On 3 August, in front of the Yangon City Hall, former lieutenant colonel Hla Swe sporting camouflage fatigues, complete with matching military beret cap, mounted a stage in front of a thousand protesters, made up of monks, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) members and diehard nationalists, and began an anti-US diatribe.

During his rhetoric and persuasive speech he was accusing the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government in Naypyitaw, that it provided inside information to the US which contributed to the imposition of the visa sanction for their role in atrocities committed against the country’s Rohingya minority, on the military or Tatmadaw’s four top generals, including the commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.

When he at the rally asked the crowd: “Sanctions were imposed against Tatmadaw (generals). Doesn’t the country have a president? Doesn’t the country have someone who is higher than the president?,” they roared back with a loud affirmative “yes”.

Hla Swe was apparently railing at president Win Myint and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi for not taking actions against the US sanctions.

He further whipped up the crowd’s enthusiasm by saying: “We don’t care about the sanctions, just do it,” adding, “if American troops are coming to the country, it will be worse than Vietnam for them.”

He also said if the if the US is to invade and bomb government installations that would lead to the death of the government employees, it would be in order, even though it is remote that such a scenario would ever unfold.

“If Americans bombed the secretariat building, president’s office, government offices or state counsellor’s office… just watch what would happen then,” he told a crowd during a protest against recent US sanctions against top military officials.

“Come and bomb,” he added. “Let all the people from the government and secretariat offices die, that’d be cool.”

On August 7, Kyauktada township deputy administrator Myo Myint filed a complaint against Hla Swe with the township court for allegedly condemning state leaders while speaking at a rally against the US imposition of visa sanctions on Myanmar military leaders in front of Yangon City Hall on August 3.

Hla Swe is reportedly sued for sedition under Article 124(a) of the Penal Code, Yangon western district court press officer U Min Thant confirmed.

Attack on Islam

Regarding his attack on Islam, Hla Swe at the same rally called up a recent controversial art exhibition in the US embassy, where artwork showing Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ and Hindu god Shiva faces were put on masks to emphasize air pollution and environmental degradation of the planet earth, and questioned why Mohammed was not included and has been spared.

He went on telling the crowd that they dared not put a mask only on Mohammed among the four main faiths for if they did this, Mohammed would explode bombs at their embassy, to the laughs and cheers of the audience.

He further asked the audience, “Which religion is non-negotiable?,” to which the crowd replied, “Mohammed, Mohammed.”





Former MP Hla Swe insults Prophet Muhammad as terrorist bomber – Myanmar Muslim Media

Sann Aung, an Islam faith leader filed a lawsuit with Kyauktada township against Hla Swe for using anti-Muslim hate speech during the rally. Magistrate of Kyauktada township court examined complainant Sann Aung and reportedly accepted the case. Accordingly, the case will be decided on August 21 whether or not to accept the lawsuit, filed under Article 295(a) of the Penal Code, which criminalizes deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the feelings of any group by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

While Article 124(a) violations are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, Article 295(a) violations are punishable by two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine. Accordingly, both charges of the Penal Code are not granted bail.

The bigger picture

But the bigger picture of the political conflict raging on can be roughly categorized into three issues.

First is the constitutional amendment, second the UN pressure on Myanmar and third the US visa sanctions on Tatmadaw generals.

Regarding constitutional amendment the positions are hardened, as the military bloc made up of the USDP and the Tatmadaw unelected MPs, with the backing of Ma Ba Tha, an ultra nationalist Buddhist organisation, and diehard ultra-nationalist,are against the amendment of the military-drafted 2008 constitution, while the NLD is striving for it to reduce the Tatmadaw’s veto power in the amendment of the constitution.

Crucial, important paragraphs in the constitution needs more than 75% MPs’ endorsement vote, which is an impossible task given that the military occupied 25% appointed MP seats, according to the constitution.

Many rallies for constitutional amendment were held by the NLD and its supporters, but the military bloc was able to hold only just a few, which were led by Ma Ba Tha monks, USDP members and the ultra-nationalist.

Concerning the UN pressure on the Myanmar government from the dignified return of a million or so Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh, including the demand to stop the war and human rights violations in Arakan state, the Tatmadaw and the NLD are almost on the same page.

And while the NLD is mum on recent US visa sanctions of the four top military generals, it rejected the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission report that urged the international community to sever ties with Myanmar’s military and the vast web of companies, estimated to be about 120 businesses,it controls and relies on. The Mission said the revenues the military earns from domestic and foreign business deals substantially enhances its ability to carry out gross violations of human rights with impunity. In other words, NLD considered itself to be on the same both with the Tatmadaw in this UN proposed economic boycott aspect.

Outlook

Thus, Bullet Hla Swe anti-US rally is in fact also the anti-NLD one, which is the pro-military bloc demonstration and a move against constitutional amendment. But the worry is the anti-Islam rhetoric that would somehow have an effect on pending Rohingya repatriation.

With the world and UN wanting to see the Rohingya problematic resolved as soon as possible, Hla Swe anti-Islam rhetoric isn’t conducive for the country’s reintegration into the mainstream international community.

To this end, religious tolerance, anti-racism and upholding universal human rights are issues which need to be taken seriously into account and also promote them in order to restore dignity and acknowledgement of the international players.

Because of this, concerned people will be closely be monitoring on how the government handles the case of Bullet Hla Swe, which would be looked upon as a litmus test in the realizationof accommodating a genuine multi-ethnic state, in words and deeds.