KLSCAH severely condemns Myanmar military regime’s violent oppression

The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) severely condemns the Tatmadaw – Myanmar’s military government – for engaging in a coup and using deadly violence to suppress demonstrators.

KLSCAH also calls on the Myanmar military government to return power to the people and the party that received the majority of voters in the election.

On February 1, 2021, the commander-in-chief of Myanmar’s National Defence and Security Council (NDSC), Min Aung Hlaing, did not recognise the election results announced in November 2020. Since the military believed that the parliamentary elections held last year were fraudulent, they launched a military coup to overthrow the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung San Suu Kyi. Additionally, they arrested Suu Kyi’s politicians and declared a national emergency for one year.

The Myanmar military seized control of the government through a coup, forcing the Burmese people to adopt a civil disobedience movement. Large-scale demonstrations have since been popping up everywhere; in Yangon, Naypyidaw, Mandalay and other towns, villages across the country.

The conflict between the Myanmar military and the people has become increasingly fierce in recent days. On March 3, the junta’s armed suppression over protestors escalated again by firing live ammunition. There were 38 people killed, which caused an uproar throughout the masses.

KLSCAH severely condemns the use of lethal force by the Myanmar military to brutally suppress protestors. We believe that the power seized by the Myanmar military through a coup was unconstitutional. The people of Myanmar have the right to express their demands by holding peaceful demonstrations. The actions of shooting at unarmed citizens, arresting protestors arbitrarily, cutting off Internet service providers to force the people into silence; these are clear violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Therefore, the rights of the Burmese people – to assemble peacefully and speak freely – are violated.

Since the end of 2010 Myanmar military rule, the military coup launched by the Myanmar junta is undoubtedly a perverse act. It deviates from the intention of embarking on the road towards democratic transformation, ignores the hope of Burmese people that Myanmar will achieve full democratisation.

KLSCAH hereby expresses hopes that the public will pay close attention to the political developments in Burma, and assists with the following demands :

1. The Myanmar military must immediately end the state of emergency, release the State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other politicians currently under house arrest. The Myanmar military must stop putting lives at risk through violence. Instead, hold peace dialogues and legal mechanisms in negotiations with Burmese political parties, to reach a consensus that resolves the current political deadlock.

2. The Myanmar military government must terminate the nationwide Internet blackout and social media blockades, restore the rights of the Burmese people to freedom of speech.

3. The Malaysian government should work with ASEAN countries to pressure the Myanmar military government through constructive dialogue until the country restores a sound democratic system.

KLSCAH expresses concerns about the turbulent political situation in Myanmar. We stand with the Burmese people and support their compliance with democratic principles and the rule of law, as well as their desire to reject dictatorship through peaceful demonstrations.

The Myanmar military should seriously consider that rationalising the regime through a military coup will hurt Burma’s democratisation, stagnate democratic transformation. The country faces the risk of isolation and sanctions from the international community, which is not conducive to the economic development and livelihood of the people.

FROM,

THE KUALA LUMPUR AND SELANGOR CHINESE ASSEMBLY HALL (KLSCAH )