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44th #WhatsHappeninginMyanmar Monthly Updates
August 28 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
On 28 August 2024 at 4-5pm (Bangkok Time), SEA Junction in collaboration with Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), with media partners, Mizzima and The Irrawady, will hold the 44th #WhatsHappeninginMyanmar Monthly Updates. This update series was started soon after the coup d’état in Myanmar with the aim of contributing to a greater understanding of the crisis situation there for informed action in support of the democratic movement in the country and beyond.
Since February 2021, Myanmar has been in turmoil as the Myanmar Army, known as Tatmadaw, detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint following a general election which Suu Kyi’s NLD party won by a landslide. The coup by General Min Aung Hlaing brought an end to a decade of semi-democratic rule and returned full power to the military. Courageously, the population has been resisting and demanding the release of the imprisoned leaders and restoration of the democratic rule and the National Unity Government (NUG) has been formed by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group of elected lawmakers and members of parliament ousted in the coup. Economic collapse amid escalating conflict is making of Myanmar a failed state, with many leaving the country in search of refuge and opportunities. The global community has overall condemned the coup and the military abuses, but concerted diplomatic interventions are still too bland. After more than three years of the coup, ASEAN has been excluding Tatmadaw representatives from their summits, but still fails to recognize NUG as the legitimate representative of Myanmar. While the future of the country is in the hands of its people, international and regional bodies ought to isolate the military junta, ban arms, embargo business by the militaries and their cronies, address gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and provide humanitarian relief to the population. Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) are taking control strategically important areas in Kachin, Kayah, Chin, Rakhine and Shan after 1027 operations led by Three Brotherhood Alliance: the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democrative Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Ta’ang National Army (TNLA)
The update aims to contribute to a greater understanding of the crisis situation in Myanmar for informed action in support of the democratic movement in the country and beyond. It is meant to be short informal dialogues with a speaker who provides an analysis of the latest events in the preceding two weeks for about 20 minutes before the moderator, SEA Junction’s Founder and Director Rosalia Sciortino, opens the floor for questions and answers. Our former speakers include Aung Zaw, Founder and Director of The Irrawaddy; Khin Ohmar, a well-known Peace and Security Advocate; Debbie Stothard, an active promoter of human rights in Burma and the ASEAN regions; May Zin Thaw, the founder of a local think tank institute Researchers’ Republic and Toe Zaw Latt, R&D consultant, Mizzima Media Group. Starting on August 2024, Aung Zaw, The Irrawaddy’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief, will provide an analysis of the latest events.
To participate, tune in for the monthly update planned for 28 August at 4-5pm (Bangkok Time) via Zoom ((Link: https://bit.ly/MyanmarUpdates2024) and Facebook Live on our page: SEA Junction.
Speaker Profile:
Aung Zaw is a Burmese journalist, editor, and founder of major publishing media The Irrawaddy. He was jailed and tortured at the age of 20, then covertly escaped his home country after he began protesting the governments socialist military regime during the 8888 Uprising.
Organizers:
SEA Junction
SEA Junction, established under the Thai non-profit organization Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies (ForSEA), aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions, from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 407-8 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Center or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium), SEA Junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers. For more information, see www.seajunction.org, join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1693058870976440/ and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @seajunction
Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)
AJAR is a non-profit organization, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, whose aim is to contribute to the strengthening of human rights and the alleviation of entrenched impunity in the Asia-Pacific region. Its work focuses on countries involved in transition from a context of mass human rights violations to democracy, where it strives to build cultures based on accountability, justice and a willingness to learn from the root causes of mass human rights violations to help prevent the recurrence of state-sanctioned human rights violations. For more information, see www.asia-ajar.org.
Media Partners:
Mizzima
Mizzima, derived from the Pali for middle or moderate and chosen for its inference of an unbiased and independent media, was established in 1998 in New Delhi, India, by veterans of Myanmar’s 1988 pro-democracy uprising. Founder Soe Myint and co-founder Thin Thin Aung participated in the movement for democracy and they were in exile in India as refugees. Since its founding the aim of Mizzima has been to provide high quality news relating to Myanmar while contributing toward freedom of expression and the realization of an inclusive and democratic Myanmar for all the country’s peoples. For more info, please see: https://www.mizzima.com/
The Irrawady
The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception in 1993, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. Founded in Thailand by a group of young Burmese activists who were forced to flee the persecution of the then military regime over the 1988 democracy uprisings, The Irrawaddy has a strong belief in democracy, and the crucial role of independent and accountable media for a democratic society. Since the opening up of the country in 2012, The Irrawaddy was able to move to Myanmar and operate from within the country, but it is now being threatened and its journalists are at grave risks as they continue reporting. For more information see: https://www.irrawaddy.com/about
