As we enter new year we are forced to reflect on lessons learned during the past twelve months and look into the future with resolutions that would enable us to embrace specific general approaches paving ways for us to make better concrete changes to improve our thinking and the way we should react to the given situation.

It is of course too much to ask for such optimistic reflection when everybody knows in which dire situation our country is really in at the moment.

The political and armed conflicts that push the country to the point of anarchy, due to the military coup of 1 February 2021 and tyrannical rule that follows, is there for the whole world to see. Some seasoned observers even speculated that our country is well on its way to become a fractured and failed ungovernable state, similar to Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan and Syria.

Given the heightened armed conflict in all fourteen ethnic states and regions or division; the two parallel governments of State Administration Council (SAC) or military junta and National League for Democracy-led National Unity Government (NUG) of which non is recognized by the UN, ASEAN and international community as legitimate government as yet; pockets of de facto self-administered zones or liberated zones run by the ethnic armed organizations and people defense forces; urban guerrilla raging in cities and towns, including other contested areas; the cost of human toll and economic downturn are pressing issues facing the country.

As such, it is extremely hard for the people of Burma to be optimistic and hope for reconciliation with the coup-maker military junta as it is out of question, for the local people and as well for the international community. This is because the military junta has made the people its enemies and bent on annihilating any sector of the population that resist its rule, rather than rolling back its fake excuses of acting on behalf of the people by leaving the political arena. 

“The military may claim that it is not treated either locally or internationally with the dignity it feels it is due, but the military itself has destroyed the basis for such respect,” writes David Steinberg in The Irrawaddy on December 28, which is the ongoing crimes against humanity committed by the junta on the people of Burma.

As a result, the polarization of the warring parties is the reality and win-lose, zero-sum game seems to be the only way out for the moment.

Thus, we will see the continuation of political and armed conflict all through out 2022, if not longer. Thus the question arises on how we, as the people, should go about with this dire situation.

Dharma versus Adharma

Dharma and Adharma widely used in Buddhism can be translated as being “Moral” and “Immoral”, also “Justified” and “Unjustified”, although a wide range of meaning on both words can be interpreted.

However, in Burma political scenario Dharma is identified with justification and righteousness, while Adharma is just the opposite.

Thus, the people of Burma and all the organizations that represent the people should consider themselves to be on the side of Dharma and make every effort to do the right thing for the whole country and society.

It is quite clear that the coup-maker military junta is identified with Adharma with the deeds it is inflicting on thousands of innocent people in Burma. Thus allying with the military junta will amount to be in league with the Adharma. It is as simple as that.

To be on the right side of history

Politically to be on the right side of history is to be able to side with the majority people’s welfare, good-doers, individuals or organizations, who are trying to deliver the necessary goods to the people at large, like creating or trying to create an atmosphere of conflict free peaceful atmosphere, good governance, equitable political settlement, secure livelihood, physical and mental harmony and so on.

New year resolutions

Without going into details, we the people should made up our mind on how we should act and fulfill our duties within the capacities we can deliver, reflecting on what we may have learned as lessons from the past year, to create a more energetic impetus in our struggle to uproot the military dictatorship, once and for all.

In concrete terms, it will do all of us good to be determined to hold on to the resolutions for 2022, by being on the side of Dharma and positioning ourselves on the right side of history, doing everything within our capacities to create an atmosphere free of military dictatorship, including all stripes of dictatorial and totalitarian system.

In addition, we should strive to be free from all forms of racism, embrace “unity in diversity” norms, and apply “diverse actions, common goals” to achieve our cherished goals.