Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon has appealed to the people of Myanmar – including the army, which staged a coup February 1 – to remain calm and to work for open lines of communication so democracy can prevail.
“When, in 2015, a peaceful transition to the elected government was effected by the army, that won the admiration of the world. Today, the world tries to understand what went wrong in the following years. Was there a lack of dialogue between the elected civilian authorities and the Tatmadaw?” he asked, using the official term for Myanmar’s armed forces.
He said the world was shocked and angry when it heard the military in Myanmar staged a coup and detained top political leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.
“You all promised peace and genuine democracy,” Cardinal Bo said, addressing himself to the military. “Democracy was the streak of hope for solving the problems of this once rich country. This time millions voted for democracy. Our people believe in peaceful transfer of power.”
Noting that the military is once again promising democracy, he said that “Myanmar people are tired of empty promises,” and the military would have to back its words with actions to regain people’s trust. He suggested that they begin by freeing elected opposition leaders, writers, activists and young people. “They are not prisoners of war; they are prisoners of a democratic process. You promise democracy; start with releasing them.”