Interview with young anti-junta activists who organized anti-APEC protests
Originally published on Global Voices
Activists held a protest during the APEC summit to condemn the corporations and governments supplying jet fuel and weapons to Myanmar's military regime. Photo from Myanmar Student Union, used with permission
US-based members of the All Burma Federation Students Union, a Burmese student coalition, have been supporting the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar by organizing protests and conducting political education targeting the diaspora community.
These young activists are part of the “Spring Revolution,” the name of the global resistance against the military regime which rose to power in Myanmar through a coup in February 2021.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in San Francisco, California in November, Myanmar activists were among those who staged protests condemning the corporations and governments which continue to supply the junta with fuel and military weapons.
Global Voices interviewed some Myanmar activists who shared their campaigns and activities aimed at exposing the atrocities of the junta and promoting the goals of the “Spring Revolution.” A representative of the Myanmar Student Union responded to the questions sent by this author through a social media platform.
Mong Palatino (MP): How are you supporting the ‘Spring Revolution’ as young activists in the US?
Myanmar Student Union (MSU): Sharing what’s currently happening in Myanmar and the history of how we got [to] the present wherever we can, in the classrooms, the streets and online to bring people together for the Spring Revolution. As activists in the Myanmar Spring Revolution we wage campaigns, build organizations, and carry out the policies of All Burma Federation Students Union.
Mobilizing migrant youth/ students from Myanmar (a lot of recent arrivals) to wage campaigns to isolate the fascist armed forces and to expose the enablers of Fascist Myanmar Junta. By linking up with other oppressed peoples of the world to interrelate and amplify our calls. (Our enemies work together)
Myanmar activists joined the ‘shutdown APEC’ protest in San Francisco, California. Photo by this author
MP: What actions/activities did you organize during the APEC week to highlight the anti-junta resistance?
MSU: November 11th we organised the People’s Summit and held one workshop sharing about the Myanmar Spring Revolution and current issues of the dictatorship and how APEC including the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] member states have colluded with the Fascist Myanmar Armed Forces. Our Youth Workshop was conducted linking the different struggles with the Youth of the National Democratic Movement, and Youth Movements in the US fighting against exploitation and oppression.
We led a die-in during the shutdown of the CEO Summit meetings in San Francisco. Our calls were to Stop Jet Fuel and Arms Sales to the Fascist Myanmar Junta.
During the workshop at the anti-APEC summit, MSU members highlighted a popular slogan of the ‘Spring Revolution’. Photo by this author.
MP: What is the sentiment of the diaspora Myanmar community in the US?
MSU: The overseas Myanmar community since the first day of the Military coup d'etat has been organising to demand for democracy and human rights in the homeland. The overwhelming support, protests and political education of the overseas Burmese community for the Spring Revolution has been critical to our victories. An ongoing general strike [almost 3 years] has brought the military junta’s civil administration to a halt and overwhelming territorial gains by the Spring revolutionary forces and indigenous/ ethnic revolutionary organisations.
During the workshop at the anti-APEC summit, MSU members played a song honoring the young martyrs of the ‘Spring Revolution’.
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