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The coup in Myanmar on February 1 overturned a democratically elected government.

Since then, the military has carried out a host of intimidating tactics, including more than 600 arrests, numerous threats of violence, physical abuse directed at protestors and those involved in civil disobedience, and at least three deaths.

“Those protesting this sudden and unwanted return to power of Myanmar’s military have exercised impressive discipline. They have remained peaceful in expressing their demands, which include the reinstatement of democracy and a return to power of the election’s victorious representatives of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Their creative, innovative methods are to be applauded, but they are no match against a heavily armed police and military force,” said Dr Susan Banki, Executive Council Member of the Sydney Peace Foundation and Senior Lecturer at Sydney University.

Myanmar’s military has allowed protests before, only to clamp down brutally when it deems it the right time. We might expect a similar pattern soon.

“The country’s night-time internet blockages, the targeting of activists, and videos from military personnel threatening to use live ammunition on protestors indicates that the military does not plan to back down from its plan to retain power for at least a year and is perfectly comfortable using force to maintain power,” Dr Banki said.

The Sydney Peace Foundation knows that peaceful protest is not a threat to a country. To the contrary, millions of marchers holding up placards that ask that their voices be heard is the very essence of striving for justice. Myanmar’s peaceful protestors are to be applauded and supported.

It is also important to remember that numerous ethnic minority groups have been advocating for better treatment and fairer governance in Myanmar for decades. While these groups are unhappy about the coup, their demands go beyond a return to the NLD in power. They want a genuine peace and reconciliation process that recognizes their autonomy.