By: Saiful Salihudin

The coup in Myanmar this week marked a dramatic and unfortunate reversal of democratic reform in the country. We stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar who voted overwhelmingly in November for democracy, but now have been subverted. The opening up of Myanmar in the past decade has seen its economy outperforming its regional peers in recent years. This progress was not without challenges, as political instability and communal violence continued to plague the nation. This violence notably includes the persecution of ethnic Rohingya that populate the western state of Rakhine, for which the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission found "evidence that infers genocidal intent on the part of the State.” We fear that the reversal of democratic reform in Myanmar may stunt social and economic progress and worsen the threat faced by many ethnic minorities in the country, especially the Rohingya.

We demand the immediate release of all National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders and other political prisoners who have been detained during the coup. We call for all parties to exercise restraint, demonstrate leadership, respect the outcome of the November election, and continue to facilitate Myanmar’s progress towards democracy. We implore President Biden and other world leaders to demand that the Myanmar military respect democratic norms and protect the rights of ethnic minorities. We welcome the swift and firm statement by President Biden condemning the coup. However, the statement stops short of recognizing the genocidal crimes that the regime has committed against the Rohingya minority over the past decade. The global community should employ all available and appropriate diplomatic channels and tools including mediation and/or sanctions in order to preserve and uphold the will of the people of Myanmar and protect the safety and the rights of ethnic minorities like the Rohingya. We ask for a return to democratic government in Myanmar that protects the interests of the people.

We invite the SIPA community to show solidarity by signing on to various petitions in support of democracy in Myanmar (such as this change.org petition, and this The Action Network Petition). Actions must also be taken to exert pressure on world leaders to recognize that the brutal and systematic crimes against the Rohingya are genocide, and to guarantee the safety and the rights of the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar. Finally, the SIPA Community should also stay informed of the political situation in Myanmar and the state of the Rohingya minority, for evil thrives in the face of ignorance.

Peace and justice for all. 

Saiful Salihudin is a second year Master of International Affair student concentrating in Economic and Political Development. He is a Co-president of Southeast Asia Student Initiative (SEASI) at Columbia SIPA.