Myanmar, generally speaking

One putsch too many

SIXTY-THREE days and 550 killings after the military coup, the world appears to be merely holding a “watching brief ” as the unrepentant generals led by criminal-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing continue to maim and murder. This is true for Asean, the regional body of which Myanmar is a member, and the United Nations, the world body. It is true, too, for the big powers like the United States and Britain, who are often quick to send in their troops, even too quick. Perhaps Myanmar is not an Iraq or Afghanistan. Perhaps Russia and China stand in the way. Whatever the reason, the world is failing the people in Myanmar. Take Asean’s spectacular failure first. The failure is spectacular for two reasons. One, it is the nearest grouping of nations to the crime scene. Yet Asean’s attempt at ending the carnage in Myanmar seems distant. Two, Myanmar is a member of the regional body. Talking to a member nation should be easier. The reality is otherwise. Asean comes designed, at best, to encourage delayed action. Often it is no further action, when members adopt different ways of seeing things. Like the Myanmar military coup. Except for Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, which have been most vocal, the rest see the coup as an internal matter. How the murder of 550 people by the army which is supposed to defend them against enemies can be an internal matter is difficult to swallow. As the 10-member body are distracted by their points of view, the Tatmadaw, as the army is known there, finds it easy to get more bullets to the head. It did just that on March 27, ironically when the Tatmadaw was celebrating the Armed Forces Day. When the day was done, The Economist’s body count was 144. Representatives from China, Russia and India, according to the newspaper, were there as the Tatmadaw soaked in its glories. The presence of the trio there sure sends a wrong message to Aung Hlaing. Small wonder, he is bent on continuing his carnage.

If 10 members can distract Asean into inaction, the complexity gets compounded for the UN Security Council, the law-making arm of the world body. The General Assembly of the UN is, for all intents and purposes, a library of national noises signifying nothing. The UNSC, on the other hand, is able to do something. But is not ready and willing. The problem lies in the make-up of UNSC, five of whom — Russia, China, the US, the United Kingdom and France — are permanent members with veto powers. While the US, the UK and France are keen to punish Aung Hlaing and his generals, Russia and China are too Tatmadaw-friendly to enable the UNSC to adopt any punishing resolutions. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has repeatedly called on the UNSC to take “decisive and unified action” against the military junta, including targeted sanctions and an arms embargo. In a report to the UN Human Rights Council, Andrews details how Aung Hlaing “illegally overthrew the civilian government and proceeded to attack the people of Myanmar by committing the crimes of murder, assault and arbitrary detention”. Last month, he urged the UNSC to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court “to investigate and prosecute atrocities committed since the coup on Feb 1 and those committed against ethnic groups in years prior”. This will not happen. The UN is united only in name. Even genocides aren’t able to change this.

Asean comes designed, at best, to encourage delayed action.