A major political event happened recently (Belarus). The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, traveled to Myanmar.
This visit is highly controversial. It is because Myanmar’s government has run by a military junta. This military took power in a coup in 2021.
Since that coup, almost all the world’s democratic leaders have refused to visit Myanmar. They have refused to talk to the military leaders. They have done this to isolate the regime.
By visiting Myanmar, President Lukashenko is breaking this isolation. He is becoming only the second world leader to visit the country since the military takeover.
This visit is a clear message. It shows that both Belarus and Myanmar are looking for new friends. It shows they have building a new alliance among nations that have often criticized by the West.
We will look at why this visit is so important. It will see what the two countries want from each other. We will also explore why this new friendship worries democratic nations.
The Isolation of Myanmar Belarus
Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. Its journey to democracy has cut short.
The 2021 Coup
In February 2021, Myanmar’s military took control. They removed the elected government. This has called a coup.
The military takeover was brutal. It led to massive protests. The military responded with violence. Thousands of people have killed or arrested since the coup.
Because of this violence and the overthrow of democracy, the Western world—the United States, Europe, and many others—isolated the military regime.
- Sanctions: They placed strong economic penalties on the military leaders.
- Diplomatic Freeze: They stopped high-level talks. They refused to send their leaders to Myanmar.
The goal of this isolation was to force the military to give power back to the elected civilian government. This is why a visit by any foreign leader is a huge deal.
The Rare Visitors
Before Lukashenko, only one other leader had visited Myanmar: the Prime Minister of Cambodia. Cambodia has a country that have sometimes seen as friendly to authoritarian regimes.
Lukashenko’s visit strengthens the position of the military ruler of Myanmar. It sends a message that Myanmar is not alone.
Who is Alexander Lukashenko? Belarus
President Alexander Lukashenko is the long-time leader of Belarus. Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe.
The Last Dictator of Europe
Lukashenko has ruled Belarus for many years. He has often called “Europe’s last dictator.”
His elections have often criticized as unfair. He has also used strong force to crush protests and silence his opponents.
Like Myanmar, Belarus is also facing strong sanctions from the West. These sanctions have put in place because of his government’s actions against human rights and democracy.
An Ally of Russia Belarus
Lukashenko is a very close ally of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Belarus depends heavily on Russia for economic and military support.
Because both Belarus and Russia are facing isolation from the West, they are looking for new friends around the globe.
What Do Belarus and Myanmar Want? Belarus
The visit is a clear sign that Belarus and Myanmar have found common ground. They are both isolated nations. They need each other.
Myanmar’s Needs (The Buyer)
The military government in Myanmar needs two things most:
- Legitimacy: The visit from a European president makes the military regime look normal. It shows the people of Myanmar that the outside world is starting to accept their rule.
- Weapons: The military is fighting strong resistance movements inside the country. They desperately need military supplies, weapons, and vehicles.
Belarus, with its strong ties to Russia, can be a valuable source of military and technical goods that Myanmar cannot buy from the West.
Belarus’s Needs (The Seller) Belarus
Belarus needs two things from Myanmar:
- Money: Belarus’s economy has been hurt by Western sanctions. They need new customers to buy their goods, especially military equipment. Myanmar has money to spend.
- Political Support: Lukashenko needs to show the world that he is still an important international leader. Meeting with the leader of Myanmar helps him look busy and powerful on the world stage.
This relationship is a trade of weapons and political support. It helps both authoritarian regimes survive the pressure from democratic nations.
The Impact on Global Democracy Belarus
Lukashenko’s visit to Myanmar is not just a story about two countries. It is a problem for the entire world.
Weakening Sanctions
The core idea of sanctions is to make a regime so lonely and poor that it must change its ways.
When countries like Belarus step in, they make the sanctions less effective. They provide a path for the military regime to get what it needs. This makes the job of democratic countries much harder.
It encourages other military rulers around the world to think: “If Myanmar can find new friends, so can we.”
The Axis of Authoritarianism
This visit strengthens the idea that a new group of nations is forming. This group includes countries like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and now Belarus and Myanmar.
These countries work together to support each other against the West. They share information. They trade weapons. This vote together in the United Nations.
This growing cooperation between authoritarian regimes is a major worry for global peace. It means that when one is in trouble, the others will step in to help.
A Message to the Protesters
For the people of Myanmar who are fighting for democracy, this visit is a terrible blow.
It makes them feel that the world has forgotten them. It makes the military leaders feel confident that they have won the political battle. The visit hurts the morale of the resistance movement inside Myanmar.
The Challenge for the West Belarus
Democratic nations must now decide how to react to this new friendship between Belarus and Myanmar.
Applying Secondary Sanctions
The West might have to put secondary sanctions on Belarus. This means punishing Belarus not just for its own actions, but for helping Myanmar.
The U.S. and the EU might say: “If you sell weapons to the Myanmar military, we will punish you even more.” This is a way to stop the flow of aid between the two countries.
Focus on Human Rights Belarus
The Western world must keep talking about the human rights situation in Myanmar. They must make sure the people who are suffering are not forgotten.
They need to support the democratic movement inside Myanmar. This must show that the democratic world is still on their side, even if some leaders, like Lukashenko, choose to visit the military rulers.
The visit of Alexander Lukashenko to Myanmar is a sharp reminder that the world is becoming more divided. It shows the new connections forming between nations that oppose democracy. The challenge is clear: democratic nations must work harder than ever to support their values and stop the spread of authoritarian power.
Read More Articles Click Here. Read Previous Article Click Here. Inspired by Al-Jazeera.
About The Author
Leave a Reply