The Conflict in Myanmar

Driven by cultural division, Myanmar has struggled with effective government since obtaining independence from British domination in 1948. The Tatmadaw, the military of Myanmar, took over after a coup in 1962 and has since maintained power by fighting ethnic minority groups battling for independence. Although the world thought of Myanmar as a united front three years ago, religious conflict grew and, like numerous other countries, one religion gained sympathy and asylum from the government while others were made to suffer. Many reasons for the tension was that each group seeked to have control of Myanmar, due to the fact that the knowledge of the government was debilitated and that Myanmar as a whole was still trapped under the philosophy of  British occupation and had not fully flourished into the country it was supposed to become. Both groups sought to undermine the other and gain respect from the entire nation as well as on a global scale.

The war is already a human rights catastrophe. Myanmar's implosion since a 2021 military coup has wrecked its economy, throwing millions of people into extreme poverty. Its reputation as a hub for drugs, online scam centres and money laundering is growing. Wars are infamous for demolishing every standard a country has, and unfortunately Myanmar was not spared and suffered a backlash so terrible that the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the country is in tatters. Worse, the death toll is continually increasing as the confidence of the corrupt military increases and people now live in constant fear of execution if someone objects to the military’s stringent laws.

My opinion on the matter is that to lead by fear is to not rule at all. Any head of state, monarch, democratically-elected leader or dictator has one thing in common: they crave a kind of respect and order that could never be established on the raw rules of fear. What is worse, the military and any terrible leaders are exceptionally skilled with manipulation. We must break this cycle and ensure freedom as well as fairness no matter what, as safety should come first and not these narcissistic militants.