God only knows when the USA will understand that the West led by the USA is facing unprecedented threat to its ‘Liberal Western Democracy’ at the hands of ‘Authoritarian Chinese Democracy’ not by way of direct military threat but by way of ideological onslaught (which will ultimately become direct threat too in due course of time) where the ‘Authoritarian Chinese Democracy’ has to merely destroy democracy all over the world especially in developing world (even if in Myanmar the February coup may not be the handiwork of China).
The ‘Authoritarian Chinese Democracy’ has already gained respect in the developing world due to unprecedented economic progress of China (that too an Asian country) and which has increased Chinese clout in strategic / military matters all over the world. Now the military coup on February 1, 2021 has given a serious jolt to ‘Liberal Western Democracy’ in Myanmar and if Biden-Blinken keep on giving meaningless verbal support to couped-bleeding-Myanmar (as reported at https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-horrified-myanmar-violence-blinken-says-after-bloodiest-day-n1262268 ) and if they do not take the corrective measures (as given below) then the damage to ‘Liberal Western Democracy’ may be irreversible :-
(1)- Over 423 civilians have already been killed by Military Junta since February coup in Myanmar and over 100 were killed in a single day on March 27 but it has elicited merely a verbal support from the West including from Prez Biden and Secretary Blinken as reported at
https://www.dw.com/en/myanmar-us-president-biden-calls-bloodshed-absolutely-outrageous/a57030553#:~:text=Nations%20including%20Germany%20and%20the,further%20defiance%20of%20the%20junta.
2)- It is significant that this killing of 100 civilians has been decried by 12 countries namely the US, Britain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan whereas 8 countries namely Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and India attended the military parade in Naypyitaw (Myanmar) that was televised live apparently to intimidate the protesters as mentioned at
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/amid-crackdown-india-7-other-countries-attend-myanmar-military-parade/articleshow/81741287.cms
(3)- India is crucial & capable of bringing peace & democracy back in Myanmar but India doesn’t want to displease the military Junta of Myanmar because India wrongly believes that in North-East of India (bordering Myanmar) the military of Myanmar can create military problems (by way of supporting the insurgents in N-E) if India supports democracy in Myanmar as discussed at https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/left-right-centre/should-india-be-doing-more-against-coup-myanmar-envoy-to-un-speaks-to-ndtv-580599#livevideo-featured
(4)- In the given situation (as mentioned above) the USA will be able to handle the situation in Myanmar only when the USA try to solve it in the broader context of mini-SAARC led by India (as mentioned at https://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3781 ) in which Myanmar can also be added (at a later date and when Myanmar so likes) as a member of ‘Extended mini-SAARC’ (EMSAARC). Myanmar would not mind rather should like to join this EMSAARC (of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Myanmar) for the simple reason that Myanmar was part of British India up to April 1937. Bangladesh will like this EMSAARC because of one more reason that it will also solve the problems of Rohingyas.
(5)- Therefore in order to restore democracy in Myanmar the USA should do the following (preferably through the UN or otherwise if it can’t be done through the UN):-
(i)- Constitute a ‘Peace Keeping Force’ (PKF) of 13 countries (above mentioned 12 countries which decried killing of 100 civilians in Myanmar on March 27 + India) under which the elections should be carried out in Myanmar. These elections will satisfy the military junta of Myanmar too because it carried out the February coup due to alleged fraud in November elections won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).
(ii)- Ask India to provide the services of ‘Election Commission of India’ (ECI) to carry out these elections in Myanmar which the ECI has expertise as it has been carrying out elections successfully in the largest democracy India since 1952.
It is hoped that (if not for the USA itself or for the West, at least for those people of the developing world who have burned all their bridges in order to embrace the ‘Liberal Western Democracy’) the Biden-administration instead of giving merely meaningless verbal support will do (as mentioned above) to restore democracy in couped-bleeding-Myanmar by way of carrying out urgent elections in Myanmar under PKF of 13 countries with the assistance of ‘Election Commission of India’ which will ultimately result into permanent solution of and permanent peace, prosperity and justice in ‘Extended mini-SAARC’ region of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Hem Raj Jain
(Author of ‘Betrayal of Americanism’)
Shakopee, MN, USA
