Ongoing 'Spring revolution' against brutal military Junta in Myanmar will be successful: NUG Spokesperson

Spokesperson and Adviser to the President of National Unity Government (NUG) Kyaw Zaw has said the ongoing "Spring revolution" against the brutal military Junta in Myanmar will be successful as the people of Myanmar are now more united than at any other time in history.

The NUG will incorporate all ethnic minorities including the Rohingyas currently living in Bangladesh and facilitate their repatriation, he said.    

Zaw was speaking at a discussion on "The Current Crisis of Myanmar and Its Impact on Neighbouring Region" held in hybrid mode on Wednesday.

Dr Raymond Kwun-Sun Lau, Assistant Professor, NSU; Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, Senior Fellow, NSU; Dr Md Mahbubul Haque, Faculty of Law and International Relations, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia and former Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque spoke at the colloquium.

It was moderated by Professor Sk Tawfique M Haque, Dean (IC), School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Dr M Sakhawat Hussain said that the Rohingya crisis is exacerbating and turning into a regional security threat due to the ongoing internal conflict in Myanmar.

Bangladesh may also work closely with multiple parties in Myanmar to accelerate the Rohingya repatriation process, he said.  

Dr Raymond Kwun-Sun Lau stated that sanctions by the United States and its European allies will not change the military junta's action in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, China is making efforts to keep Myanmar under its influence to secure Chinese interests in the region, further complicating the Myanmar crisis, Lau said. 

Shahidul Haque said Myanmar is a more crucial neighbour to India as it is the only country that provides a geographical connection to ASEAN countries through land. So, India wants to further enhance its relations with Myanmar, he said.  

Dr Md Mahbubul Haque said that ASEAN countries are highly divided on the Myanmar issue. "So, it is unlikely to see any drastic measures taken by this bloc as it adheres to its policy of non-interference. But to uphold their core principle of human rights and democracy, it may act to restore democracy in Myanmar."

Dr Sk Tawfique M Haque said that no neighbouring countries want to see Myanmar as a battleground of geopolitics in this region.

He expected that peace would be ensured by all regional countries.

Participants from national and international organisations, universities, development organisations, embassies, media outlets, and other organisations attended both physically and virtually.

The Centre for Peace Studies (CPS) of the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at North South University (NSU) organised the colloquium.

The event commenced with the introductory speech of CPS Coordinator Dr Abdul Wohab.