Why ASEAN should not underestimate Myanmar people?

In November 2020 election, People voted for NLD because they wanted democracy and NLD is the best party to do it. Everyone surprised the voter turnout, and all critics were wrong. People voted and gave landslide victory to the NLD party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Min Aung Hlaing staged the coup not because of the election fraud but because of his ego. His ego is to become the president and he is also afraid of International Criminal Court and losing power. He knows that he will lose his money and business if he steps down as a commander in chief. The next thing he is afraid of is that he can’t trust his junior officers and he knows that he might be sent to the Hague to face the charges for crime against humanity. The only way he can avoid is to become the president and stay in power until he dies. For Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, giving him the presidency will be a nonstarter because he is the main reason the world is criticising Myanmar for Human Rights abuses

If you were having any initial doubt about the election fraud, the rest of the world should see it how much people love democracy and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and how much they hate the military led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. That is why millions of people came out and demonstrated against the military coup. People are united against the coup whatever your religion or ethnic origin is. This coup has united the whole country as never before.

ASEAN might think that the military has the weapons to control the crowd, you will see what people power can do in next few months. People are already fighting back by any means. People are desperate to get rid of Min Aung Hlaing. It won’t be the same like in 1990 where ASEAN and China can still do business with the junta while people are suffering. After this summit, if there is no tangible result, people will make the country ungovernable. All businesses and factories in Myanmar will have to pay taxes to National Unity Government as well. If they don’t, these businesses will be punished and confiscated by the law. That might mean that these businesses will be destroyed. So don’t expect any profit by staying in Burma and propping up the military regime. Burma won’t be the same as before and won’t be stable for ASEAN.

If ASEAN summit fails, Burma will be at the crossroad to become either an authoritarian state like North Korea or a failed state like Syria or like Sudan if ASEAN helps lately on the people’s side. We don’t want to end up like North Korea under Min Aung Hlaing and therefore, People are united and determined to fight back.

We do understand that ASEAN took an unprecedented step by arranging the summit and trying to solve the problem created by Min Aung Hlaing. We do hope that ASEAN will step up and show the leadership appropriate to the 21st century and side by people of Myanmar. One thing is sure. Myanmar people are united, and we are determined to fight the dictator Min Aung Hlaing and his followers who are terrorists with or without your help.