Greetings of solidarity to all.
I am honored for this invitation to speak and share my remarks on behalf of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR). My name is Mercy Chriesty Barends, and I am the APHR Chairperson and a Member of Parliament in Indonesia.
As we reflect on the now three years which have passed since the attempted coup, one thing is abundantly clear, and that is the Myanmar Generals were wrong. They thought they could control the course of history in Myanmar by disregarding the 2020 General Election results. They have not succeeded. The resistance and strength of the people are a testament to what is possible for democracy in our region.
Protests in the immediate days after the coup saw thousands in the street call for a restoration of the democratically elected government. Even when soldiers turned their guns on those peacefully marching, they continued to echo their calls. The movement has since shifted to one of armed resistance, and victory is near.
We all know that the situation in Myanmar is complicated, but that must not undermine or deter our efforts to speak truth to power in our respective capacities. We must hold a light to the darkness in the country by standing with human rights defenders and the people who so courageously reject this authoritarian regime.
The inevitable fall of the Myanmar military will be because of the people-powered forces on the ground, including ethnic revolution groups, women human rights defenders and community-based organizations – all of whom bring decades of experience in various areas of expertise that have been fundamental to witnessing the fall of the junta.
I am inspired by the courage of the people of Myanmar, who refuse to give up. It has been a difficult three years and full of immense sacrifices. We must ensure that the calls of the pro-democracy movement are not ignored. I am with you, APHR is with you, and we will continue to amplify the calls of this movement.
Thank you for your time and wish you great success!
