Myanmar’s shadow government has launched a “people’s defensive war” against the ruling military junta and urged citizens across the country to join the revolt.
In a video message posted on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, the acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), Duwa Lashi La, announced the decision and called on militias and ethnic armed organisations to attack the military.
“With the responsibility to protect life and properties of the people, the National Unity Government launched a people’s defensive war against the military junta,” Duwa Lashi La said. “As this is a public revolution, all the citizens within entire Myanmar, revolt against the rule of the military terrorists led by Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country,” he added, urging civil servants to resign from government positions.
“We have to initiate a nationwide uprising in every village, town and city, in the entire country at the same time,” the leader stressed. “We will remove Min Aung Hlaing and uproot dictatorship from Myanmar for good and be able to establish a peaceful federal democratic union that fully safeguards equality and is long-aspired by all the citizens,” he said.
The leader also ordered ethnic armed groups to “immediately attack Min Aung Hlaing and the military council” and “fully control” their lands. In addition, he called on personnel in the police and military and military-appointed government workers to join the resistance. “This revolution is a just revolution. A necessary revolution for building a peaceful country and an establishment of a federal union,” he said.
Furthermore, he warned civil servants against going to work and advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and stock up on medications and daily necessities. The leader’s remarks prompted panic buying in Yangon, with people loading up on rice, cooking oil, dried food, and medicine. There were also long queues of vehicles outside petrol stations.
The leader also hoped that the international community would understand the NUG’s intention of launching the war. “I believe that our neighbouring countries, ASEAN countries, the United Nations (UN), and all other countries around the world understand that we do it out of necessity,” he said.
In a separate statement, the shadow government declared a state of emergency that would end only when a civilian government is restored to power.
The NUG, Myanmar’s shadow democratic government, was formed by ousted lawmakers, opponents of the military coup, and representatives of ethnic minority groups after the February 1 coup, and aims to gain recognition as the country’s legitimate government. While its existence is well known, the NUG operates undercover or through members based abroad.
The announcement comes a month after military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing declared himself as the prime minister of the “caretaker government” and a week before the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. The NUG is competing against the junta to be recognised as Myanmar’s legitimate representative during the session.
Moreover, on Saturday, ASEAN envoy to Myanmar Erywan Yusof said that his proposal for a four-month ceasefire by all sides in Myanmar’s conflict had been accepted by the country’s military government to enable the smooth delivery of the first batch of humanitarian assistance. The delivery of aid is expected to begin as early as mid-September.
However, the NUG’s decision has cast a shadow of doubt over the ceasefire agreement.