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Random Thoughts 

By Raluca Enescu 

          About a month ago, I’ve seen an exposition organized by the National Archives of Bucharest, on the subject of fascism and communism; the demonstration that left-wing and right-wing extremes have more in common than they seem to, although regarded as somewhat controversial in the past, is now proven and accepted as a fact, even with the risk of turning itself into a cliché. The originality of the exposition was in showing that not only the facts were very much alike, but also the type of language used in official papers and declarations. To this actually meaningless language were opposed, for a contrast, small quotes collected by a teacher from elementary school pupils during Ceausescu’s regime, in Romania, and published after the 1989 revolution. For example, “a secret” said one of the children, “is what the militia shouldn’t know”.

            My country, Romania, has been ruled by a communist dictatorship from the end of World War 2 until December 1989. I’m in the first generation born under a democratic regime, and I feel extremely lucky about it. Did you know that more than half of the world’s population still lives in countries ruled by dictatorships? 

            From the first moment I’ve found out about the situation in Burma, it hit me how many similarities I could find with what my parents and grandparents were telling me about “the time before the Revolution”, a time I have never lived, but the consequences and memories of which I was well-aware of. I guess that’s what influenced me first place in my decision to involve in pro-democracy& human rights actions.

            The same situation in which to say what you wish is a crime; to have a conscience is a crime; to think is a crime… The same type of propaganda…. The same articles in newspapers, written in resounding meaningless words, for the only purpose of praising the dictators…The same endless queues in front of food stores, where people must wait… The same system that tries to break down your individuality…The same almost rationally unconceivable absurdities… In cases like this, the claimed ideology of the oppressors becomes totally irrelevant.

            If my country is democratic now, if I have the chance to be free and socially involved, then I strongly feel that we, citizens of Romania and of other countries that have faced the oppression of a dictatorship and successfully escaped from it, we have the moral duty of not being indifferent to the ongoing human suffering that we witness right in front of us, and that is encrypted in our historical memory as well.

            If we have gained our freedom, then we MUST use it, as Aung San Suu Kyi said, to promote the one of people who have not yet escaped from the same absurd system we have faced as well. By fighting against dictatorships of any kind, we build our own assurance that this won’t happen to us again. 

Raluca Enescu

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Comments

Neill Staurland said _

I have read the article "Random Thoughts" by Raluca Enescu in the Burma Digest.
            Although I have never lived under the oppression of a dictatorship I also feel deep inside my heart that I must support the struggle for human-rights and democracy worldwide, including Burma.
           I can not sit back and accept the wrongdoings other people endure, I must care! I was born in Canberra, Australia in 1960 and I have been living in Norway since 1973.

Feraya Nangmone said _

Thank you for writing about Romania which I found very interesting.  Your own country suffered a lot, and it is very encouraging to know that there can be a rainbow at the end of the dark tunnel for Burma too.

Baydin Sayar said _

"My country, Romania, has been ruled by a communist dictatorship from the end of World War 2 until December 1989. I’m in the first generation born under a democratic regime..."
            The above is a quotation from Raluca Enescu's Random Thoughts.  It is truly remarkable that such a young person could be so committed to Freedom, Human Rights, and Democracy.
Why is that so? Of course, she herself provides the explanation that her elders often mentioned how hard life was "before the Revolution".
            But -- from the Baydin (Astrology) point of view, Ms. Enescu must be a reincarnated student leader who died during the 8-8-88 Uprising, reincarnated to carry on The Struggle from outside Burma, not only to benefit Burma, but for Democracy around the world as well.

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