20.05.2007
Speaking with a National Politician
_ interview with Amyotheryei U Win Naing, by Dr. Tayza
Amyotheyei U Win Naing giving a Speech on Union Day in Rangoon
BURMA DIGEST: You are widely known as a national politician; why?
Amyotheryei U Win Naing: …Some people believe that there is no difference between Party politic and National politic but I believe there are many. For instance Party politic is to seek state power as its ultimate goal whereas National politic does not. Party politic need a power base namely a group of party members or a party organization but National politician do not need a power base meaning a national politician can act alone and enjoy more freedom than a party politician. I have being the lone ranger of Burmese politics for many years since my mother parties , Democracy Party and League for Democracy and Peace party were demolished by the military government in 1991. In 1995, I regrouped the independent politicians who had lost their party identities like me, to join me in helping Burmese people in their struggles for democratic and human rights. Recently more independents like the group of demonstrators who protested for economic problems in Burma in March this year, join me because they recognise me as the national politician who is trying to find answers for Burmese people's day to day survival problems rather than who is seeking power and office.
BD: Is your political standpoint different from NLD, and if so, how?
AUWN: …We both want to set up a democratic society in our country but that is as far as we are in common. NLD leadership (in the absence of DASSK) want to do it in their way without inviting other democratic forces to join in the process. I believe that is wrong. I strongly advocated forming United Democratic forces to stand against the power clinching military brasses since 1995. NLD leaders (not the majority of NLD party members) declined to join me for preliminary exploration talks on this line of action. They are still objecting to my proposal today.
BD: How is your relationship to the so called Third Group, such as the group led by Aye Lwin?
AUWN: …I do not have any relationship with Aye Lwin's group, period. I did not and I do not have any communication with him or his alliance groups. Last year an anonymous group accused me of supporting him. I never did and I never will.
BD: Please tell us about your political background history.
AUWN: …I was in students politics when I was fourteen years old that resulted in me being expelled from school but those were a long long time ago. Let's say my political life was reborn again in 1988, in the very first days of 8888. I had the honour and the opportunity to address to the fifty thousand strong people rally in Padonma ground, Myaynigon, Rangoon on September 25 1988 along with Brigadier General AungGyi and Thirty comrades Bo Mhu Aung. That was my come back to popular politics. Later again with Bo Mhu Aung as Chairman, I founded Democracy party, the very first political party in 1988 days. A few weeks later former Burmese Prime Minister U Nu founded League for Democracy and Peace Party and he insisted I joined him as his party CEC member and head of Information Department. I did not stand in the 1990 general election.
Our parties were abolished in 1991 after the general election and I took refuge in US embassy in Yangon working as the political assistance until 1995. I resigned from the job against the will of my employer to get back into active politics in 1995. Ever since I devoted myself to speak for the people as much as I can.
BD: What campaigns are you, and your group, carrying out current?
AUWN: …Currently my group and I are launching a Sila campaign, a moral observing campaign in Burma/Myanmar. We believe there are too many corruptions and abuses on people rights been going on in this country. These must be stopped before we could rebuild the country and set up a new democratic and morally strong society. With the Burmese majority of immoral people how would we able to solve our national problems and put up a strong fight against any oppressor or dictators.
BD: We noticed you've been a bit active in political actions recently. Please tell us about your recent activities.
AUWN: …Recent and most successful one I would say was the campaign against corruptions and poverty. Basically I started the campaign a few years back but I must gave credit to Burma Development Committee headed by Htin Gyaw who demonstrated in down town Yangon on March 22 and high lighted my campaign against poverty.
U Win Naing and Htin Kyaw at the press conference after which both were called away by the authorities
BD: You've been linked with the protest in downtown Rangoon last month which called for improvements in social condition and living standard? How you view those social orientated protests?
AUWN: …One person approached me on my campaign trip to Hlegu township this last Saturday and told us that many many people are now cheering us for the most and only daring protest against government's mismanagement of the economy since 1988. According to him and many others not thousands but millions of people are expressing strong support to our calls for social and living improvements. Honestly we did not expect the protest would be that much successful and popular among the people and now that it did we are very happy and proud.
U win Naing and Htin Kyaw with March 22 protestors in down town Yangon
As a ground work to these calls for social improvements, I gave a strong Union Day speech on Feb.12 2007 to a gathering of around three hundred people in which I described -corruption, nepotism, mismanagement, and opportunists as the causes of economics failures in Burma. On March 22 our strikers demonstrated in downtown Yangon and were arrested immediately. I was detained along with Htin Kyaw, leader of the protest a few days later. But we would continue to do what we believe to be necessary to do for the sake of the people.
BD: Will there be more such protests?
AUWN: …We have asked the generals to respond to our calls for improvements and it has been more than two months since the first demonstration and there was no response at all. So our men struck again on April 22 and now they are in custody, all seven of them. As long as the military government do nothing to convince the people that they would truly and seriously try to improve the economic situation of the country I am certain there would be more calls for improvement coming not from my group only but from every corner of the country.
BD: Do you think military authorities will give in to the demands by such protests? Or will they crack down on protestors?
AUWN: …We do not ask them to "give in to our demands" We ask them to "Help us or help the people to live humanely". If they choose to move against the people, the people would decide what to do.
BD: What do you think will happen when National Convention finishes this year?
AUWN: …I now have doubts that it would finish at all let alone this year.
BD: Will you form a party and take part in the new elections after the National Convention?
AUWN: …I do not make such too distant decision especially a decision to be based on uncertain future developments. Any way I am enjoying more and more to work as a national politician rather than a party man.
BD: How do you think NLD will, or should, respond to the referendum and new elections after the National Convention?
AUWN: …NLD has being clinging on to the 1990 election results so strongly up to now that to accept a new election would be suicidal for the party.
BD: Which role, do you think, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should, and can, play in Burma's politics in the foreseeable near future?
AUWN: …I am a good friend of DASSK and I would like her to join me as a National Politician. She would truly reach the status of a National leader if she would place herself above all party politics and work for National Unity and National reconciliation. I would like to urge her most strongly that she offer herself to the generals as an individual nationalist who would work for the country and the people only.
BD: Do you think 8888 generation student leaders will play a crucial pivotal role for National Reconciliation in Burma? And how's your relation ship with them?
AUWN: …Of course I do. They are the new hopes of this country. I have big expectations of these guys. In spite of our age differences we are like friends and we enjoy mutual respects both personally and politically. For a laugh let me tell you what happened at Pyon Chyo's wedding reception" Swoon Kwaye" last month. We were there, all the 88 generation leaders and myself and we set down together to enjoy noodles in seafood and the next day all of us were down on our stomachs with food poisoning. It is the evidence that we enjoy things together and we suffer together.
BD: If you get a chance to give some advice to SPDC Generals, what will your advice be?
AUWN: …None because I doubt they would ever take any advice from any body.
BD: How it is like to operate as a political activist within the very restricted conditions inside Burma? Is there any room for political manoeuvre inside Burma? How much and to what extent military authorities will tolerate anyone from inside Burma calling for socio-political reforms?
AUWN: …It is like a man walking a high wire without a safety net below, one wrong move and that's it. Another cold point is that not many people both inside and outside of the country could truly understand and appreciate our positions. Democracy activists inside Burma have to say and act very delicately trying to balance between the two camps. We have on one side what is considered as pro-DASSK hard liners group and on the other the harsh and tough soldiers. We as pragmatic as we are, are mostly suspected by both sides.
As for the tolerance by military authorities, I would say as long as one does not threaten their grip on power you are relatively safe.
BD: Do you believe if there's any chance still remaining for genuine national reconciliation in Burma?
AUWN: …I am afraid not. The military government has lost credibility as a serious, honest and sincere organization as well as a willing partner to work for national reconciliation. NLD also has lost the kind of strong trust of the people that they had enjoyed in 1990. It has made too many blunders in their political strategies that it would not gain enough confidence by parties concerned including ethnic peace groups. In turn ethnic peace groups are not respected by their own nationalities since they became sleeping participants in the ongoing National Convention.
One more point. The animosity between NLD and the military have become stronger since Depeyin killings that one side could not simply sleep with the other in the same bed. So there you are.
BD: How it is like to operate as a political activist in the very restricted conditions inside Burma ?
AUWN: …Awful!
BD: Lastly. But not least, what advice, you'll like to give to the political activists in exile?
AUWN: …Think of the 88 days and what have happened to your comrades before you go to bed every night.
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