Myanmar devastated by military coup, says ABFSU official

By DMG 18 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
18 May 2022, Sittwe 

Officials from the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) say the country has been devastated by the February 2021 military coup. 

“We understand that the military dictatorship is firmly built on the military, junta, and bureaucratic mechanism. The people believe that only by overthrowing the military dictatorship and working for the people’s liberation can the people be truly liberated from the general crisis,” Ko Min Khant Naing, a member of the ABFSU Central Executive Committee, told DMG. 

He continued that all the problems in Myanmar were due to successive military dictatorships, which he described as a common enemy over many years. 

It has been nearly 16 months since the military seized power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021. 

As of May 17, 2022, 1,844 people had been killed and 13,713 arrested since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). 

Among those arrested were more than 30 ABFSU members, including ABFSU Vice Chairman Ko Wai Yan Phyo Moe. Many have not been released to date. 

In addition, three people including former ABFSU leader Ko Nyi Min Thu died during interrogation after being arrested by the military junta, according to the group. 

“The military junta is fully responsible for all the rapes, massacres and killings of people who were killed during the Spring Revolution and the pro-democracy struggle,” Ko Min Khant Naing told DMG. 

The ABFSU said that because of the violence of the military junta, the people themselves are now fighting with any and all of the weapons at their disposal. 

Ko Oo Than Naing, a member of the Central Committee of the Arakan Students’ Union, said he recognised the students who are still fighting against the military dictatorship. 

“We support the student movement so far and consider it a success one day because the international community is focused on the NUG. We believe we can succeed if this is the case,” he said. 

More than a year since the coup, much of the public remains opposed to the military dictatorship, and have manifested that opposition in various ways.  

There has also been heavy fighting between the military council and ethnic armed groups since the military coup. The military council has said it will work for an end to the armed conflict in Myanmar and is seeking peace talks with the nation’s ethnic armed groups.