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Myanmar’s military conducted its most deadly air strike since its February 2021 military coup that killed at least 80 concertgoers and injured dozens—which has barely been reported in Western media because the victims were not Ukrainian.
The air strike included three fighter jets and occurred during a performance by Burmese singer Aurali Lahpai during a celebration to mark the founding of the Kachin Independence Organization.
The New York Times reported that Aurali was killed in one of the blasts. The bombing took place in the northern part of the country, where many ethic Kachin fighters live, the paper reported.
“This is an evil act and this is a war crime,” Col. Naw Bu, a spokesman for the Kachin Independence Organization, told the Times. He said the military intentionally targeted civilians, a claim that the military junta denied.
The Kachin News Group reported that security forces blocked the wounded from being treated at hospitals.
Voice of America reported that the junta issued a statement and called the air strikes a response to recent “terrorist” attacks carried out by the Kachin Independence Organization, which is tied to the shadow National Unity Government.
Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, told Voice of America in an interview that the West has no real strategy for the country as this humanitarian catastrophe unfolds.
Andrews told the news outlet that there have been “thousands and thousands” killed, and 10s of thousands detained by secret police. He said many have been children who have been tortured.
“There’s no focus,” he said, noting sanctions that have been imposed on the junta. “And as a result, please don’t add up to any kind of coherent whole.”
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal reported extensively on the military coup in February 2021 and the subsequent deadly protests that have broken out across the country. (See “MYANMAR: ANOTHER DAY, MORE BLOODSHED,” “RUSSIA BACKING MYANMAR JUNTA AFTER COUP” and “UN TAKES ACTION AGAINST MYANMAR RULERS.”)
The 1 February coup and arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets to fight for democracy. The leader is reported to have won in a landslide, the junta claims the election was rife with fraud. She has since been convicted of 14 charges. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Much of her imprisonment is a mystery. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the situation, reported on Sunday that she is not allowed visitors, phone calls, or anything written on paper.
The concert bombing is not the first time the country’s military used wartime force against its own people. In September, a military helicopter killed 13 people, including seven children, when it opened fire on a school in the Sagaing Region, VOA reported.
Myanmar Turns to Russia
Western governments have sanctioned the military junta in control of Myanmar, which prompted its leadership to turn to China and Russia for trade and assistance.
The New York Times described the relationship as mutually beneficial. “Myanmar gets resources, ammunition, and a powerful partner to back them at the United Nations, while Russia gets another customer at a time when it is struggling to find sources of revenue,” the paper said.
Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s military chief and coup leader, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September at the Eastern Economic Forum, which took place in Vladivostok.
TOP TREND FOR 2021: “YOUTH REVOLUTION”: As we had forecast as one of our “Top Trends for 2021,” the uprisings and revolutions that were sweeping the world before the COVID War will accelerate dramatically, as billions of people sink deeper into economic despair.. and the youth, who live in despair now and face a future of misery, will be leading the charge.
TREND FORECAST: When the protests broke out in 2021, we had forecast that despite the size and severity of the demonstrations they would be unsuccessful and that military rule will continue in Myanmar. We also noted that threats by the UN, the U.S., and other nations will achieve nothing in terms of bringing so-called “Democracy” to Myanmar.
Again, as trend forecasters, we call it as we see it, and not the way we want it.
Furthermore, the more outside countries put pressure on the Myanmar government—be they in sanctions or supporting rebel movements—the greater the ruling government will strengthen its ties with its Chinese neighbor and Russia.
Indeed, on 10 August, China announced the transfer of $6 million to Myanmar’s government to fund 21 projects, Reuters reported. The report said that China has remained relatively quiet after the coup. But as we had noted, Beijing would not support a citizens uprising against the military.