Myanmar women fighting for democracy by supporting civil disobedience movement

We wish to support the vulnerable women who have rejected the Burmese military coup and are part of the Myanmar civil disobedience movement, protesting against the military who have illegally taken power. On 1st of February, the military arrested the president and National Leagues Democracy (NLD) leaders Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and other democratic activists in response to NLD winning the election by majority votes late in 2020.

Women are not treated equally in Myanmar. The democratic movement leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi cannot become the president of Myanmar because of her marriage to a western man - as stated in the 2008 Myanmar constitution.

From the 1 February 2021 women who are working for the government including: medical doctors, nurses and other health professionals, school teachers, bus drivers, engineers, and others have stopped working to demonstrate to the Burmese military leaders that they want their elected government to be released immediately and the democracy to be restored.

Women are becoming more vulnerable as the Burmese Military are sending police to arrest people at night while they sleep. Single woman parents with dependant children, widows with dependant children, single women, women who are the financial provider for the family, women caregivers looking after their parents and grandparents, and disabled women are targeted by the Burmese military because they don't have a man who can physically protect them. These women are defending themselves and their families.

Women are often raped and tourtured by the Burmese military. In Myanmar woman are saying that they are fully responsible for their own safety as the police, who are supposed to protect them, are now the perpetrators of crimes against women. The Burmese police are becoming violators so, "we have to keep pots and pans to make noise so neighbours can hear and can help".

The people in Myanmar do not want to go back to the violence of the 1988 uprising and wish to have returned their democratically elected government.