Insight Myanmar
“In the beginning, I didn’t believe in non-violence, I thought maybe the armed struggle is better, because it’s clearly a good way to make a change. It’s very feasible, results-oriented, and you can just expand your territory,” says Ye Htet, describing his immediate reaction in the wake of the 2021 military coup in an interview with Insight Myanmar for their podcast.
Ye Htet’s thinking was similar to many Burmese who suddenly found themselves trapped in a living nightmare, with their freedoms stripped away overnight and wondering how to respond.
But even as many of his peers took up arms against the junta, Ye Htet‘s path veered in a different direction: he chose, instead, to dedicate himself to non-violent resistance. “Nonviolence, for these three years, I have seen that it’s not just an action, it has a much more deep thinking and a deeper philosophy behind it,” he explains.
Initially skeptical that nonviolence could achieve any real results, he soon learned it was not simply a way to confront a brutal adversary. It also pointed towards an inner transformation, of learning to lead a life of non-harm, communicate respectfully and authentically, and develop empathy. However, it was not easy to explain this ideology to other activists, who were committed to armed struggle as the only way to effectively fight the tyranny and terror. “Learning about non-violence, [you] more clearly see the change mechanism,” he says. “Even though it’s somehow more difficult compared to armed resistance, like the changes are more subtle and gentle, and it’s happening at a deeper down level.” Ye Htet seeks to not just replace military leaders with democratically elected ones, but to help create a society that prioritizes an individual’s inner transformation equally to the development of more humane social and political structures. “Changing yourself and changing society, it is something that is interrelated and happening at the same time,” he says. Ye Htet further clarifies that the particular actions that non-violence advocates may take are not nearly as important as the rationale behind them; thus, much of his group’s time is spent studying the core principles of non-violence, translating materials from leading non-violent thinkers around the world, and sharing these ideas with interested newcomers.
Unlike in the immediate weeks following the coup before the crackdowns, when there were many possibilities for nonviolent action, there is now grave danger in organizing public events. This narrowing of the public space has driven many into thinking that armed resistance is the only option left, and at the same time, it has forced Ye Htet and his group to identify options for nonviolent resistance. This is an important development, and Ye Htet notes that he has spoken to a growing number of people in private who acknowledge the risk of long-term consequences associated with militant action, and so are becoming more interested in his group’s messaging. He is also concerned that the armed resistance is overlooking the potential of real “people power.”
“People really want to take part in the revolution, but apart from holding arms and making donations, they have very few roles, like maybe only clicking and signing petitions are the kinds of things they can do,” he says. “If you want to mobilize a movement, you need to really commit to communicate, to build understanding, to convince, and this hard work pay offs and sustains has a sustained impact!”
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST
Listen to the Insight Myanmar podcast here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/68697142-b7cd-45a3-97e4-4f63030c4dee
