“Milk Tea Alliance” has its origins in the online skirmish of competing K-Pop fans.
Today it is a movement against authoritarianism in countries like Myanmar.
New York City / Munich - Now there are only the fatalities left. The demonstrators, don't let headshots, arrests and the third corona wave deter them. In Myanmar, the military * overthrew the democratically elected government on February 1, 2021 - and with it Aung San Suu Kyi, a bearer of hope. It is the fourth coup in five decades to rock the Southeast Asian country. But this time the resistance against the military junta is more stubborn. In the past ten years, the population has tasted democracy. No democratic system like in the European Union, but freedoms that were not possible under military rule. The previously isolated country has opened up to the world during this time.
Then the military coup.
Shortly afterwards, the hashtag “Milk Tea Alliance” trended.
Democracy activists from countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand expressed their solidarity with the Burmese and Burmese.
However, the history of the transnational democracy movement “Milk Tea Alliance” did not begin with the street fighting in Myanmar.
But in a meme dispute between rival K-pop groups.
What began loosely as a hashtag is now a ranks of movements in authoritarian countries that strive for democracy.
And stand up against the China ruled by the Communist Party *.
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Burmese protesters hold portraits of the arrested Myanmar Prime Minister Suu Kyi and show the symbolic three-finger salute during a protest near the Taipei 101 skyscraper against the military regime in Myanmar.
The protesters are calling for more attention from the international community, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to the situation in Myanmar.
© Daniel Ceng Shou-Yi / dpa
From hashtag to democracy movement: The emergence of the "Milk Tea Alliance"
At the beginning of the research, the “Milk Tea Alliance” is a dead end. There is no representative organizational structure, no association, no central body. Rather, it is a "fluid hashtag that has been trending in various economic cycles," says Prof. Dr. Wolfram Schaffar from the University of Tübingen. The Japanologist is one of the few scientists who researches the phenomenon of the “Milk Tea Alliance”. Originally, there were different currents that developed in such a way that "authoritarianism is accused in a general form - often in connection with authoritarian action supported by China or identified with China," said Schaffar.
It started in April 2020 with a fan group war.
On the one hand, there are Chinese nationalist Internet warriors, so-called “Wolf Warriors” *, who call themselves “Little Pink”.
On the other hand, fans of the Thai actor and singer Vachirawit Chivaaree, stage name "Bright", and his girlfriend Nnevvy.
The background, however, was highly political.
"Bright" shared a post listing Hong Kong SAR as a separate country.
"Little Pink" reacted angrily.
Her accusation: The Thai celebrity disregards the one-China policy.
The Thai K-pop community, with the help of Hong Kong and Taiwanese fan groups, resolutely opposed it - and won the online carnage.
This was not yet the "Milk Tea Alliance".
But the first stone had started to roll.
Origin of the name "Milk Tea Alliance"
The name refers to a drink from the first countries of the "Milk Tea Alliance": tea with a dash of milk in different variations.
In Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan ("Bubble Tea") this form of tea is widespread and especially popular among the young, urban middle class population.
There are also variations of this in other countries of the “Milk Tea Alliance”.
Days later, well-known democracy activists such as Joshua Wong picked up the hashtag.
They managed to “transform the political discourse into something progressive”, Schaffar analyzes retrospectively.
The development of the hashtag in a pro-democratic and anti-authoritarian direction had been specifically promoted.
In short: The democracy movement in the various countries discovered the potential of the hashtag.
New form of the transnational resistance movement: memes and pop-cultural references
With the “Milk Tea Alliance” a new form of transnational resistance movement emerged: National borders only play a role in the online movement insofar as the political system of one's own country is criticized - authoritarianism.
Closing ranks makes the message stronger, the voices that scream for democracy louder.
“We find this hashtag spread in authoritarian countries where the authoritarian governments are not popular,” says the Japanologist.
These are mainly Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar - and Taiwan because of the threat posed by the Communist Party.
Memes and pop cultural references play a central role.
In photos from Thailand and Myanmar you can see demonstrators who silently raise their hands in a three-finger salute as a sign of resistance.
A call to rebellion, known from the film series "Hunger Games".
Myanmar's UN ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun, publicly refused allegiance to the military after the coup - at the end of his speech he also made the three-finger salute.
In Thailand, the youth rebelled against the monarchy and the lavish king Rama X.
Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, a student, became one of the leaders at the time.
Her trademark: the Harry Potter glasses.
Putsch in Myanmar 2021: hashtag “Milk Tea Alliance” spread after the overthrow of the democratic government
Since the coup, the hashtag has primarily been used in the context of Myanmar.
After the fall of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kji, the activists turned to the countries of the “Milk Tea Alliance” for support.
A guideline with tactics for street protests based on the model of Hong Kong and Thailand was circulating, says the New York Myanmar activist Aung Moe Win.
The continued resistance took the military by surprise, according to Aung.
"Freedom cannot be taken for granted, it has to be fought for."
Aung Moe Win, Myanmar activist from New York City
“People don't want to go back to the time of fear and oppression. They take to the streets at the risk of their lives to this day, afraid of bullets, arrests and torture. Her family members have been kidnapped. And now also Covid-19. “The health system has collapsed - and oxygen devices are in acute shortage. He knows from his contacts in Myanmar that young people continued to train to fight the military and tried to get weapons, Aung said. "The military underestimated people's desire for freedom," the activist from New York City is certain.
People turned up for demonstrations across the country, Aung said. Flash mobs have now dominated cities and rural areas. Protesters gathered at dawn, in the middle of the night - they bet on moments of surprise. Nevertheless, there are always confrontations with the military, shots and arrests. Ten young people were recently arrested, one of whom was shot. What drives people? "If they don't fight, if the military stays in power, the people will suffer," says the activist with conviction. "Freedom cannot be taken for granted, it has to be fought for."
To celebrate the first anniversary of the #MilkTeaAlliance, we designed an emoji featuring 3 different types of milk tea colors from regions where the Alliance first formed online.
It automatically appears when you Tweet any of the hashtags below👇 pic.twitter.com/QiIBBbKfQc
- Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) April 8, 2021
Future of the democracy movement “Milk Tea Alliance”: structure, organization and leaders
The “Milk Tea Alliance” is still a heterogeneous movement without a structure, superordinate organization and heads at the top. The potential is great to become a political force for democracy within Asia - especially in the younger generation. The biology professor and Hong Kong * activist Anna Cheung (NGO: "Hong Kong Democracy Council") from New York City tries to untangle the ball of yarn of the various groups and bring them together. She has been campaigning for democracy in her home country for decades. She says, “Coming together under the hashtag 'Milk Tea Alliance' is easy. But it is completely different to crystallize what you do with it. "
She exchanges ideas with activists from other countries about how a real movement can emerge from the loose association. There are already first beginnings. How Cheung Organized Demonstrations in New York City and Washington DC What is the strategy for the future? And how can you make the world aware of what is happening in the countries? These are the questions that concern Anna Cheung - she tries to find the answer in regular meetings with activists from Myanmar, Thailand and Taiwan *. She sees the greatest potential in sharing experiences. The countries could benefit from each other, exchange tactics and strategies. This is what happened in Myanmar: Following the example of the Hong Kong movement, the demonstrators use masks against tear gas,write their blood type on their arms for emergency operations and learn to treat themselves after a tear gas attack.
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The “Milk Tea Alliance” demonstration organized by Hong Kong activist Anna Cheung in New York City, spring 2021.
© Anna Cheung
"We try to keep the common goals high in order to bring everyone together," said Cheung.
This presents the experienced activist with challenges.
Because: It is true that the movements of the various countries shared the longing for democracy as a unifying factor.
But every country has its own fate, according to Cheung.
“I don't think we will have THE Milk Tea Alliance.
But I believe that we can bundle our strengths better. "
However: “Until the day when Hong Kong receives democracy, until Myanmar has peace and is no longer controlled by the military, until Thailand has deposed its king and until Taiwan is safe, it will be years, decades.
I don't have a fortune telling ball.
But 'Milk Tea Alliance' is the first step - and that's what we can do, ”says Anna Cheung with conviction.
Criticism points of the hashtag movement “Milk Tea Alliance” - fueled anti-Chinese resentment
But there are also critical currents within the “Milk Tea Alliance”.
In Myanmar, the hashtag is used in part to spread claims that the People's Republic of China is behind the military coup.
That is not proven.
“#Milk Tea Alliance” can thus be instrumentalized to spread a certain narrative.
Like the knee-jerk blame on China.
According to Prof. Dr.
Rather, Schaffar is not to regard authoritarianism as a phenomenon linked to China, but as a general, abstract problem.
Also please don't thank us, the people of #Myanmar called for solidarity and the people all over SEA / # MilkTeaAlliance responded
- #MilkTeaAlliance Brew (@AllianceMilkTea) February 28, 2021
Nonetheless: "For many young demonstrators (in Myanmar) joining the Milk Tea Alliance, together with other Asian youth, means a rejection of the closed and authoritarian society that has maintained the military for decades through violence and terror," says Ronan Lee, visiting scholar of the Queen Mary University of London, across from Deutsche Welle. It is hope.
In Myanmar, many people continue to believe that they will be able to free themselves from the military again. Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kji is under house arrest. However, it is still considered a "symbol of hope and democracy," reports Aung. With all the pain of the past few months, positive things also developed. The various ethnic groups in Myanmar, including the oppressed Rohingya Muslim minority, are currently united in the fight against the military. Just like the countries of the "Milk Tea Alliance" in their resistance to authoritarianism.
(aka) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Note:
It is currently hardly possible for foreign media to receive or verify information from Myanmar.
Journalists have left the country, the internet is severely restricted, and there is no trustworthy government information.
Also read:
Finn Lau from London organizes global protests against China's actions in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The tensions between the People's Republic, the USA and the EU are currently increasing.