Kyaw Moe Tun is effectively flying alone now, he says, unable to contact civilian leaders held by the government, but determined to keep the spotlight in Myanmar, while pro-democracy protesters face bloody repressions at home. His elderly parents, who still live in Myanmar, have also been inaccessible since his February 26 speech – but he says he knows for other channels that are rooting for him.
His interview with Meanwhile Meanwhile on Monday was edited for length and clarity.
How does it feel to be posted here in New York with a government overthrow at home?
In Myanmar, we have three “pillars” against the military coup and the military regime: First, the protesters, who are on the streets and risk their lives to go against the security forces. At the same time, we have another pillar, which is the CDM: the civil disobedience movement. And at the same time, the CRPH (a parliamentary committee in exile) is also working. So my part here is, however, to be able to help these three pillars get stronger and stronger.
That’s how you can see (my speech) on February 26th. I knew that there would be no documents coming out of the meeting because it was an informal meeting. But I really wanted to have the maximum positive impact of the meeting on the people of Myanmar. That’s why I made the speech.
Was it a difficult decision?
It is a very rare decision for a career diplomat. Of course, the decision I made is a very difficult one, but at the same time, the people of Myanmar want a democracy. …
Since February 1st, it has been very difficult for me to sit here. When the military coup came and they had the military council, it is clear that their instructions came here and there, and they were asking us to do this and that. To be quite frank, we drafted a statement and then submitted it to headquarters, and they provided an edited version.
But I wanted to contribute to the people of Myanmar, so the statement I made had to reflect the real situation there. I didn’t want to make a statement far from reality.
His speech asked the world to use “all necessary means” to end the coup. What does that mean? Military intervention?
Yes, of course, it can be. But it is very difficult to get military intervention, because the decision of a country that sends military personnel to another country is not so easy – it is very difficult. I know that, but the request that is being made to our people in Myanmar is very clear: we need the protection of the international community, in any way that it can help us. We do not want any more loss of life for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar; we really want action, a very strong action that can stop the brutal acts of the military.
What is China’s role here?
They said to focus more on the dialogue. But how can we have this dialogue while our leaders are in detention? Whenever we have a dialogue, there must be a level playing field.
What are you asking now from the United States and the international community?
I appeal to the international community to help us in everything they can. Many of us within the country, especially young people, young people who are on the streets, are helpless. And not just them, but all of us – all of Myanmar’s inhabitants – also feel helpless.
My goal here is to fight the military regime as long as I can and until the end of the military coup. … Our democracy was just a nascent democracy and so the military came to delay it by 40 or 50 years. Democracy must prevail. Democracy must prevail.