The 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was celebrated only in Russia. In reality, this patriotic war is not something that concerns only Russia. In the past, the world faced extreme ideologies like fascism and Nazism. This war was about resisting and fighting against those isms. With regard to resisting fascism and Nazism, you all know it’s something we in Myanmar also experienced. We suffered under the brutal consequences of fascist rule. The people of Myanmar were also oppressed. Likewise, many neighbouring countries suffered from the impacts of fascism too. For example, if you want to understand the horrors of fascism in Myanmar, there is a novel called Ngba. Read it. This is based on true events written with reference to real incidents and historical context. Likewise, even in our neighbouring country, China, there have been massacres like the Nanning Massacre. Similarly, in Eastern Europe, Russia was one of the countries that fought against the Nazi regime with great emphasis. Around 26 million of their people lost their lives. Even by today’s population standards, that number — 26 million — is a huge loss of life. That’s why they celebrate it as a victory. That was history from the past. Looking at present-day history, what we often talk about now is the rise of neocolonialism. In modern times, there is economic domination. Major powers constantly have the desire to dominate smaller nations. We need to unite and resist these things. I want to say that we must join forces and stand against them.
In
this regard, the Myanmar Tatmadaw also participated in this 80th anniversary
ceremony for the first time. We organized events, held military parades, and
participated in commemorative marches. Through this, the Myanmar Tatmadaw has
demonstrated that, in line with international armed forces, we are a military
capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with others. First, it shows that the
Myanmar Tatmadaw are a competent and capable force on par with international
standards. Second, it clearly proves that our Tatmadaw can perform tasks at the
same level as other international militaries. In our country, it has long been
said that “a strong Tatmadaw makes a strong nation.” Some people, who wish to
diminish the role of the Tatmadaw, have spoken against this idea. But look at
the present era — for a country to have firm sovereignty and to uphold its
national dignity and prestige, a strong defence capability is essential. A
strong Tatmadaw is necessary. To firmly uphold our sovereignty, we must have a
respectable and capable defence force. This is something that all citizens
across the nation must understand, recognize, and take pride in. We must strive
to realize these goals. And I want to say that we have had the opportunity to
do so.
When
meeting with the President of China, I wanted to express just three key points
on behalf of Myanmar. First, China stands firmly and supportively with Myanmar
as a good neighbour when it comes to Myanmar’s sovereignty and national
development. Second, regarding Myanmar’s internal peace process, China
continues to uphold and practise its policy of non-interference in the internal
affairs of other countries. Moreover, both our countries adhere to the Five
Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which promote living together peacefully
and respectfully. Since China is a neighbouring country and also serves as a
western gateway for Myanmar, it views Myanmar’s internal peace process from a
positive perspective. It hopes for a peaceful outcome and is actively supporting
efforts toward achieving peace in Myanmar. We have received assurances that
China will continue to support these efforts going forward.
Third,
it is about our election. Regarding the election, the Prime Minister has
already spoken about Myanmar’s multiparty democratic general election, saying
that it will be held at the end of this year. From China’s side, we have seen
support in relations to the preparations for the election. What I want to share
as good news is that the multiparty democratic general election, which the
people of Myanmar have long yearned for, will be held. The multiparty
democratic system is something we have had thanks to the efforts of the
Tatmadaw since the past. Due to election fraud, the Tatmadaw assumed state
responsibility. Now, I would like to share the good news that we will continue
to implement the multiparty democratic system that the people of Myanmar desire.
The first main point I want to talk about is the political parties. In the area
of political parties, there is a need to make preparations in advance. Then, it
is necessary to educate and inform the public. I want to say clearly that, from
my point of view, this is the number one priority we must continue to work on.
The second point is about the public. Regarding the public’s role, we have
already stated that we want a multiparty democratic election system. If we
truly want a multiparty democracy, then holding peaceful and fair elections is
a fundamental requirement. In order to conduct these elections peacefully, I
urge the entire public to cooperate and support the process. I also want to
clearly say that we must firmly stand against terrorism, which is the opposite
of democracy.
As
for the relationship between Russia and Myanmar, it has been long-standing. It
is a strong and stable relationship. The initial relationship started with
military-to-military cooperation. It began during the time of the previous
Tatmadaw government, under the State Peace and Development Council and
continued under the State Administration Council. At present, the relationship
between Russia and Myanmar has developed not only in the Tatmadaw sphere but
also in various other sectors. It is continuing to grow. So, when we arrive in
Russia — or when we are in Russia — we can see this clearly. I’m not just
talking about government-to-government or military-to-military ties. I mean
people-to-people relations as well. The perception of the Myanmar people toward
the Russian people, and vice versa, has improved and become stronger. I believe
this is something we both desire, and I feel proud of it. During the Prime
Minister’s visit to Russia, it coincided with Russia’s 80th anniversary of the
Great Patriotic Victory. Many national leaders attended that event. While many
leaders were present, our Prime Minister, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, had
the opportunity to meet and speak with them. Through these meetings, he was
able to help them better understand the situation in Myanmar. He was able to
share the true events happening in Myanmar. To put it simply, he succeeded in
making the international community understand Myanmar more clearly.
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar
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