2022 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights

H.E. Acting President Duwa Lashi La congratulates the laureate of the 2022 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights and thanks Gwangju citizens for supporting Myanmar
May 17, 2022

Dear respected people of Gwangju, the symbol of South Korea’s fight against authoritarian regimes for democracy!

First of all, I would like to thank you for your full support for the Myanmar democratic revolution. We wish you joy, good health, and success in all your endeavors.

I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for awarding the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights to our own Dr Cynthia Maung, the founder of the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot on the Thai-Myanmar border. This award renews a valuable strength for the people of Myanmar in our fight for human rights and peace.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the people of the Republic of Korea for your long-standing and generous support for the Myanmar people. Even though we have different heritages, one thing we both share is that the military dictatorships have bitterly oppressed us. The Korean people were able to overthrow the authoritarian regime successfully. Your success greatly inspires many, including the people of Myanmar, who have been strongly opposing the military dictatorship for many years now.

Following the attempted coup, the military led by Min Aung Hlaing inhumanely tortured and killed the people of Myanmar, who only wanted democracy and peace. They are killing innocent people day by day. Women and children are increasingly being tortured and killed. Cities and villages are being set on fire. Innocent civilians, young and old, are being massacred. A woman in Chin State was raped in front of her husband at gunpoint. The massacre of 35 people in Karenni State is also another example of the military junta’s atrocities. The Burmese military is armed with weapons and ammunition provided by Russia and some other countries. They are using jets and attack helicopters to attack unarmed civilians.

More than a year after the coup, 1,835 innocent people were killed in arson attacks by the military junta. Seven hundred and sixty-nine people were forcibly used as human shields by members of the military council. Ten thousand six hundred and ten people were illegally detained, and more than one million individuals have been displaced. A total of 13,226 public homes were burnt to the ground by the terrorist army.

Despite all this oppression by the terrorist army, the people of Myanmar have been zealous and courageous in the fight against the military junta.

Dear people of Gwangju,

On September 7, 2021, our National Unity Government (NUG) announced that it had launched a self-defence war. At present, about 50 per cent of the country is controlled by the National Unity Government and the Allied Revolutionary Forces, and public administration and the judiciary systems are being implemented.

This Spring Revolution, which began with Gen Z’s peaceful protests and the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) of civil servants, brought a stop to the military dictatorship. Due to popular uprisings, the military council coup failed and could not control the country as a whole. Many areas will soon be created as liberated areas. The NUG government has begun to provide higher education and vocational training to the public and CDM staff and provide public health services with CDM health workers despite many financial and infrastructural challenges.

The NUG government has also built mutual trust with many ethnic minority groups. We have been consistently working to build unity and alliance with the remaining ethnic groups as well.

The military dictatorship is no longer considered legitimate by the international community, including the United Nations, and is now being increasingly excluded. Additionally, it is no longer possible for the military dictatorship to meet with top representatives of the United States Government, the European Union (EU) and Asian countries. In the meantime, formal relations with our National Unity Government (NUG) have improved as the international community has shunned the military dictatorship. NUG has held official meetings with top representatives from the United States, European Union (EU) and Asian countries.

Our National Unity Government is committed to building a peaceful federal democratic union and providing valuable and practical assistance to people in need with international organisations’ support.

Dear people of Gwangju,

I urge you to continue to provide effective support for the protection of the lives and property of the people of Myanmar and the establishment of a federal democratic union greatly desired by the people of Myanmar.

Our people desperately need help to protect themselves from the brutal killings of the military. Our civil servants who have joined the CDM need support to survive. NUG also needs support to run our education, health, and judicial sectors as a democratic government. Our people who have been displaced due to armed conflicts also need your generous support. Most importantly, please provide support in imposing strong sanctions against the military dictators from buying military weapons.

This revolution is a sure struggle for the people to win. Your support will save many lives. I firmly believe that we are winning every battle we face against the Burmese armies to this day and that the people will win the final battle.

Lastly, I would like to thank all the people of South Korea for your comradery in our fight for democracy. I sincerely urge you to continue your support. We will soon overthrow the military dictatorship and replace it with the new federal democratic Myanmar that has been longed for by our people throughout history, with your continued support!

We will and must win this revolution!