No Clue Yet

[Maung Patamya]

I wrote this article for over 100,000 Burmese ethnics displaced people who are living in camps along the Thai-Burma border and praying for peace to go back to their homeland. And I wrote this article to release over 1,000 Burmese dissident who are living miserably in prisons through out Burma . Then, I wrote this article to start to move forward the political game in what both activists and junta are at an apparent stalemate. In fact, I wrote this article for the over one million Burmese who are working both legally and illegally overseas and waiting for Burma to change so they can visit, return to live, or to invest in business with safety and stability.

 Regarding Democratic Struggle; after more than a decade of struggle, there is no clue as to the overthrow of the military government, and people can’t even imagine what kind of political transition may be likely to take place in Burma . Why haven’t the 8888 dissidents uprooted Dictatorship in Burma ? We believe there are two ways in which the dissidents’ forces have become weak. On the one hand, the Regime's first attempt at distracting attention from demands for political transition, the multi-party national elections of 1990, deceived and misled many democratic activists and supporters, and the second attempt, the so-called covert dialogue, which had taken place since October 2000 offers the military government an effective political strategy to dissuade the international community from an ultimate commitment and to distract democratic activists. For me, 8888 dissidents and the people of Burma took their responsibility by showing sacrifice and by voting NLD to win. Some Burmese might agree that if I say 8-8-88 uprising can occur throughout Burma by supporting (BBC, VOA etc) Western Radio Stations. These medias became the most favorite radio stations during 88 uprising. After the Military staged a coup on Sep 18th, thousands of students and people fled to the border for some wanted an armed struggle against the Regime. Others came to the border to avoid the Regime’s interrogation. Dissidents came to the border with dreams; dreams like Bogyoke Aung San and his thirty colleagues who fought for independence. They dreamed like Members of Doh-Bamar Asiayon and Pyithu Ayaydawbon Party, and decided to gain independence_ democracy in this case_ by means of armed struggle not political means. General Aung San and his thirty youths got assistance from the Japanese army and fought back the British. How about our 8888 dissidents? 8888 dissidents defied the regime by non-violence during the 8888 uprising. When they were cruelly crushed down by the regime’s army, they realized that they must use armed force to topple the regime. So they organized underground groups throughout the country before they came border to get armed assistance. From 1988 September to the end of 1991, for better or worse, it was the best time to fight back military regime if dissidents receive foreign-armed assistance. These dissidents got no armed support from foreign countries; instead they got money, medicines and clothes etc…. for survival and non-violence purposes from NGOs, and religion based groups. However, dissidents aligned with ethnic rebel groups, which held different views, beliefs and political ideas. They founded All the Burmese Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) along the border and fought against the military regime. In the mean time, the Burmese Dictatorship got both economic support and armaments from China to defeat any resistance for regime inside their territory. Then they also got support from Thailand to defeat external dissidents (most of the dissidents were based on Thai soil). As a result, it still remains unknown how political transition is going to take place in Burma and what form it will take.

 Regarding Ethnic Struggles; the Panlong Agreement was signed on 12 February 1947 by Bogyoke Aung San and his party the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL), and representatives of the national races to get independence from the British. However, for the Architect of Burmese Independence Bogyoke Aung San, the Panlong meeting was the first time for him, and independence was the priority before all other issues, (perhaps he had strategies to solve any problems in the future). He attempted to reunite the ethnic nationalities in order to get Independence . Since Bogyoke Aung San was assassinated on 19 July 1947, the crack in the union spirit grew bigger and longer and almost smashed into smithereens. The richest country in South East Asia became the poorest one. Problems in education, the economy, politics, health, corruption, drug and social affairs became prevalent through out the entire country.

 All leading figures from SPDC, NLD & all ethnic groups, and all walks of life of Burmese people must seriously think about making peaceful dialogue(bipartite, tripartite, multipartite) with an willingness to fully compromise under the auspices of the UN to end Burma’s political “catch-22” situation in the very near future.

 Finally, I want to cry that Burma needs help from all of you Burmese race to get the solution. Please stop dreaming, please do not stay away from this issue, and please bring detente to our motherland. 

WWW http://www.tayzathuria.org.uk/

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