Week 13: Now Sweden and the rest of the world must stop the violence in Myanmar

Over the past week, the UN has once again condemned the violence in Myanmar. The EU has now introduced stricter restrictions on the military junta and the development aid debate has affected Sida, which has granted SEK XNUMX million to those fleeing the regime's attacks. At the same time, the demonstrations continue around the country, but this week with an Easter egg theme.

Now the UN Security Council condemns the violence in Myanmar for the third time. On Wednesday, the UN envoy warned Myanmar that the crisis could escalate and that a bloody civil war could break out. Earlier this week, more than 500 people, including children, were killed in protests against the military junta. writes Omvärlden in a debate article.

Debaters believe that the regime is not just a dictatorship but a terrorist regime. The pressure on the government must therefore increase and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven recently expressed concern about the violence on twitter:

- The violence must stop immediately. Sweden is following the events closely and will demand responsibility.

However writes Dagens Nyheter that it is difficult for the democratic world to change the situation in Myanmar. The EU's entry ban for some generals did not stop any massacres, instead DN believes that the US sanctions against two corporate conglomerates owned by the military junta are more effective. Limiting their finances is ultimately the most important thing, writes DN:

- The generals have always been better at shooting to death than at economics.

Large waves of internally displaced people have been created to force people to flee the regime's violence, especially from southeastern Myanmar. Sida, the Swedish development assistance authority, states that many of these refugees are children and now Sida grants SEK XNUMX million to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which provides refugees with basic goods, kitchen equipment and hygiene items, as well as training for parents and school staff in how they can provide children with psychosocial support.

The EU has for some time been issuing sanctions against Myanmar, but last week the sanctions were further tightened after the military continues to detain and shoot dead protesters on the street. I mean Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S), that the international community must act. According to a article from Sydsvenskan, the UN has also criticized Swedish banks and AP funds for having million investments in companies that are closely linked to the regime. Consequently, the military receives funding for their attacks on the population.

- What's happening in Myanmar is unacceptable. The outside world must jointly stop the violence and contribute to a democratic return for the country. More countries need to do more. But we can all do something. It is everyone's responsibility to act when democracy is threatened, writes the Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S) in a debate article in Sydsvenskan.

During the past Easter weekend, the pro-democracy protests took on new forms. The protesters painted boiled eggs with political symbols and slogans which were placed on the streets in front of people's homes and attracted international attention on social media. "Save our people", "democracy" and images of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's civilian leader, and the three - finger greeting - the material moisture meter shows you the the pro-democracy symbol, were just some of the political messages painted on the eggs.

Read the Swedish Burma Committee guest chronicle on the situation in Yangon.

A selection of the last week's editorial and debate articles about Sweden's role in the world: