Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the country’s regime on Tuesday to " root out military rule,” taking the ongoing armed struggle against the junta to another level, with fighting expected to intensify across the country. In a speech to the country on Tuesday morning, the NUG’s acting president, Duwa Lashi La, called on all citizens to “revolt against the rule of military terrorists led by [coup leader] Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country” and declared all of Myanmar to be under a state of emergency.
Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of Myanmar's parallel government, announced that the "defensive war" against the military administration has begun, raising the risk of civil war in the military-controlled Southeast Asian country.
The president of the National Unity Government (NUG), which anti-government lawmakers and activists formed to oppose the military takeover on Feb. 1, asked civilians "in every corner of the country" to rebel against Gen. Min Aung Hlaing's military regime. He also urged armed ethnic groups to act in concert.
The People's Defense Forces (PDF), the shadow government's military wing, will "protect the lives and properties of the people." according to Duwa Lashi La.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' special envoy Erywan Yus, a Brunei minister, has previously advocated for a four-month cease-fire. "I believe that our neighboring countries, ASEAN countries, United Nations, and all the other countries around the world understand that we do [this action] out of necessity based on the country's current situation." Duwa Lashi La said in his speech.
The NUG president demanded that bureaucrats who are now employed by the military dictatorship resign. "All the civil servants under the military council, we warn and forbid you from going to the office from today onward."
"As the people's revolution begins, all the soldiers, the polices forces, and civil servants who have been deceived and suppressed by Min Aung Hlaing immediately join the People's Defense Forces and immediately report to the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Home Affair of National Unity Government." according to Duwa Lashi La's statement.
Despite violent military crackdowns, people in cities and towns publicly resisted and protested when the military took over in February. According to human rights organizations, the death toll had surpassed 1,000 by August.
Many prominent members of the dissolved administration, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy, who won a landslide election in November last year, remain in custody.
Some of Myanmar's youth who have defied the military have gotten combat training from ethnic armed organizations and have fled the country.
The PDF includes NUG troops as well as combatants from armed ethnic groups, according to Padoh Mahn Mahn, the NUG's deputy defense minister. "they may connect [and] have common goal and missions." the minister remarked. However, there is no official coordination between the groups.
“It will last until the resumption of civilian rule in the country,” he said.