Myanmar’s ongoing turmoil

Madrid, Feb 1 (EFE).- It has been two years since the military coup in Myanmar and while the opposition is no longer fighting junta’s forces with handmade weaponry, neither internal pressure nor that exerted by regional powers shows signs of restoring democracy in the crisis-struck nation, according to journalist Mratt Kyaw Thu.

Mratt Kyaw Thu spoke with Efe on the anniversary of the coup in his native country, from which he escaped to Spain in 2021.

The reporter, who worked for Efe in Myanmar, said he had seen progress made by the National Unity Government and its armed wing, which proclaims itself the legitimate administration in Myanmar after the Feb. 1, 2021 coup that brought down the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, but that the conflict lacked international attention.

“We’ve got some improvements by the People’s Defense Forces and the National Unity Government as well,” he said. “Last year, if I’m not mistaken, the European Parliament recognized the National Unity Government as the official, legitimate government of Myanmar.”

He added: “The NUG opened a lot of representative offices in France (…) and other European countries as well.”

The PDF is now better armed in its fight against junta authorities compared to the early days of the coup, he said, when the militia often turned to rudimentary and homemade arms.

“So they are at war with actual weapons right now. But they need more support.”

Mratt Kyaw Thu regretted the lack of international media coverage of the conflict in Myanmar when compared to other global events like the war in Ukraine.

“In Myanmar, like last year, 10 seven to 10 year old civilian boys and girls were killed, not even in combat but the military bombed them with helicopters and fighter jets. Children are killed every day, but it’s not even on the front page of the international media.”EFE

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