MyoTaw: Youth Mock Min Aung Hlaing as Erratic, Point Out Only Generals' and Cronies' Children Enjoy Luxury

Youth criticize Min Aung Hlaing as delusional for contradictory remarks, pointing out that it is only the children of generals and cronies who indulge in entertainment

August 1

Youth are strongly criticizing coup leader Min Aung Hlaing for his contradictory statements — on one hand forcing young people, who are the future of the country, into conscription on the battlefield and destroying their education and employment opportunities, while on the other hand claiming that the country is suffering because young people are not trying to become educated, are indulging in entertainment, and are leaving for abroad. They describe his remarks as those of a delusional person.

Furthermore, they point out that his call for young people to reduce their entertainment is ironic, as it is in fact the children of senior military officers and cronies who are spending entire nights partying in nightclubs and bars with drugs.

During his trips and event appearances in the last week of July, military chief Min Aung Hlaing told young people to strive for their own lives, to become educated, to be disciplined, and to reduce entertainment. He also blamed those leaving the country, saying that the departure of young people has caused a shortage of skilled workers domestically and damaged the country's economy.

"Young people who go abroad and work hard because there is no future in the country are blamed for leaving, causing a labor shortage and hurting the country. Meanwhile, the junta is forcing young people into illegal conscription and creating job scarcity at home. So even those who try hard are blamed. They don't spare young people abroad either — they're making things difficult for everyone," a Myanmar youth in Thailand told MyoTaw.

In reality, according to reports including those from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), young people are being forced to leave the country because of the deteriorating security, economic collapse, fears for their lives due to the forced conscription law, and the loss of future opportunities following the 2021 coup.

"They themselves destroyed the country, broke the education system, and are sending young people to die on the battlefield. Pretending not to know all this and saying young people don't try hard or lack discipline is the talk of someone completely out of touch with reality — a delusional person," a youth from Mayangone told MyoTaw.

He added: "If they want to talk about reducing entertainment, they should first talk to the children of their own generals and cronies. The bars and clubs now open in Yangon — the ones spending thousands of dollars every night partying with drugs are the children and associates of generals and cronies. An ordinary young citizen is struggling just to make ends meet these days and is terrified of being conscripted — entertainment is far from their minds."

The military chief is attempting to reverse the narrative by framing the youth exodus — which is a consequence of the coup, the root cause of the country's destruction — as being due to young people's personal negligence and indulgence in entertainment, in order to cover up the military takeover.

MyoTaw News Channel