Stopping the coup in Myanmar depends on disobedience to’medical, transportation, and finance’

The ultimate goal of the Myanmar military’s coup d’état is to maintain the regime in a normal state operating system, even if the method is’fear and oppression’. Immediately after the coup, the anti-military protesters launched the’Civil Disobedience Movement’, focusing on the three major industries of’medical, transportation, and finance’, leading to a massive strike. Among so many areas, why do citizens focus on disobedience to these industries? The answer is hidden in Myanmar’s economic development strategy.

First of all, if the fields of medical care, transportation, and finance are shaken, the cause of the military coup will be greatly damaged. The coups that were successful in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, all maintained three major industries and sent a signal to the international community that “there is no problem with the operation of the country”, and to some extent, it was tolerated. As the Myanmar military is facing fierce opposition from the United States and other Western countries, if the CDM succeeds, even the minimum basis for diplomatic warfare will disappear.

In addition, the suspension of the three major industries means the collapse of Myanmar’s economic development strategy, which is based on foreign direct investment (FDI). FDI companies cite △basic welfare for residents △logistics movement △convenience of fund flow as key investment conditions. If this premise is not supported, the investment will have to be recovered. After the actual coup, Japanese and Thai companies temporarily put their investments in Myanmar on hold for the same reason. An official from a Southeast Asian diplomat analyzed that “FDI withdrawal may cut off the funding line of the military, which is participating in resource development projects in the form of a consortium with foreign companies.”

The military is in a hurry, raising the level of physical response by attacking the homes of officials participating in the protests. At the same time, through an official announcement, “the military will ensure the safest economic activities of foreign companies as much as possible,” and are working hard to prevent withdrawal of investment.

However, unlike the military’s wishes, CDMs in the three major industries show no signs of decline. According to local media such as Frontier Myanmar on the 19th, the strike of medical staff at the national hospital, the origin of the CDM, has continued for three weeks. 99% of employees of the State Railroad Corporation (MR) also joined the strike, and air traffic controllers also recently joined the boycott ranks. In addition, more than 500 government officials from central government agencies such as the Ministry of Power and Transportation and court officials also started strikes.

The financial sector also completely turned to the side of the protesters. All private banks in major cities, such as Yangon, have been closed since bank employees first participated in the protests on the 6th. Shinhan Bank Korea and BNK Busan Bank also stopped operating local branches due to the participation of employees in the CDM struggle. Even the military-owned Miyawadi bank, which had been operating until the end, was hurriedly closed on the morning of the 16th as protesters intensified their struggles with deposits.

Min Ko Naing, who led the 1988 democratization protest in Myanmar, said, “To bring down the military, the strike force of doctors, government officials, and bankers must be maintained. I will do it.”

Hanoi= Jaeho Jeong Correspondent [email protected]

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