PH youth groups back Myanmar students’ fight vs ‘repressive’ education law

MANILA, Philippines—Youth groups in the country have conveyed their support for Myanmar (Burma) students who were arrested after they launched protest actions condemning a controversial education law passed by the Myanmar parliament last September.

The National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) and Akbayan Youth both condemned the violent government crackdown on students and youth leaders who opposed the National Education Law of 2014, which allegedly stifles the academic freedom of students.

Reports said that Myanmar authorities arrested 127 demonstrators including monks, students, and journalists and charged 60 others for unlawful assembly as they protested against the controversial law in Letpadan, a city north of Yangon last March 10.

NUSP said in a statement that the “fascist” Myanmar government should be held accountable for the violent dispersal of students.

“NUSP denounces the fascist government of Burma and holds it accountable over the violent dispersal and crackdown of students protesting for their legitimate and democratic concerns. Fascist governments, such as those of Burma and the Philippines, gain nothing but their own downfall. A people will always fight for their sovereign rights and will not think twice to oppose and defeat undemocratic, anti-student and anti-people policies. A government that ensure its fascistic rule in the land by perpetuating violence will only sow the defiance of its people,” the group said.

On its part, Akbayan Youth said that the brutal crackdown on students is an indication that Myanmar is “sliding back to becoming a repressive nation.”

“This violent crackdown is an abhorrent assault on democracy and the students and other protester’s fundamental human rights. Images circulating the Internet of the tragic event are disturbing. They do not only showcase brave and brilliant students maltreated and abused, but they also depict how the government is finally casting away its pretensions of democracy. It shows how the old regime refuses to perish, affirming an earlier investigation published by the UN warning Burma of sliding back to becoming a repressive nation,” the youth group said.

The National Educational Law was enacted in September 2014 and was backed by President Thein Sein. Civil society groups in Myanmar opposed the measure for various reasons: it will not recognize student and teachers unions, universities will be under the direct control of the Ministry of Education, and minority languages will not be taught in higher education institutions.