Free Myanmar Newsletter

Vol:1, Issue 2: April 11, 2021

It has been close to ten weeks since the illegitimate Myanmar junta coup took place. So far, no overseas government or entity has endorsed the State Administration Council (SAC), the official name of the junta’s executive governing body. People of Myanmar remain defiant toward the SAC, which is now considered isolated and weak, though not toppled yet. The street protests carry on and the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) continues. As the Myanmar Spring Revolution drags on, day-to-day life in Myanmar has become harsher for citizens. The government machinery remains defunct for the most part. Banks remain closed and manufacturing capacity has stalled. The military ratcheted up its brutal crackdown by using live rounds and applying battlefield assault weapons on the unarmed protesters. It abducts people it considers suspicious from homes and from the streets impudently. No warrants were ever produced. The military even tortures them brazenly in public under broad daylight with little regard to anyone. Many of these incidents have been videotaped by cell phone cameras. The death toll has reached close to 700 at the time of this newsletter writing.

In the weeks since the military’s coup, the public’s demand has evolved from reversal of the coup to far more ambitious goals such as the complete removal of Myanmar military from politics, abolishment of the 2008 constitution and creation of a true Federal Union. On 1 April 2021, The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) revoked the military drafted 2008 Constitution and released the Federal Democracy Charter which is considered an interim constitution. It has declared a Federal Democracy Union with an aim to form a National Unity Government represented by all ethnic groups during the first few weeks of April. The situation in Myanmar remains in flux and moves at a rapid pace.

Free Myanmar’s pinpoint strategy has always been the disruption of money flow to the junta by rapidly achieving targeted sanctions on the Military’s business empire and its tentacles that reach every corner of Myanmar economy. Some have reservation about the effectiveness of this strategy citing past experience. Free Myanmar wants to point out that the situation in 2021 is different. At present, the country’s tax revenue has dried up because Myanmar people are unwilling and unable to pay a so-called governing body which has not been successful in acting as a government functionary. At the same time, the junta needs a cash flow more than ever to bonus its soldiers and to purchase ammunition. They are also facing increasingly concerted military overtures from the emboldened ethnic armed organizations (EAOs). Hence economic sanctions will be more effective this time around especially if the foreign currency flow from oversea companies can be starved off. In mid-March, Free Myanmar had an opportunity to engage with officials from the US States Department and presented its first sanction proposal which emphasized the activities and monetary web of Myanmar Economic Holding Limited (MEHL), Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and their subsidiary businesses. Perhaps coincidently, in the following week the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) under the US Treasury Department announced the addition of MEHL and MEC to its existing Specially Designated Nationals and entity (SDN) list. But there still are many more companies and businesses left to be put in the sanction list. Free Myanmar is trying to accomplish this task by engaging further with relevant stakeholders not only in US but also in EU and other countries.

Free Myanmar (FM) has been expanding its media task force that operates on three platforms namely FM Twitter account, FM page on Facebook and the FM web site. Twitter focusses on interacting with politicians, journalists and other media influencers. Facebook page disseminates relevant Myanmar related news and the FM website posts policy statements, press releases, Op-Eds and blogs. Momentum is gaining in all three platforms with ongoing improvements in media appearance. Free Myanmar shares the same vision with CRPH in ending military rule in Myanmar while transitioning the country into a truly democratic federal union that provides equal opportunities to all regardless of race, religion, gender, and background. The road may be long and hard but with perseverance, justice shall be done. The sacrifices of Myanmar people will not be wasted. The revolution must prevail!