid to Myanmar, though very little of that goes to the government, and assistance to the Rohingya ethnic minority will not be affected.
((Video: Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, and the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the November elections. ))
((VIDEO: AFP 20201108 – POL_MMR_VOTE : all good broll))
((NARRATOR))
Myanmar’s military has refused to accept the results of November elections won by the National League for Democracy, alleging massive fraud, and declared a one-year state of emergency in the struggling democracy.
((Video: recent Capitol Hill exteriors, B-roll of McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell soundbite: ([VOA] Central Published > Central Tuesday 02-02 > MRT CLIPS > Senate Minority Leader McConnell / Senate Floor Remarks/ Burmese Situation))
On Capitol Hill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the Biden administration for consulting congressional leaders on Myanmar and said the country must choose between two paths.
((Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican)) [11;01;34;25 MRT MCCONNELL the threat of force must not be allowed to silence people of burma]
“It can continue to grow into a modern, democratic country connected to the global economy, or remain a corrupt, impoverished authoritarian backwater in the shadow of the People's Republic of China.”
((VIDEO: 43088367_1080i60ESSENCE from about :46 in to show military, over to Tom Andrews soundbite https://app.frame.io/player/041f32b8-0f9b-489f-b817-c58f377997bc) ))
Myanmar’s military generals need to realize they will face consequences, the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar told VOA.
((Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar)) [4:51]
((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“But what's important is that these sanctions have some bite, that they are targeted on the generals, that it will make it clear to them that there is a price to pay for their actions.”
((Video: soldiers on street corners: https://app.frame.io/player/89c4f653-3632-44bc-b534-54d7e9be709c ))
((NARRATOR))
Human rights groups say that the same Myanmar generals who have rounded up all of the country’s civilian leaders and are cracking down on any form of dissent are also responsible for past atrocities against Rohingyas and other minorities.
((Cindy Saine, VOA News))
[[GRETA]]
And on Wednesday...
Biden stepped up.…
U.S. pressure on the..
military leaders..
outlining his …
foreign policy goals …
and announcing new..
economic sanctions…
on Myanmar.
He also voiced..
his support …
for the democratically …
elected government …
Today I again call on the Burmese military to immediately release the democratic political leaders and activists and they’re now detaining including Aung Sang Suu Kyi and she is uh and Wen Ment, The military must relinquish the power it seized and demonstrate a respect for the will of the people of Burma as expressed in their November eighth election. The US government is taking steps to prevent the generals from having improper access to the one billion dollars in Burmese government funds held in the United States. The new executive order will immediately sanction the military leaders who directed the coup business interests as well as close family members. We’re freezing US assets that benefit the Burmese government while maintaining support for health care, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people of Burma direct.”
####
[[GRETA]]
For many in Myanmar ...
Aung San Suu Kyi …
is the embodiment …
of dissent and resistance …
to the decades …
under military rule.
((FS w/reveal 1))
From 1989 to 2010 …
she spent nearly 15 years …
under house arrest.
((reveal 2))
In 1991 …
Suu Kyi was awarded …
the Nobel Peace Prize …
She held up as …
“an outstanding example …
of the power …
of the powerless."
((reveal 3))
Once released …
from house arrest …
in 2010 …
she became a political figure...
at home and abroad.
Her election to parliament …
led many countries …
to drop economic sanctions against Myanmar.
((diss photo Obama/Suu Kyi))
By 2012 …
U.S. President Barack Obama ...
visited Suu Kyi …
at her home.
((fs reveal 4))
in 2015 her party swept elections…
And she was named …
State Chancellor …
becoming Myanmar’s …
de-facto leader.
((diss FS Photos))
Since then the Nobel laureate …
Has been fiercely criticized …
for her defense …
of the country’s military …
in carrying out …
what the U-N calls …
the genocide of ethnic Rohingya.
The treatment of the Rohingya and
The mass killing by the military...
is just the latest flashpoint …
in a long struggle …
between civilian …
and military rule.
To better understand …
that dynamic …
I spoke to Derek Mitchell …
who served as …
U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar
from 2012 through 2016.
We spoke about the
larger effects of the military coup
on the country’s movement
toward democracy.
(TAKE MITCHELL INTERVIEW PART 1)
GVS: Ambassador what provoked this military coup in Myanmar right now?
DM: Well, a number of theories as to why it happened now. The most prevalent is that this started with really the commander in chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who has the ability just he and of himself can can take action and the military will follow. So there's, he and Aung San Suu Kyi, the civilian leader, have not gotten along very well. They have a personally bad relationship it really has not been good for the past five years. and I think he felt humiliated by what the results of the election last November and his inability to find a place for himself after he was slated to retire in July. I think that also had been frustration within some within military that the NLD Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has sort of outplayed the military, that the military thought this constitution was pretty much controlled, that they had everything in place. And yet the civilians have been able to outmaneuver them, and they may decide to, to, to change the rules of the game so that that doesn't happen again. But right now, it really comes down to one person and that is the commander in chief.
GVS: Is there any indication that that election in November was imperfect?
DM: Yes, it was imperfect in the sense that, I mean the the Election Commission, the way they ran the election by most accounts was, was not great. There were concerns, there always are concerns about voter lists and and other processes. But overall, the objective observers from international observers to domestic monitors, all said that ultimately the results reflected the will of the people of Myanmar, of Burma.
So, you're not gonna get a perfect election, you're going to have problems, those problems should be examined, it's reasonable to look at this and see if there were issues that needed to be addressed that affected an outcome here or there. But a coup or this kind of action in response is totally disproportionate. And there's no defense for it.
GVS: in 1988 and again in 2007, when there were protests, people were shocked. Right now we're seeing people take to the streets and banging on pots and pans, we've seen water cannons from the military, do you expect that this is going to accelerate?
DM: I'm very worried about it. You have a very proud person in the commander in chief, a very proud institution in the military that will take orders from the top and is not afraid to use force and be brutal. We see we've seen that throughout history. We've seen that most recently in some of the ethnic areas where they're fighting ethnic groups. And then you have people on the other side, the proud people of Myanmar, particularly young people going out to the streets, who are just not going to stand for it. They they have gotten a taste of freedom and liberty and space over the past 10 years and they're taking to the streets, and they don't seem to want to back down.
So you have sort of irresistible forces on both sides, where neither side is willing to back down to compromise, frankly, it's the military, the commander in chief that needs to take that first step to compromise. But without that, that institution feels its prerogatives are to defend the sovereignty, defend the stability of the country. And once you have some kind of trigger, or even just a demonstration somewhere that they feel has gotten over the line, the military can take action.
GVS: Obviously I looked through this with my American eyes, and when Aung Sun Suu Kyi first got house arrest, this time is what I read in the papers is because they found walkie talkies in her home and some other equipment. And I think to myself, I could just go online to Amazon and have it delivered to my house. am I totally understating what she had or, or is this. Can you put this in a correct context for me?
DM: It would be a joke if it weren't so serious. I mean, this is, this is how the military has no sense of context, has no sense of how they are viewed when they do these types of things. This is just beyond silly. it's obviously a pretext to try to convict her of something and then keep her out of politics. Finding walkie talkies, I don't know who they're playing to, I don't know what brilliant public relations specialist decided on this one.
But it is serious. because anything they do, any pretext they find, they will they will use as a hammer to hurt somebody and restrict their political space. So they can find anything they want on anyone but no one believes it. People want her back. People of Myanmar want her back in politics and the military can find whatever pretext they want, but it's, it's, doesn't work with anyone.
GVS: Back in 1982 there was a new constitution and the Rohingya who had been there for many generations were not counted as a citizen although they're 135 ethnic groups or so there. Why does Myanmar dislike the Rohingya?
DM: Well, it goes back a while. there is lots of misinformation that goes around that, that these folks are the leading column for an international Muslim conspiracy to overwhelm Buddhist countries. When I was there, we would hear about the examples, they’d say “remember Afghanistan or remember, Indonesia or remember other places, Bengali even,” that were majority Buddhist countries years and years, centuries ago that were overwhelmed by Islam. And Myanmar, Burma, thinks of itself as sort of the last bastion of pure Buddhism, very proud. and they see this this steady movement of Islam across Asia, and they're trying to hold firm and they see the Rohingya as somehow a leading edge of that.
It's also a legacy of WW2 or even before that of British colonialism, where the British would bring in folks from India, particularly Muslims across from now Bangladesh, into Rakhine State, and they would cross the border openly because there really wasn't a border as part of British colonial, a British colonial period.
And so, they feel that these people are not true Burmese, that they are migrants, that they are Bengalis they call them, people from Bangladesh, that are not part of the natural fabric. So they see them as not assimilating, as a threat, and therefore as something that's not fundamentally part of the fabric of Burma. And therefore, something that needs to be suppressed and watched and now to be kicked out. and it's very very sad. it needs to be remembered that we have to remember that, even amidst all the other things going on in that region and in Burma itself.
GVS: but Aun Sung Suu Kyi, who is supposedly the woman leading the democracy, actually has defended the military, the Myanmar military in its ethnic cleansing or genocide of the Rohingya, even going to the International Court to defend the actions of the military. So, how is she seen as the as the Democratic leader with that going on?
DM: Yeah, and that's it makes for some cognitive dissonance dissonance. I think in her mind, probably that, first of all, she couldn't control she doesn't know precisely what happened there. And she, she though clearly something terrible happened, and she's recognized that privately, she’s recognized that, I think even publicly. I suppose, she's trying to split hairs by saying “it is not genocide, that we were attacked too and nobody understands that we were attacked.” She's trying to make a legal case or, you know, win a kind of a balanced argument, when she's not speaking up for the true atrocity that occurred. I'm not defending her, I'm trying to explain I think what goes through her mind. I think she also felt that that she, as the leader of the country, and as a de facto and the civilian leader, trying to defend the country when it is attacked by the international community.
But I think, as you say, there's a question- I imagine people would have, of why do we even defend a country or a person that has defended this atrocity?
The fact is what we're trying to defend in Burma, in Myanmar now is democracy, is the will of the people to have a government that reflects them. Without that kind of democracy, the alternative is something like a military dictatorship or a military autocracy, and you'll have instability, you'll have problems in the country.
illegitimate government leads to instability, you're seeing that now in the streets, it's not a matter of good or bad governance, it's legitimate governance. And she, whether people like her or not, or dislike her or, or are indifferent to her, she represents the Democratic desires and hopes and dreams of the people of Myanmar, Burma, and therefore, we should be supporting the will of those people and then if we disagree with certain policies, we go to her, or to that party, and we, we, we make our case.
[[GRETA OC]]
After my trip in 2018 …
Myanmar’s ambassador …
to the United States …
U Aung Lynn …
was our guest …
on Plugged In.
I asked him …
if he would join me …
on a trip to Myanmar …
for a visit …
to the Rakhine State …
home to most of the Rohingya.
[[SOT]]
Episode 8/29/18
TRT:16 SECONDS
INCUE TIME CODE: 18:19 “WOULD YOU ACCOMPANY ME”
OUTCUE TIME: 18:35 “BEEN DOING”
Greta’s Standup and Voice Over: There are about 1 million Rohingyas here in Bangladesh. They are living in very tough conditions with very uncertain futures. Not every Rohingya was able to escape to Bangladesh, many numbers are unknown, were murdered slaughter. United Nations has identified this vicious acts as ethnic cleansing. You've heard the phrase, never again. Those words ring hollow here. It has happened again, To the Rohingyas.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): They came to one of the roads to our village. And then came to our market, and they looked at all of the expensive things, and then they set fire.
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): Also, they come into our village and shooting everywhere, just firing shooting like this, and on fire, no meet, no discuss, no question just shooting.
Greta Voice Over-Q & A with Mohib: When Mohib Bulla’s village was attacked. He traveled for eight days to reach safety. I have heard that, that there was killing, shootings, killings with machete, rapes of women. Yes. Do you know Do you know anybody who was killed by a machete shot or raped.
Mohib Bulla: Yeah, a lot of people we know, we know
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): one day burning in our villages and market that and I saw with my own eyes.
Greta-Q & A with (Kasim): Did you see anyone, anyone killed with your own eyes?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): Yes, one of villagers gave his son away
Greta-Q & A with (Kasim): running and got shot.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): Yeah, Yeah
Greta Voice Over: Kasim was a school teacher in his home village where he can trace his family history back at least for generations.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): My family is also one of the brothers who were killed by the Burmese Government.
Greta: So, you are taking care of your brother's child and your sister-in-law, your brother’s wife?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim):Yes.
Greta: How do you deal with this?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): that I love him very much. Knowing that I take care of him. He’s my ??.
Greta: Why do you think the Myanmar military did this?
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): the government and the whole country turn everyone Buddhists
Greta: So, this is a religious dispute?
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): They are trying to be a Buddhist country, all will be Buddhist
Greta: I heard several stories like this, claiming that the attacks were religiously motivated Buddhist on Muslim and calculated to drive out the Rohingya no government confirms that story, but the Rohingya here, believe it.
Monura: I had to leave my children in the midst of firing and chaos. What could I do?
Greta: So, So she was in her home. When the military of Myanmar showed up. Is that right?
Monura: yes that's right
Greta: what happened to the village?
Monura: The village was burned, as the houses were set on fire, a lot of the people could not get out. Some were hacked to death or their bodies were lit on fire, little children were thrown away violently.
Greta: How did you get separated from your two children?
Monura: In Myanmar our home was attacked suddenly by gunfire. That moment, I escaped through an open door, and I grabbed one of my children who was close to me. Soon I saw my whole house was on fire I do not know what happened to the others, there was no way to know who was shot or who was butchered. I could not find out.
Greta: I just can't even imagine how hard this is I don't, I almost don't know what to say to you. I’m at a loss for words.
Monura: my son was five, my daughter seven.
Greta: What's her name in case anyone is watching?
Monura: Shahida.
Greta: And what is your boy What is your son's name.
Monura: Mamuda Hassan.
[[GRETA FS/GRAPHIC LETTER]]
F/S TC: :06 - :12
In the weeks and months …
after our conversation …
we tried to coordinate the visit …
and sent a letter …
To the ambassador.
We have not received …
a response.
(GRETA OC)
As thousands ...
take to the streets of Myanmar ...
there are concerns …
about on how this might unfold …
and its impact …
on geopolitical tensions …
across the region.
Here’s part two, now,
of my conversation
with former U.S. Ambassador
to Myanmar Derek Mitchelll.
(TAKE INTVW PART 2)
###
GVS: What's the global impact on this where's this going? Who are the winners? I mean, do they up their relationship with China, I mean where does this head?
DM: I don't know that anybody's a winner in this. I mean the Chinese in interesting way had a modus vivendi, had a fine relationship with the NLD and with Aung San Suu Kyi, in part because of the way the West and others had addressed the Rohingya crisis by isolating and becoming somewhat alienated from the government for good reason, I'm not saying it's a wrong thing. but the the trust between the NLD government and the West, had declined in the last, since the Rohingya crisis.
And, or the violence against the Ranga in 2017. And the Chinese came in and took advantage of that. This could play to their benefit by causing more isolation of a country by the democratic world. But I don't know that there are any winners. I think, even for China this can create more instability on their border, it could create more difficult conditions for its investment; the people, the country may decide it wants to turn against China, there's no love lost between the people of Burma and the Chinese. And it exposes them more to that kind of anger. So I'm not sure anybody wins: the people don't win, I don't know that the military wins, maybe chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing wins because he can protect himself and his family. But ultimately, he will not go down in history very well. And I'm not sure it helps the country to put them through this at this moment, in a pandemic and when there's so many other needs for the country to come together to to solve problems.
GVS: Does the world need to worry about any nuclear weapons aspirations or any relationship with DPRK with North Korea?
DM: Interesting question. I mean it's something I worked on when I was there, quietly. Because there was a history of a close relationship between Burma and the north and North Korea, DPRK. There were questions about nuclear capabilities, I know of none. Even then, we didn't see evidence of that; we saw evidence of other things, other weapons, transfers that were contrary to international law, and we tried to shut that down and we made progress. I haven't been privy to intelligence in the past five years to know if that has been revived. But I would be surprised if it had. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was still some contact between the two. I certainly hope not. And that also creates security problems for all of us.
GVS: Does it, Myanmar’s military have any external financing from any other countries?
DM: Well they get financing. They've been getting financing from the World Bank and IMF, and China and others. So, Yes, they've opened up their economy and sought help from any anyone who would help them. And we all had an interest in helping them, because again, this was a democratic moment a window first time in 60, years, that there was a legitimate government there was a desire of the people in civilian government. And I think most wanted to see that government succeed and to see Myanmar get back on its feet.
It's a very important place and a very important location, at the crossroads of East Asia and South Asia, both quite dynamic regions. And yet this place in Myanmar has so much potential, so many natural resources, a remarkable population that has been kept down, but it has sort of the DNA of a highly developed country. So, trying to, to realize its potential would provide yet another engine of growth and and prosperity and development in Asia. But again, this coup I think sets that back and sets that off course which makes things quite disappointing.
GVS: Any thought to why there's such public outrage, even in the media and the government about the Chinese and their treatment of the Uighur. Yet, there has been almost silence as to the treatment by Myanmar military towards the Rohingya?
DM: There's been, well there was a lot of attention to the Rohingya for a while. But it's true, it has sort of fallen into the shadows of late. And that's unfortunate. I hope there's more attention again, not just to what the military did to them, but but also just to these, these people themselves who need help, they need sustenance they need hope, they need their dignity and their humanity.
But, you know, there are sanctions on the military,
But I can't say why there's, you know, in any regard, why one issue gets attention over another. I imagine the Yuighurs get attention in part because there is China, and there's a lot of attention to the rise of China
And the fact of Chinese human rights abuses in Hong Kong as well as in
in Yuighur areas. So, they both deserve attention, because they're both horrible situations.
GVS: Look into to your imaginary crystal ball -if you and I are having this conversation six months from now, what do you think we'd be talking about about Myanmar?
DM:
I really do hope, I don't want to anticipate anything. I really do hope the military, beyond the commander in chief but hopefully including the commander in chief, decide that they're on the wrong track.
At worst, I mean if they continue on this path, they will not get the support of the international community, the people will not accept this. It will hold the country back.
It will divide things and it will not lead to anything good. I do hope that by six months, there's some dialogue between the democratic forces, the people and the military to try to set this right.
But, you know, many people are quite pessimistic that the military now they've said they will give up, this is only one year state of emergency. Very few people believe that. Very few people say they're going to have another election because another election will simply result in the same result that has occurred since 1990 in every credible election, the NLD has won big. The same result, in fact what happened in November was almost the same result as what happened in 2015, which was the same in 1990. There's a consistency. Will the military allow that to happen again?
It's hard to believe that they would do that, because they know, they must know, they are not popular, they are not wanted in government, they're not wanted in politics.
So I very much hope the international community will come together, that maybe they won't don't do exactly the same things. But there is some cost to what has occurred here, and that the military sees that they're on the wrong track wrong track and reverse themselves.
GVS: Ambassador thank you very much sir.
DM: Thank you. thanks for the opportunity.
[[GRETA]]
That’s all the time …
we have for now.
My thanks to …
Ambassador Derek Mitchell.
Stay up to date …
at VOA News.com
And follow me on Twitter …
at Greta.
Thank you for being …
Plugged In.
###
On Plugged In …
It's happening again...
Myanmar endures …
another military coup …
In the nation of Myanmar...
putting the country’s …
nearly 10 year …
democracy experiment …
on hold.
((SOT/MITCHELL: 9:12 “illegitimate government leads to instability, you're seeing that now in the streets.”))
Nobel Peace Laureate ...
Aung San Suu Kyi …
is detained ...
along with hundreds …
of her political allies.
((SOT/BIDEN)
“The Burmese military should relinquish power they have seized...”
((GRETA/VO))
And what of the Rohingya? ...
Massacred and made homeless …
by Myanmar’s military.
On Plugged In:
Myanmar ---
Democracy in Peril.
###
[[GRETA]]
Hello and welcome …
to Plugged In.
I’m Greta Van Susteren …
reporting from Washington DC.
Another setback …
in Myanmar for democracy …
with another military coup.
((VO))
On February first the military took control …
of the southeast Asian country …
declaring a one-year …
state of emergency …
The military claiming the government …
did not act on claims …
of voter fraud …
during November’s elections …
Where results showed overwhelming won …
by the party …
led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
She and top officials …
from the National League …
for Democracy ...
are under house arrest …
putting in jeopardy …
Myanmar’s experiment …
with democracy that began …
with Suu Kyi’s release ….
from house arrest about …
10 years ago.
Before that …
the country also known …
as Burma …
was among the world’s …
most repressive.
Brutal crackdowns …
on dissent in 1988 …
and 2007 …
marked nearly 50 years …
under military rule …
((PAUSE NAT SOUND))
https://twitter.com/kyawhsanhlaing1/status/1358774939717828609
What started …
as the banging …
of pots and pans …
in protest of the coup …
spilled into the streets …
as police used water cannons …
to disperse …
relatively peaceful protestors.
Coup leaders threaten …
unspecified “action” …
will be taken …
if the demonstrations continue.
###
(GRETA OC)
World reaction to the coup …
Has been swift.
Australia …
the European Union …
and Great Britain …
condemned the takeover.
The United Nations …
Secretary General …
called it a “serious blow …
To democratic reforms.”
China however blocked …
a U.N. Security Council …
statement of condemnation …
And instead urged the sides to …
“properly handle their differences.”
The United States has …
Denounced the coup …
And is reviewing …
American assistance...
to the Myanmar government.
More from …
VOA Diplomatic Correspondent ...
Cindy Saine.
(TAKE PKG)
((VIDEO: AFP-TV-20210201_POL_MMR_Army Democracy_8ZY4F2 trucks with supporters flying flags -nice footage at top and very end of the AFP reel and then dissolve to show Aung San Suu Kyi sticking out of car & supporters from AFP-TV20200906_POL-MMR=GovtArmy 1WX3VK at 3:36 ))
((NARRATOR))
The arrest by Myanmar’s military of civilian leaders and members of parliament has prompted an unusually swift reaction -- in the form of a weighty legal determination -- by the U.S. State Department.
((Video: Ned Price soundbite: ([VOA] Central Published > Central Tuesday 02-02 > MRT CLIPS > State Department Briefing / Spokesman Ned Price)
((Ned Price, State Department Spokesman)) [MRT:00;57;06;03 MRT PRICE we have assessed Burmese militarys actions constituted coup]
“After a review of all the facts, we have assessed that the Burmese military’s actions on February 1st, having deposed the duly elected head of government, constituted a military coup d’etat.”
((Video: file video of Rohingya refugees receiving humanitarian assistance))
Price told reporters the designation triggers a review of the $135 million of U.S. aid to Myanmar, though very little of that goes to the government, and assistance to the Rohingya ethnic minority will not be affected.
((Video: Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, and the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the November elections. ))
((VIDEO: AFP 20201108 – POL_MMR_VOTE : all good broll))
((NARRATOR))
Myanmar’s military has refused to accept the results of November elections won by the National League for Democracy, alleging massive fraud, and declared a one-year state of emergency in the struggling democracy.
((Video: recent Capitol Hill exteriors, B-roll of McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell soundbite: ([VOA] Central Published > Central Tuesday 02-02 > MRT CLIPS > Senate Minority Leader McConnell / Senate Floor Remarks/ Burmese Situation))
On Capitol Hill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the Biden administration for consulting congressional leaders on Myanmar and said the country must choose between two paths.
((Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican)) [11;01;34;25 MRT MCCONNELL the threat of force must not be allowed to silence people of burma]
“It can continue to grow into a modern, democratic country connected to the global economy, or remain a corrupt, impoverished authoritarian backwater in the shadow of the People's Republic of China.”
((VIDEO: 43088367_1080i60ESSENCE from about :46 in to show military, over to Tom Andrews soundbite https://app.frame.io/player/041f32b8-0f9b-489f-b817-c58f377997bc) ))
Myanmar’s military generals need to realize they will face consequences, the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar told VOA.
((Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar)) [4:51]
((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“But what's important is that these sanctions have some bite, that they are targeted on the generals, that it will make it clear to them that there is a price to pay for their actions.”
((Video: soldiers on street corners: https://app.frame.io/player/89c4f653-3632-44bc-b534-54d7e9be709c ))
((NARRATOR))
Human rights groups say that the same Myanmar generals who have rounded up all of the country’s civilian leaders and are cracking down on any form of dissent are also responsible for past atrocities against Rohingyas and other minorities.
((Cindy Saine, VOA News))
[[GRETA]]
And on Wednesday...
Biden stepped up.…
U.S. pressure on the..
military leaders..
outlining his …
foreign policy goals …
and announcing new..
economic sanctions…
on Myanmar.
He also voiced..
his support …
for the democratically …
elected government …
Today I again call on the Burmese military to immediately release the democratic political leaders and activists and they’re now detaining including Aung Sang Suu Kyi and she is uh and Wen Ment, The military must relinquish the power it seized and demonstrate a respect for the will of the people of Burma as expressed in their November eighth election. The US government is taking steps to prevent the generals from having improper access to the one billion dollars in Burmese government funds held in the United States. The new executive order will immediately sanction the military leaders who directed the coup business interests as well as close family members. We’re freezing US assets that benefit the Burmese government while maintaining support for health care, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people of Burma direct.”
####
[[GRETA]]
For many in Myanmar ...
Aung San Suu Kyi …
is the embodiment …
of dissent and resistance …
to the decades …
under military rule.
((FS w/reveal 1))
From 1989 to 2010 …
she spent nearly 15 years …
under house arrest.
((reveal 2))
In 1991 …
Suu Kyi was awarded …
the Nobel Peace Prize …
She held up as …
“an outstanding example …
of the power …
of the powerless."
((reveal 3))
Once released …
from house arrest …
in 2010 …
she became a political figure...
at home and abroad.
Her election to parliament …
led many countries …
to drop economic sanctions against Myanmar.
((diss photo Obama/Suu Kyi))
By 2012 …
U.S. President Barack Obama ...
visited Suu Kyi …
at her home.
((fs reveal 4))
in 2015 her party swept elections…
And she was named …
State Chancellor …
becoming Myanmar’s …
de-facto leader.
((diss FS Photos))
Since then the Nobel laureate …
Has been fiercely criticized …
for her defense …
of the country’s military …
in carrying out …
what the U-N calls …
the genocide of ethnic Rohingya.
The treatment of the Rohingya and
The mass killing by the military...
is just the latest flashpoint …
in a long struggle …
between civilian …
and military rule.
To better understand …
that dynamic …
I spoke to Derek Mitchell …
who served as …
U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar
from 2012 through 2016.
We spoke about the
larger effects of the military coup
on the country’s movement
toward democracy.
(TAKE MITCHELL INTERVIEW PART 1)
GVS: Ambassador what provoked this military coup in Myanmar right now?
DM: Well, a number of theories as to why it happened now. The most prevalent is that this started with really the commander in chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who has the ability just he and of himself can can take action and the military will follow. So there's, he and Aung San Suu Kyi, the civilian leader, have not gotten along very well. They have a personally bad relationship it really has not been good for the past five years. and I think he felt humiliated by what the results of the election last November and his inability to find a place for himself after he was slated to retire in July. I think that also had been frustration within some within military that the NLD Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has sort of outplayed the military, that the military thought this constitution was pretty much controlled, that they had everything in place. And yet the civilians have been able to outmaneuver them, and they may decide to, to, to change the rules of the game so that that doesn't happen again. But right now, it really comes down to one person and that is the commander in chief.
GVS: Is there any indication that that election in November was imperfect?
DM: Yes, it was imperfect in the sense that, I mean the the Election Commission, the way they ran the election by most accounts was, was not great. There were concerns, there always are concerns about voter lists and and other processes. But overall, the objective observers from international observers to domestic monitors, all said that ultimately the results reflected the will of the people of Myanmar, of Burma.
So, you're not gonna get a perfect election, you're going to have problems, those problems should be examined, it's reasonable to look at this and see if there were issues that needed to be addressed that affected an outcome here or there. But a coup or this kind of action in response is totally disproportionate. And there's no defense for it.
GVS: in 1988 and again in 2007, when there were protests, people were shocked. Right now we're seeing people take to the streets and banging on pots and pans, we've seen water cannons from the military, do you expect that this is going to accelerate?
DM: I'm very worried about it. You have a very proud person in the commander in chief, a very proud institution in the military that will take orders from the top and is not afraid to use force and be brutal. We see we've seen that throughout history. We've seen that most recently in some of the ethnic areas where they're fighting ethnic groups. And then you have people on the other side, the proud people of Myanmar, particularly young people going out to the streets, who are just not going to stand for it. They they have gotten a taste of freedom and liberty and space over the past 10 years and they're taking to the streets, and they don't seem to want to back down.
So you have sort of irresistible forces on both sides, where neither side is willing to back down to compromise, frankly, it's the military, the commander in chief that needs to take that first step to compromise. But without that, that institution feels its prerogatives are to defend the sovereignty, defend the stability of the country. And once you have some kind of trigger, or even just a demonstration somewhere that they feel has gotten over the line, the military can take action.
GVS: Obviously I looked through this with my American eyes, and when Aung Sun Suu Kyi first got house arrest, this time is what I read in the papers is because they found walkie talkies in her home and some other equipment. And I think to myself, I could just go online to Amazon and have it delivered to my house. am I totally understating what she had or, or is this. Can you put this in a correct context for me?
DM: It would be a joke if it weren't so serious. I mean, this is, this is how the military has no sense of context, has no sense of how they are viewed when they do these types of things. This is just beyond silly. it's obviously a pretext to try to convict her of something and then keep her out of politics. Finding walkie talkies, I don't know who they're playing to, I don't know what brilliant public relations specialist decided on this one.
But it is serious. because anything they do, any pretext they find, they will they will use as a hammer to hurt somebody and restrict their political space. So they can find anything they want on anyone but no one believes it. People want her back. People of Myanmar want her back in politics and the military can find whatever pretext they want, but it's, it's, doesn't work with anyone.
GVS: Back in 1982 there was a new constitution and the Rohingya who had been there for many generations were not counted as a citizen although they're 135 ethnic groups or so there. Why does Myanmar dislike the Rohingya?
DM: Well, it goes back a while. there is lots of misinformation that goes around that, that these folks are the leading column for an international Muslim conspiracy to overwhelm Buddhist countries. When I was there, we would hear about the examples, they’d say “remember Afghanistan or remember, Indonesia or remember other places, Bengali even,” that were majority Buddhist countries years and years, centuries ago that were overwhelmed by Islam. And Myanmar, Burma, thinks of itself as sort of the last bastion of pure Buddhism, very proud. and they see this this steady movement of Islam across Asia, and they're trying to hold firm and they see the Rohingya as somehow a leading edge of that.
It's also a legacy of WW2 or even before that of British colonialism, where the British would bring in folks from India, particularly Muslims across from now Bangladesh, into Rakhine State, and they would cross the border openly because there really wasn't a border as part of British colonial, a British colonial period.
And so, they feel that these people are not true Burmese, that they are migrants, that they are Bengalis they call them, people from Bangladesh, that are not part of the natural fabric. So they see them as not assimilating, as a threat, and therefore as something that's not fundamentally part of the fabric of Burma. And therefore, something that needs to be suppressed and watched and now to be kicked out. and it's very very sad. it needs to be remembered that we have to remember that, even amidst all the other things going on in that region and in Burma itself.
GVS: but Aun Sung Suu Kyi, who is supposedly the woman leading the democracy, actually has defended the military, the Myanmar military in its ethnic cleansing or genocide of the Rohingya, even going to the International Court to defend the actions of the military. So, how is she seen as the as the Democratic leader with that going on?
DM: Yeah, and that's it makes for some cognitive dissonance dissonance. I think in her mind, probably that, first of all, she couldn't control she doesn't know precisely what happened there. And she, she though clearly something terrible happened, and she's recognized that privately, she’s recognized that, I think even publicly. I suppose, she's trying to split hairs by saying “it is not genocide, that we were attacked too and nobody understands that we were attacked.” She's trying to make a legal case or, you know, win a kind of a balanced argument, when she's not speaking up for the true atrocity that occurred. I'm not defending her, I'm trying to explain I think what goes through her mind. I think she also felt that that she, as the leader of the country, and as a de facto and the civilian leader, trying to defend the country when it is attacked by the international community.
But I think, as you say, there's a question- I imagine people would have, of why do we even defend a country or a person that has defended this atrocity?
The fact is what we're trying to defend in Burma, in Myanmar now is democracy, is the will of the people to have a government that reflects them. Without that kind of democracy, the alternative is something like a military dictatorship or a military autocracy, and you'll have instability, you'll have problems in the country.
illegitimate government leads to instability, you're seeing that now in the streets, it's not a matter of good or bad governance, it's legitimate governance. And she, whether people like her or not, or dislike her or, or are indifferent to her, she represents the Democratic desires and hopes and dreams of the people of Myanmar, Burma, and therefore, we should be supporting the will of those people and then if we disagree with certain policies, we go to her, or to that party, and we, we, we make our case.
[[GRETA OC]]
After my trip in 2018 …
Myanmar’s ambassador …
to the United States …
U Aung Lynn …
was our guest …
on Plugged In.
I asked him …
if he would join me …
on a trip to Myanmar …
for a visit …
to the Rakhine State …
home to most of the Rohingya.
[[SOT]]
Episode 8/29/18
TRT:16 SECONDS
INCUE TIME CODE: 18:19 “WOULD YOU ACCOMPANY ME”
OUTCUE TIME: 18:35 “BEEN DOING”
Greta’s Standup and Voice Over: There are about 1 million Rohingyas here in Bangladesh. They are living in very tough conditions with very uncertain futures. Not every Rohingya was able to escape to Bangladesh, many numbers are unknown, were murdered slaughter. United Nations has identified this vicious acts as ethnic cleansing. You've heard the phrase, never again. Those words ring hollow here. It has happened again, To the Rohingyas.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): They came to one of the roads to our village. And then came to our market, and they looked at all of the expensive things, and then they set fire.
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): Also, they come into our village and shooting everywhere, just firing shooting like this, and on fire, no meet, no discuss, no question just shooting.
Greta Voice Over-Q & A with Mohib: When Mohib Bulla’s village was attacked. He traveled for eight days to reach safety. I have heard that, that there was killing, shootings, killings with machete, rapes of women. Yes. Do you know Do you know anybody who was killed by a machete shot or raped.
Mohib Bulla: Yeah, a lot of people we know, we know
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): one day burning in our villages and market that and I saw with my own eyes.
Greta-Q & A with (Kasim): Did you see anyone, anyone killed with your own eyes?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): Yes, one of villagers gave his son away
Greta-Q & A with (Kasim): running and got shot.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): Yeah, Yeah
Greta Voice Over: Kasim was a school teacher in his home village where he can trace his family history back at least for generations.
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): My family is also one of the brothers who were killed by the Burmese Government.
Greta: So, you are taking care of your brother's child and your sister-in-law, your brother’s wife?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim):Yes.
Greta: How do you deal with this?
Rohingya Refugee (Kasim): that I love him very much. Knowing that I take care of him. He’s my ??.
Greta: Why do you think the Myanmar military did this?
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): the government and the whole country turn everyone Buddhists
Greta: So, this is a religious dispute?
Mohib Bulla (Rohingya Community Leader): They are trying to be a Buddhist country, all will be Buddhist
Greta: I heard several stories like this, claiming that the attacks were religiously motivated Buddhist on Muslim and calculated to drive out the Rohingya no government confirms that story, but the Rohingya here, believe it.
Monura: I had to leave my children in the midst of firing and chaos. What could I do?
Greta: So, So she was in her home. When the military of Myanmar showed up. Is that right?
Monura: yes that's right
Greta: what happened to the village?
Monura: The village was burned, as the houses were set on fire, a lot of the people could not get out. Some were hacked to death or their bodies were lit on fire, little children were thrown away violently.
Greta: How did you get separated from your two children?
Monura: In Myanmar our home was attacked suddenly by gunfire. That moment, I escaped through an open door, and I grabbed one of my children who was close to me. Soon I saw my whole house was on fire I do not know what happened to the others, there was no way to know who was shot or who was butchered. I could not find out.
Greta: I just can't even imagine how hard this is I don't, I almost don't know what to say to you. I’m at a loss for words.
Monura: my son was five, my daughter seven.
Greta: What's her name in case anyone is watching?
Monura: Shahida.
Greta: And what is your boy What is your son's name.
Monura: Mamuda Hassan.
[[GRETA FS/GRAPHIC LETTER]]
F/S TC: :06 - :12
In the weeks and months …
after our conversation …
we tried to coordinate the visit …
and sent a letter …
To the ambassador.
We have not received …
a response.
(GRETA OC)
As thousands ...
take to the streets of Myanmar ...
there are concerns …
about on how this might unfold …
and its impact …
on geopolitical tensions …
across the region.
Here’s part two, now,
of my conversation
with former U.S. Ambassador
to Myanmar Derek Mitchelll.
(TAKE INTVW PART 2)
###
GVS: What's the global impact on this where's this going? Who are the winners? I mean, do they up their relationship with China, I mean where does this head?
DM: I don't know that anybody's a winner in this. I mean the Chinese in interesting way had a modus vivendi, had a fine relationship with the NLD and with Aung San Suu Kyi, in part because of the way the West and others had addressed the Rohingya crisis by isolating and becoming somewhat alienated from the government for good reason, I'm not saying it's a wrong thing. but the the trust between the NLD government and the West, had declined in the last, since the Rohingya crisis.
And, or the violence against the Ranga in 2017. And the Chinese came in and took advantage of that. This could play to their benefit by causing more isolation of a country by the democratic world. But I don't know that there are any winners. I think, even for China this can create more instability on their border, it could create more difficult conditions for its investment; the people, the country may decide it wants to turn against China, there's no love lost between the people of Burma and the Chinese. And it exposes them more to that kind of anger. So I'm not sure anybody wins: the people don't win, I don't know that the military wins, maybe chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing wins because he can protect himself and his family. But ultimately, he will not go down in history very well. And I'm not sure it helps the country to put them through this at this moment, in a pandemic and when there's so many other needs for the country to come together to to solve problems.
GVS: Does the world need to worry about any nuclear weapons aspirations or any relationship with DPRK with North Korea?
DM: Interesting question. I mean it's something I worked on when I was there, quietly. Because there was a history of a close relationship between Burma and the north and North Korea, DPRK. There were questions about nuclear capabilities, I know of none. Even then, we didn't see evidence of that; we saw evidence of other things, other weapons, transfers that were contrary to international law, and we tried to shut that down and we made progress. I haven't been privy to intelligence in the past five years to know if that has been revived. But I would be surprised if it had. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was still some contact between the two. I certainly hope not. And that also creates security problems for all of us.
GVS: Does it, Myanmar’s military have any external financing from any other countries?
DM: Well they get financing. They've been getting financing from the World Bank and IMF, and China and others. So, Yes, they've opened up their economy and sought help from any anyone who would help them. And we all had an interest in helping them, because again, this was a democratic moment a window first time in 60, years, that there was a legitimate government there was a desire of the people in civilian government. And I think most wanted to see that government succeed and to see Myanmar get back on its feet.
It's a very important place and a very important location, at the crossroads of East Asia and South Asia, both quite dynamic regions. And yet this place in Myanmar has so much potential, so many natural resources, a remarkable population that has been kept down, but it has sort of the DNA of a highly developed country. So, trying to, to realize its potential would provide yet another engine of growth and and prosperity and development in Asia. But again, this coup I think sets that back and sets that off course which makes things quite disappointing.
GVS: Any thought to why there's such public outrage, even in the media and the government about the Chinese and their treatment of the Uighur. Yet, there has been almost silence as to the treatment by Myanmar military towards the Rohingya?
DM: There's been, well there was a lot of attention to the Rohingya for a while. But it's true, it has sort of fallen into the shadows of late. And that's unfortunate. I hope there's more attention again, not just to what the military did to them, but but also just to these, these people themselves who need help, they need sustenance they need hope, they need their dignity and their humanity.
But, you know, there are sanctions on the military,
But I can't say why there's, you know, in any regard, why one issue gets attention over another. I imagine the Yuighurs get attention in part because there is China, and there's a lot of attention to the rise of China
And the fact of Chinese human rights abuses in Hong Kong as well as in
in Yuighur areas. So, they both deserve attention, because they're both horrible situations.
GVS: Look into to your imaginary crystal ball -if you and I are having this conversation six months from now, what do you think we'd be talking about about Myanmar?
DM:
I really do hope, I don't want to anticipate anything. I really do hope the military, beyond the commander in chief but hopefully including the commander in chief, decide that they're on the wrong track.
At worst, I mean if they continue on this path, they will not get the support of the international community, the people will not accept this. It will hold the country back.
It will divide things and it will not lead to anything good. I do hope that by six months, there's some dialogue between the democratic forces, the people and the military to try to set this right.
But, you know, many people are quite pessimistic that the military now they've said they will give up, this is only one year state of emergency. Very few people believe that. Very few people say they're going to have another election because another election will simply result in the same result that has occurred since 1990 in every credible election, the NLD has won big. The same result, in fact what happened in November was almost the same result as what happened in 2015, which was the same in 1990. There's a consistency. Will the military allow that to happen again?
It's hard to believe that they would do that, because they know, they must know, they are not popular, they are not wanted in government, they're not wanted in politics.
So I very much hope the international community will come together, that maybe they won't don't do exactly the same things. But there is some cost to what has occurred here, and that the military sees that they're on the wrong track wrong track and reverse themselves.
GVS: Ambassador thank you very much sir.
DM: Thank you. thanks for the opportunity.
[[GRETA]]
That’s all the time …
we have for now.
My thanks to …
Ambassador Derek Mitchell.
Stay up to date …
at VOA News.com
And follow me on Twitter …
at Greta.
Thank you for being …
Plugged In.
###
