It has been a minute since I last wrote about the ongoing struggle occurring in Myanmar. While some things continue to be done concrete moves by either side have not yet occurred. If anything has been shown it is that the civilian population will not let this military coup stand. As much as the military wishes to impose their will that has all but failed.
Unity Government
When the coup occurred and the people rejected it initially the protestors lacked clear cohesion. However, that has now changed as Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) launched a parallel government that has been calling for international acceptance. This government is called the National Unity Govermeneny and is centered around the ousted leader. The armed rebel factions have aligned with this "shadow" or parallel government giving it an actual fighting force.
The exact place of where this group operates from is not clear but it is formed of former members who had been elected to Congress in 2020 before the military overthrew the government. This government is rather complete with different ministries headed by different people and composed of people from different ethnic and religious origins. It will be key for this government to begin to win international support. At home, they have it with the people of Myanmar believing in them over the current regime. They have come out and said that any debt that the military regime racks up they will not honor as it is not the true government of the people of Myanmar.
Recently the rebels in one area have pulled back after heavy fighting due to the risk to civilians while the military continued to rain down artillery on civilian areas. This was one of the new forces that have poped up that are part of the People's Defense Force who are alined to the National Unity Goverment. Unlikely people are even joining the Defense Force with the most eye catching one being Myanmar's Miss Grand International Beauty from 2013. She has even begun posting pictures of herself with assault rifles and in battle fatigues saying it is time to fight back. For the rebels this just further shows how people of all walks of life are joining in as we have heard about students and doctors joining in.
What is Next?
It would seem that this conflict could me moving towards a standstill. Not that the fighting is showing any signs of stopping but even worse neither side is making any considerable progress. The next big breakthrough I could see happening could come from a variety of fronts. One of which is the former leader of the goverment, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, publically facing the charges or at least the goverment parading her around. The Military Junta could also cross some red line or the rebels could take over another military base. Right now it just appears to be a lot of back and froth without either side gaining.
The biggest hope to an end of this is international recognition by foreign governments. These goverment could at least bargin with the Myanmar Junta to stop the violence and force them to the table. Right now the whole situation is just stuck and in the mean time there is a raging pandemic in that area and both protestors and random people are being killed by the military on the streets.
