When we talk or write about world politics, democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression, the story of George Soros, the founder of the so-called Open Society Foundation, must be included as a chapter.
Mentioning the Open Society Foundation, one might easily assume it is a charitable organization operating extensively under themes like education, human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, democracy, and peace in over 100 countries. However, behind the scenes, it is merely an organization operating under the guise of democracy and human rights for its own interests, the interests of the United States, and the interests of the Democratic Party. The founding father of this organization is George Soros.
George Soros is said to be an expert in finance. There are instances where he manipulated the global financial market, causing turmoil. He is also widely believed to have created the 1997 financial crisis in Thailand. Due to his manipulation of the Thai Baht, some Thai businessmen went bankrupt, and some even reportedly committed suicide. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad even went so far as to call George Soros a criminal and a villain.
Similarly, Myanmar has not been free from George Soros’s schemes. Many believe that George Soros is the one who ignited religious and ethnic-based conflicts in Rakhine State to delay China’s Belt and Road Initiative, in which Myanmar is said to be participating. His intention is to hinder China’s economic progress. It is believed that he is fueling instability in Rakhine State because if China’s Belt and Road Initiative succeeds, his financial investments could suffer losses.
Researchers say that there were even over 100 organizations in Myanmar receiving support from George Soros. According to information leaked from a 2016 hack, during the 2015 election period, the Open Society Foundation provided funding ranging from $50,000 to $300,000 per group to about 50 organizations, news media personnel, and political activist groups in Myanmar. There is strong evidence that George Soros, who funds organizations worldwide to obtain desired information as he wishes, has done similarly in Myanmar.
George Soros, who funds non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), media, and civil society organizations internationally, met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time in New York City on September 24, 2016. Furthermore, on January 11, 2017, he met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the second time in Nay Pyi Taw, along with his son, Alexander Soros. Although the details of these meetings are unknown, news emerged that they were able to begin efforts to open the Open Society Myanmar Foundation, a subsidiary of the Open Society Foundation, in Myanmar. Later, that indeed materialized.
George Soros visited Myanmar four times from March 2014 to January 2017 and met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi twice. Records indicate that his son, Alexander Soros, visited Myanmar seven times from January 2017 to January 2020 and met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi up to six times. Although the organization is called the Open Society Foundation, what was discussed in these meetings with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not known, nor was the extent of their ambitions.
George Soros officially states that his organization, the Open Society Foundation, was established with the aims of promoting good governance, establishing liberal public policies, and spreading democracy. However, there have also been criticisms that George Soros himself and his Open Society Foundation have been involved in political interference in the internal affairs of other countries, inciting social instability, and providing financial support to his preferred political parties during election periods.
During the second term of the democratic government, there was significant criticism both inside and outside the parliament regarding the appointment of U Thaung Tun first as the first National Security Advisor and later as the Union Minister for the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations. Although U Thaung Tun was a close associate who had worked for George Soros, he concealed this fact in his biography, which is an act of dishonesty. A parliamentarian at the time pointed out that this could one day affect national security and Sino-Myanmar relations. However, the then-responsible NLD government ignored this without considering national security.
George Soros spends billions of dollars annually under the banner of the “Open Society” in over 100 countries. It is also observed that the Open Society Foundation has consistently attempted to cultivate proxy entities by providing substantial funding to certain organizations and political parties in Myanmar. While some of his ambitions have succeeded, others have not materialized as intended. For those who view Myanmar’s reality with an honest mind, it is evident that the cries of some NGO-branded peace activists and politically active individuals calling for an immediate cessation of wars in the border areas, targeting the Tatmadaw’s territorial control and stability operations, are not free from the agendas and policies of the Open Society Foundation (OSF).
Myanmar suffered significant damage in Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, and Sagaing due to the major earthquake that struck on March 28th. At this time, political opportunists tried to take advantage of the natural disaster to gloat. However, the situation did not turn out as they had hoped. It can be seen that the government and the people have demonstrated and are demonstrating resilience in all situations.
The goal of these political opportunists is to prevent the current ruling State Administration Council (SAC) government from being able to hold an election. However, the SAC government has reaffirmed that it will hold the general election in December 2025, according to its previous plans and directions. This confirmation will surely be a painful blow, like a punch to the nose, for those who want to exploit the difficulties of people affected by the earthquake and for political opportunists.
In summary, following the great Mandalay earthquake, rehabilitation and reconstruction will proceed alongside the general election at the end of this year. In a way, this major election is an important process for national rehabilitation and rebuilding after the great political upheaval. There is still much to be done in the post-election period. This is a period of undergoing rehabilitation and reconstruction for the earthquake-affected areas, and it is also a critical transitional period for successfully holding the general election politically. During this time, political opportunists will surely be watching to see if the forest fire spreads. As the saying goes, one can never be too careful; it is a period that both the government and the people must navigate with vigilance and alertness. The tentacles of George Soros and Alexander Soros also exist in various places in various forms and disguises and could disrupt the election process. We must be cautious of the hidden agendas behind the Open Society and those setting political traps for Myanmar. However, the current political climate and international situation are in our favor, so I believe we can calmly and steadily face and overcome the challenges we will encounter.
Ko Pyae