A public seminar was held at the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Faculty of Social Sciences called “Five Years Coup in Myanmar: Myanmar in the Midst of Geopolitics” on Sunday. It featured Khin Ohmar, a human rights activist and the founder of civil society organization Progressive Voice, Debbie Stothard, the founder and coordinator of ALTSEAN-Burma, and Eh Htee Kaw, a representative from the Karen Youth Organization (KYO).
“Five years marks half a decade, and for nearly that entire duration, the people have stood firm in their resistance. It is a matter of great pride to have been part of this revolution. We are holding this event today to honor the hard work, contributions, and personal sacrifices of every single individual involved,” an organizer of the event told DVB on the condition of anonymity.
Khin Ohmar gave an overview of the military’s 2025-26 “sham” elections, which ended on Jan. 25. “What we saw is that people didn’t show up. Phase one, two, and three altogether. There was a complete lack of turnout, except [for] the military [personnel], or those civil servants who are compelled to show up and vote [in] fear of reprisal,” she told attendees at the CMU Regional Center for Sustainable Development (RCSD).
Debbie Stothard discussed relations between Burma and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which refused to recognize the military’s elections, as well as China’s endorsement of the polls. CMU professor Sirada Khemmanitthathai also addressed Burma and Thailand’s political complexities with an upcoming Thai election on Feb. 8. The seminar concluded with a performance by CMU students from Myanmar.
