There was something unusual in the air on Wednesday when I was visiting some of my former colleagues at the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Moments later, I saw a group of hundreds, if not thousands, of demonstrators, mostly Myanmar expats in Japan, who were gathering and surrounding the ministry’s building.
Demonstrators were dressed in red and waving photos of Aung San Suu Kyi, chanting, “Free, free Aung San Suu Kyi! Free, free Myanmar!” The Myanmar people reportedly demanded the ministry use all its “political, diplomatic and economic power” to restore the civilian government in Myanmar.
It’s a pity that a state of emergency was declared this week in Myanmar, undermining the process of democratization. Although I’m fully sympathetic with the demonstrators, they were making demands against the wrong entity. Instead, the focus should be on the Tatmadaw, the notorious armed forces of Myanmar.