A Recipe for the Burmese Students' Revolution

 

_ By Ethan Bourne

(Ethan Bourne is the Editor of Burma Watch USA)

The revolution to transform Burma into a democracy has been prolonged for decades since Ne Win seized power in 1962. From the day Ne Win seized power from U Nu's democratically elected government, the students have struggled to change Burma into a democratic society by means of peaceful demonstrations, many sacrificing their lives. The main objective is to have power in the people's hands by means of a democratic institution. Life, liberty and freedom to pursue happiness are the main objectives to achieve after democratizing Burma. Ne Win used his army as his national guard that ensured his control of power. He fed his followers to make sure they follow his orders. He eliminated the generals who he could not trust. He crushed the students' movements by means of armed suppression several times, one after another.

Peace movements led by students around the world have born fruits of democracy. One cannot say the peace movements led by the Burmese students of many generations have not totally succeeded. They have born fruits. They have made an international awareness. They have caused international sanctions and embargos on the military regime in Burma . They have been successful in securing international pressure and actions. But due to insurmountable military strength of the Burmese army, the students' movements against the Burmese army have been in limbo again and again. After the 1988 uprising the students formed a students' army called All Burma Students' Democratic Front and have been waging an armed struggle against the military junta since 1988. So have the ethnic groups like KNU and SSA. Yet, not a piece of land was taken from the hands of the Burmese army. Fighting to win the 500,000 troops is like crying for the moon and it is just a waste of energy, time, resources, weapons and lives.

The students have tried arduously getting themselves involved in the non-violent peace movements against the military junta in Rangoon . The junta is obviously unmoved by sanctions, peace movements or the armed struggle at the border. What lacks in the students' struggle against the authoritarian regime led by General Than Shwe is guerilla warfare, a form of political violence that the current regime fears. Any government, whether it is democratic or authoritarian, fears guerilla wars that threaten their control of power. Guerilla wars destabilize governments. When the students and the ethnic groups wage a guerilla war in inner cities like Rangoon , Mandalay and Naypyidaw, it will disrupt the government's daily activities.

On the whole, to be fruitful is to bring change to Burma . Peaceful demonstrations are popular and bring some change, but the military junta in Burma is immune to peace movements and the military regime has prepared to put down any upcoming peaceful demonstrations. There have been more than enough peace movements inside and outside Burma . Now is the time to wage a guerilla war inside Burma , not outside Burma , not at the Thai-Burmese border. Try it and you will see you are winning! And you will gain momentum as time goes by.

[Note: View points described in Opinion Articles are authors' own personal opinions only.]