Myanmar: Restore Democracy One Year After The Coup

One year ago, 1 February 2021, democracy in Myanmar was violently crushed by a military coup.

ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said: “We will not rest until power is returned to the people in Myanmar, and we must use this anniversary to renew our demand for justice.

“The news coming out of Myanmar in the last year has been horrific. The people of Myanmar have paid a heavy price at the hands of these violent generals.

“There’s no excuse for anyone who does business with this regime, and there’s no excuse for backing the bloodshed with weapons. That’s why we are calling on the UN Security Council to enforce an arms embargo on Myanmar and enforce the General Assembly’s resolution 75/287 with the member states.

“And there’s no reason not to join us in taking action to support the democracy defenders of Myanmar. Please consider giving to the strike fund. The money goes directly to the workers, trade unionists and their families who have lost their income because of their work to defend democracy in Myanmar.”

• Donate to the strike fund to support the democracy defenders.

• Put pressure on your government to step up economic sanctions and on any company or government doing business with the military junta to cut all ties.

• Lobby your government and politicians to officially recognise the National Unity Government of Myanmar.

Timeline of the people’s struggle for democracy in Myanmar

• 1 February: Coup d'état staged by Myanmar military, President Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and National League for Democracy (NLD) parliamentarians-elect put under house arrest. State of emergency declared and power transferred to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing. 
   
• 2 February: Strike and red ribbon campaign started by healthcare workers across 70 hospitals. Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) begins.
   
• 3 February: Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM), Myanmar Industry Crafts and Services (MICS) withdraw from National Tripartite Labour Forum. CDM protests, strikes and boycott of military businesses becomes nationwide 
   
• 8 February: 378 MPs-elect announce the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), support for the CDM and the continuation of their constitutional duties.
   
• 9 February: World Bank and Asian Development Bank halt disbursements and new contracts to Myanmar. Targeted sanctions imposed by the US, the UK, Canada and the EU.
   
• 26 February: Myanmar’s permanent representative to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun, declares support for the CDM at the UN General Assembly session.
   
• 26 February: Sixteen labour organisations declared illegal; they later form the Myanmar Labour Alliance (MLA), including the CTUM and MICS-TUsF.
   
• 16 April: National Unity Government (NUG) formed, with Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi under military arrest. The Federal Democratic Charter is announced and a National Unity Consultative Council formed to coordinate with ethnic armed organisations, civil society organisations and the CDM.
   
• 7 June: The 109th International labour Conference suspends the representation of Myanmar by the State Administration Council (SAC) after the World Health Assembly, followed by the Food and Agricultural Organization Conference. The 109th ILC Resolution on 19 June calls for a return to democracy and respect for fundamental rights in Myanmar.
   
• 18 June: UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 75/287 to condemn the violence and call for an end to the military takeover and human rights violations, release of the imprisoned civilian leaders, restoration of the democratic mandate of the November 2020 election, and an arms embargo on Myanmar.
   
• 27 August: Myanmar Labour Alliance (MLA) announces a campaign for comprehensive economic sanctions supported by ITUC and the Global Union Federations. One hundred eighty-two organisations from Myanmar join the call on 15 October.
   
• 7 September: Brutal killings by the military continue. The NUG announces a “people’s defensive war” against the military in the face of an intensified crackdown and violence by the SAC military regime.
   
• 7 Oct: The European Parliament adopts a resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar, recognising the NUG as the legitimate representative of the people of Myanmar.
   
• 15 October: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) excludes Min Aung Hlaing from the ASEAN summit in October in response to the regime’s rejection of the ASEAN special envoy’s visit to Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD leaders. Non-political representatives from Myanmar are invited instead.
   
• 6 December: The UN General Assembly defers the decision on the seat of Myanmar, allowing the incumbent permanent representative, Kyaw Moe Tun, to remain in place.
   
• 15 December: The SAC military launches attacks against the People’s Defense Forces and detains 20 political activists, leading to open armed conflict with the Karen National Liberation Army. The military unleashes airstrikes, loots villages and indiscriminately attacks civilians throughout December in 20 townships in Kachin and Kayah states. Thousands of civilians flee to the border areas with Thailand.
   
• 21 January 2022: Total Energies and Chevron announce withdrawal from Myanmar due to the deteriorating human rights situation.

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