Lack of human rights in Myanmar – Lest we forget

Given conflicts raging in Gaza, Ukraine, and Haiti (not to mention a number of African states) Bishop Logan McMenamie reminds us of the tragedy still unfolding in Myanmar. He with many clergy and laity from the Diocese of Islands and Inlets (formerly the Diocese of British Columbia) exchanged visits with leaders of the Anglican church there for decades. He is keenly aware of the volume and severity of human rights abuse. Published today on Facebook (original source unclear)  these words are timely and deserve our careful attention.

Some things to know about the Military Coup in Myanmar. 

1. If someone is arrested alive at night, most likely his or her dead body will be returned the next morning.  In some cases, they won’t even return the body of the deceased. 

2. If you are medical staff helping injured protesters, then you can be arrested and tortured or be  killed. Even if you are working in your own clinic treating the wounded patients, you can still be abducted or tortured.

3. Doesn’t matter if you stay home or go out to protest; you can be killed anytime without any valid reason due to random gunfire.

4. Doesn’t matter if you are a pregnant woman or a 6-year-old child; they will shoot and kill you at their whim without mercy.

5. Even if you are not protesting, you can be detained, beaten, tortured, humiliated, dehumanized anytime and anywhere (day or night), even inside your own home.

6. You can be abducted, assaulted or killed just for going to work or delivering food.

7. Now, the only internet service available in the country is the fiber internet line; mobile data has been shut down for almost 20 days; WiFi broadband services have been cut off since yesterday. All the public WiFi services have been cut off.  The only remaining internet service, from the fiber line, is not available every day from 1am to 9am for almost 2 months.  Many apps and websites, such as Facebook, X/Twitter , Instagram, Google etc., are blocked to suppress the spread of information and news.

Myanmar is not in a war.  A war in today’s world would indicate that opposing parties have some weapons to fight and ability to defend themselves. However, in Myanmar, people have no guns nor protective gear to fight a war. Only the brutal junta regime has the arms and trained killers to terrorize the very citizens it has sworn to protect. 

People have something that is stronger and more powerful than guns and bullets; they have hope and unwavering belief that righteousness will overcome evil and that karma and justice will prevail in the end. 

#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#SaveMyammar