Myanmar youth artists hold art challenge to raise awareness of country’s plight

Myanmar’s youth artists are hosting an art challenge to raise awareness of their country’s continued struggle for democracy. According to Irrawaddy, the challenge is named #Revtober, an off-shoot of the worldwide art challenge of Inktober. The challenge will see daily drawings and paintings that follow a prompt list for the 31 days of October. The artwork will be shared on various social media platforms to raise awareness of the atrocities committed by Myanmar’s military regime.

Official reports note that the junta, which staged a coup in February 2021, has killed at least 2,332 civilians (including 300 children). Over 15,700 people have been detained, including politicians such as Aung San Suu Kyi, whose democratically-elected National League For Democracy was overthrown during the coup. Student activists, elected leaders, civil servants, journalists and protesters have also been detained by the ruling military junta. Artists posted on social media calling attention to their cause.

“We demand that the international community helps [the innocent people of Myanmar.]”

The first four days of the challenge saw artists showing how the military takeover has robbed them of their dreams and freedom, and the fate of children that were targeted in the junta’s alleged attacks which saw an airstrike on a school that killed 11 children.

Armed resistance to the junta is allegedly increasing with the regime now struggling to control many parts of the country. The junta forces are allegedly escalating their terror campaign against the Myanmar people, with more civilian killings that are carried out through air and artillery strikes. Torture, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, burning and looting of villages are also reportedly on the rise.

The artists are calling on the international community to stand up to the junta, as they say, that the horrific acts by the regime have gone unpunished by the United Nations and the international community as a whole. In recent days, Myanmar’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been sentenced to another three years in jail along with an Australian adviser to her political party.