KAO WAO NEWS No. 48

 

An electronic newsletter for social justice and freedom in Burma

 

June July 8-21, 2003

 

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READERS' FRONT

MON LEADER CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION

DISPLACED PEOPLE BEYOND THE BORDER

CIVILIANS LOOTED AND KILLED BY ARMED GROUPS

POPULATION TRANSFER INTO MON STATE

LAND CONFISCATION STRIKES FEAR IN FARMERS

BOMB EXPLODES IN MOULMEIN

MYANMAR SANCTION BILL READY FOR SIGNING

EXILED GOVERNMENT WELCOMES US SANCTIONS

NON-PROFIT EDUCATION IN MON STATE

EXILED ARAKAN LEADER PASSES

DIASPORA NEEDS DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP: BY KANBAWZA WIN

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READERS' FRONT

Dear Readers,

We invite comments and suggestions on improvements to Kao-Wao newsletter. With your help, we hope that Kao-Wao News will continue to grow to serve better the needs of those seeking social justice in Burma and Thailand. And we hope that it will become an important forum for discussion and debate and help readers to keep abreast of issues and news. Above all, we hope the newsletter will be used as a vehicle for those who want to share their views and experiences.  We reserve the right to edit and reject articles without prior notification. You can use a pseudonym but we encourage you to include your full name and address.

Regards,

Editor

kaowao@hotmail.com

http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1215&lo=d&sl=0

 

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Dear Editor,

Regarding KaoWao 47 about Mon farmers being forced to find rice and sell it to the government at low prices.  The Mons are having to go through hell in order to comply with the orders.  I think the government’s strategy is very simple:

1. If the Mon farmers obey with the unfair demands, they will go broke and slowly starve to death. Then the govt. will take their land.

2. If they get angry and fight back against the govt., then the SPDC soldier will have an excuse to burn down their villages, and kill them all.  Then the govt. will take their land.
3. If they give up and flee to
Thailand.... then the govt. will take their land.

Thus it appears that this is just a way to commit genocide, forced expulsion, and annexation of all Mon lands.

 

Dr. D Law

 

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Dear Editor,

I had lived in Thaton and Kyaikhto and would love to read anything about those two towns. It would be great if you and your staff could feed us news about people and places in those two towns.

 

Thanks,
Aung Myint

 

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Dear Editor,

 

I just came from Paung (northern Mon State) and I have no sense that people are aware of the political situation.  We know nothing about the crackdown on the opposition party and of international pressure.  People are just busy with their daily lives to survive.

 

Nai Parla (Bangkok)

 

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Reaction after May 30 ambush attack on Aung San Suu Kyi and her entourage

 

MON LEADER CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION

(Kao-Wao, July 14, 2003)

 

A leader of a Mon umbrella organization calls for international intervention to solve the crisis in Burma.

 

The General Secretary of the Mon Unity League, Nai Sunthorn said, “the political situation cannot be solved by the Burmese people, the international community must step in and intervene, otherwise there never will be change”. 

 

“I believe we should approach the UN and the international community, the developed nations, to change the military government in Burma. We want change, but the problem cannot be solved by us (Burmese people); we need a third party intervention or a judge. We should try our best to convince the foreign powers to gain inspiration through their compassion toward the people of Burma,” said the leader of MUL in Bangkok after meeting with other key leaders from the Thai Mon community and Buddhist monks.

 

“National reconciliation will be impossible because of the ruling junta’s continual brutal action and attacks against the democratic groups. This has happened since Aung San Suu Kyi and her party was voted in. The recent attack on May 30th, the killing of NLD members and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD members highlights the urgency of the situation and of the regime’s indifference to political reform”, he said.

 

Since New Mon State Party cut contact with the Thai Mon community, as per the cease-fire agreement with the military regime in 1995, it caused misunderstandings with the Thai Mon community that sparked disunity within the community, the MUL leader added.

 

He pointed out that economic sanctions may affect the living standards of a small group of people, however, the economic and financial assistance from the world community in the past had little or no advantage for the majority of the civilian population, he told Kao-Wao during an interview. A small number of people will be affected by the sanctions, including the aid from Japan.

 

The MUL was formed at a Mon national affairs seminar in 1995 at the Thai-Burma border soon after the New Mon State Party signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese junta in Moulmein.  It is now an umbrella organization for the Mon people. The MUL is comprised of 14 member organizations from Burma, Thailand and overseas Mon.

 

Some MUL members are international diplomats in foreign affairs, working abroad for the cause of the Mon in their struggle for self-determination and for the establishment of a federal union of Burma.

 

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News Report:

 

DISPLACED PEOPLE BEYOND THE BORDER

(Kao-Wao: Three Pagodas Pass Border, July 11, 2003)

 

Over ten thousand displaced people live at the Thai border in the black areas of southern Burma. The villagers are fleeing due to shortage of food as a result of fighting between anti-government rebel groups and the Burmese Army, said the Coordinator of Relief Committee.

 

Local farmers in Ye township, the southern part of Mon State and local people in Ye Phyu Areas in Tenasserim Division fled to Cheoh Dide village during the earlier rainy season after their farms were confiscated by the Burmese Army.

 

According to Rot Rot, Coordinator of Mon National Relief and Development Committee, people in Ye Phyu, Ye and Kya Inn Sein Kyi areas escaped from their native villages because they can no longer endure the ongoing conflict and its related forms of human rights violations.

 

“The people are in a desperate situation, they flee from their villages, many are victims of the conflict going on there, being forced to porter and rounded up for slave labor projects, and many are suffering from extreme hardship.” Rot Rot said.

 

Local farmers have been imposed with an official “Pass” from the BA officials and must have it with them to visit their farms and gardens. If they stray from their village and gardens they risk being accused as “rebel supporters” and will be shot on sight if found without a pass, said a source from the Mon Relief Committee.

 

The Relief Committee is providing a month supply of rice to the newly displaced people arriving at Cheoh Dide camp.  The displaced were able to endure the harsh journey through the dense jungle, but many others are unable to reach the border due to the lack of food for feeding their families, the very young and older members of the family and the disabled.

 

The relief workers said the displaced people leave their homes because they cannot go out freely to fish, or farm, during the day and night. Many local Mon farmers in Ye and Ye Phyu depend on their farms and fishing to sustain their basic survival needs. Searching for food leads some into the “black areas” (war zone) defined by the military government.

 

For the last three years the BA has confiscated over 8,000 acres of land in Mon State, forcing many thousands of farmers to become landless and unable to feed their families. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland has documented the full story in a land confiscation report recently.

 

The Mon National Liberation Army and its mother organization New Mon State Party agreed to a ceasefire with the Burmese military government in 1995.  No benefit to the majority has been achieved, repression continues and the number of displaced people has increased in Halockhanee Camp, PaLaing Japan village and Choh Dide camp after the Burmese New Year in April.

 

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Mon State at war

 

 

CIVILIANS LOOTED AND KILLED BY ARMED GROUPS

(Kao-Wao, July 19, 2003)

 

Human rights violations by both the Burmese Army and armed insurgent groups against unarmed civilians continue in the black area, southern Mon State.

 

According to local sources, the BA launched a military operation against the insurgent groups in southern Ye and Ye Phyu townships five months ago, looting has occurred continuously during the offensives.

 

The opposition-armed group in the area also commits kidnappings and executions. 

 

Recently a Mon splinter group killed a village headman of Yaen Rae.  Independent Mon News Agency reported that a 43-year-old victim, Nai Krak (Nai Tay) was killed by the Mon guerrillas on July 15.

 

“We have no idea the reason for the killing, it may be a failure to support them with taxes or having contact with the Burmese Army,” said Nai Shein from Yaen Rae.

 

The splinter group has been cut off from many resources during the operation, they kidnapped 12 villagers from Wae Baing in eastern Ye last month for a ransom of 3 millions Kyat (Burmese currency).

 

The Mon splinter group led by Nai Hloin and Nai Bin broke away from the New Mon State Party after the Party reached a cease-fire agreement with the military regime in 1995, and continues to operate in the area.

 

In early July, local sources reported that new Burmese battalions with artillery are being deployed in the southern part of Mon State and the troops are infamous for looting the livestock from the Mon villagers.

 

Troop deployment started on July 1 and is stationed along the motor road between Thanbyu Zayat and Ye Town in Mon State. Most troops are brought in from outside of Mon State, said the source.

 

Along the stretch of the motor road, the BA deploys 50 to 200 soldiers to loot villagers’ livestock such as pigs, cattle, chickens and ducks, say the villagers.

 

“The soldiers do not ask us, they just shoot and help themselves to the livestock, at whatever they see. When we complain to their commanders, the officers do not take any notice or deal with the soldiers,” said a villager from JomSai.

 

The villagers in Yebyu and southern Ye areas are ordered not to stay in their farms at night and those between the ages of 15 to 40 must apply for a special travel allowance card issued by the BA battalion to go their farms during the day. 

 

According to the source, the ID cards are signed by the military officer and stamped with the name of their battalion.  If the villagers are arrested outside of their village without holding these cards and supporting letters from the village headmen, they may be fined, beaten or shot.  The card specifies the name and age, they must present the cards to a soldier when they go to their paddy farms or go fishing in the sea.

 

Many people from Southern Ye fled from their homes to avoid taxation and armed conflict between the BA and the Mon guerrillas in the war torn area. 

 

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Military expansion into the ethnic areas

 

POPULATION TRANSFER INTO MON STATE

(By Bop Htaw / Monland, 16 July 2003)

 

The State Peace and Development Council, the current ruling military junta in Burma has expanded its regiments and battalions in Mon State. Over ten new regiments have been built in the former black and grey areas, which will in effect increase military and civilian control over the Mon population.

 

The Mon political community and members of New Mon State Party (NMSP) now realize the ceasefire agreement process between the NMSP and the Burmese Army has not brought any political solution or any benefits for the people. The Burmanization policy proves the motives of the ruling Burmese junta to exercise complete control over the Mon and other ethnic nationalities, aptly referred to as the “Population Transfer Program”.

 

The Burmese Military Operation Command No (19) based in Ye Town has formed local militia groups, “Counter Insurgent Force” in Ye and Ye Phyu areas. A Mon politician in Ye said there are over 600 members of a militia group in the grey and black areas.

 

According to the source, the SPDC, led by Senior General Than Shwe has aggressively expanded ten new military regiments in Ye and Than Phyu-Zayat after 1995, the year the ceasefire agreement came into being. 

 

The Military Operation Command No (19) recruited local “Security Guards”: native retiree Burmans from the pool of military personnel in rural Mon villages.  Many local Mon politicians have the capacity to take the job but are refused and rejected of any positions.  The villagers prefer their Village Chief (Headman) for the position, someone who speaks the Mon language and who is from the area.

 

“We know it to be what it is: simply discrimination against us, they take their men over ours due to the Burmanization policy”, said Win Thein, a senior politician in Ye.  The local Village Chief who works under an order of the BA is assigned the job, while he earns no single Kyat (local currency) from the State; but he has the power to extract fees from the local population to pay him cash on hand with special instructions. 

 

Some areas of Ye and Ye Phyu Townships, southern Mon State, are marked as “Black Areas” whereas there are a few anti-government armed forces that actively operate in the remote areas.  The BA commanders take the opportunity of claiming that they need native Burmans to speak the same language or who understand Burmese for military instruction during security patrol, a local source said.

 

According to a source from the New Mon State Party, a military base in Mhokanin village, northern Ye, was built for the prime purpose of relocating retired military personnel and disabled war veterans to the camp.  The military camp is near to local Mon villages where the Burman soldiers have free time to engage in social activities and mix with the local girls and women in the community, while many of the Mon men have left their homes due to human rights violation and economic destitution.

 

“It is clear that they (Burmese army) confiscated over 8,000 acres of land and built military bases, it is only for the purpose of population transfer”, the NMSP members in Ye said.

 

Many Burmese troops have been stationed after 1995 in Ye and Ye Phyu areas.  Senior members of New Mon State Party who remain in the thick jungle in the Ye area have serious concerns over the policy of Burmainzation in its former controlled areas.

 

New Mon State Party and its armed wing Mon National Liberation Army reached a ceasefire agreement with the current Burmese regime in 1995 but no political settlement has been reached for the Mon people.

 

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Life in Mon State

 

LAND CONFISCATION STRIKES FEAR IN FARMERS

(Kao-Wao and IMNA: July 9, 2003)

 

Farmers in Mon and Karen states fear their land will be taken after a recent field survey by the SPDC authorities.

 

Local sources reported farmers are growing more alarmed after the State Peace and Development Council’s authorities in the areas measured their land. The Burmese Army continues land confiscation in Kawkareik Township of Karen State, after a visit of an army senior official.

 

The Independent Mon News Agency reported Maj. Gen. Maung Bo, Ministry of Defense; recently visited the site to deploy a new military battalion in Kawkareik Township, Karen State and the authorities surveyed (measured) some lands belonging to Mon farmers.

 

The proposed confiscated land is located near Kaw-Bein Mon village, the site is close to a stronghold area of New Mon State Party where Party’s Thaton District has its Headquarters.

 

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities ordered the villagers to collect bamboo for making a fence around the occupied land, said the source. The villagers nearby are forced to bring the required amount of bamboo after the field visit made by the SPDC leader on July 4.

 

A villager said, “Land confiscation happens after Maung Bo’s visit.  He came to examine the Kaw-BeinKyone-Doe road construction, on how many miles have been completed and how much was destroyed by the flood.  He ordered to abandon the previous construction and to find a new route again.  Followed by his orders, the authorities confiscate new land to deploy a military battalion for the security of the road.”

 

In southern Mon State, Nai Pya, a land owner of Durae, Ye township said, “We have owned these lands since our ancestors began cultivating this area.  We live by the land and pay taxes to them but if they take our land we can no longer survive.”

 

They authorities came to the hills (planted gardens of betel nut, rubber and tropical fruits) and surveyed the land.  Since they have already taken the lands at AruTong and Mawkanin (northern Ye), we will become the next victims said the landowner from western Ye.

 

Since the survey continues, villagers have no idea whose land will be taken and how many acres of land will be confiscated.  The villagers from Ye and Kawkareik townships are worried for the potential loss of their lands.

 

The BA, Southeast Command, has constructed a 15 mile long Kaw-Bein-Kyone-Doe road by forced labour since March, some parts of the embankment collapsed from heavy flooding in June and early July.

 

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BOMB EXPLODES IN MOULMEIN

(Kao-Wao and DVB:  July 16, 2003)

 

A bomb exploded in the capital city of Mon State on July 7, 2003 according to local sources.

 

The Oslo based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reported that a bomb exploded in front of the Moulmein University Reserve Force near Infantry Battalion 104 and a family member of a soldier was killed by the blast. 

 

According to a local resident of Moulmein, one person died by the blast which occurred on the 7th of July at about 8pm. The 104 Battalion is situated on the south of the University Reserve Force.

 

The SPDC’s paper, on July 11, reported that the explosion was an act of an ‘unknown’ insurgent wanting to blow up the Moulmein Bridge, the person was found dead with the explosives.

 

Nai Lwin, a local businessman said the explosion coincidently occurred on the anniversary of the 7th July, when the Army, led by General Ne Win, exploded the Student Union Building of Rangoon University while students were holding a demonstration. 

 

The bomber can be any one, the opposition, the military itself or many who are upset with government repression, he added.

 

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International pressure

 

MYANMAR SANCTION BILL READY FOR SIGNING

(Cited from AFP)

 

Washington, July 17 -- The US Senate gave final approval to legislation imposing sanctions on Myanmar's ruling military junta, the bill will be sent to US President George W. Bush, who said he was eager to sign it.


The Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, passed in the Senate Wednesday by a vote of 94-1, authorizes Bush to aid
Myanmar's democracy activists, to impose trade restrictions, freeze the regime's financial assets in the US banks and impose a visa ban on regime members seeking to enter the United States.


A White House statement said Bush looked forward to signing the bill.


"This legislation sends a clear message to the Burmese regime that their continued detention of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and their assaults on freedom cannot stand," said Scott McClellan.


The legislation seeks to punish the ruling junta for its recent crackdown on pro-democracy groups and its detention on May 30 of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The author of the bill, Senator Mitch McConnell, applauded the US Congress for the legislation's speedy passage and said he hoped it would trigger the start of the dictatorship's demise.


"Democracy and the rule of law will prevail in
Burma," said the Kentucky Republican. "We must never tire in the pursuit of justice in the long-suffering Burma until Suu Kyi is free and the struggle for freedom is won."


Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won 1990 elections in a landslide victory but was never been allowed to rule.


Myanmar is facing increased pressure to release the Nobel peace laureate that was taken into "protective custody" after clashes broke out during a political tour of northern Myanmar in May, when hundreds of pro-junta militants attacked her supporters. Dissidents say dozens were killed in the violence.


Myanmar's ruling generals have extended their crackdown on leaders of the NLD.  Myanmar's junta has accused the democracy activists of inciting the clashes, saying Aung San Suu Kyi had been temporarily detained for her own safety.  She has been moved from Yangon's notoriously tough Insein prison to an undisclosed location.


Shortly after the Senate vote, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan emerged from a meeting with
Myanmar deputy foreign minister U Khin Maung Win to urge the speedy release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

 

"I have given him a message for General Than Shwe, basically telling him I would expect them to release Aung San Suu Kyi as soon as possible and that they are responsible for the protection and safety of Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her party," Annan told reporters.  The Senate vote came one day after the US House of Representatives voted 418-2 to approve the measures.

 

The regime in Yangon condemned that vote, calling the move to tighten economic sanctions "weapons of mass destruction" that would create havoc.  A regime spokesman said in a statement titled "Sanctions Used as Weapons of Mass Destruction" that the measures would deprive people of job opportunities and hurt health care and education in the impoverished nation.

 

"Sanctions, in short, are imposed on target countries by the rich and powerful nations mainly with the intention to create havoc and bring hardship on the mass population," he said.  Last week the junta sent Bush a petition signed by 350,000 textile workers appealing against the ban, which the Myanmar Times say would threaten annual exports worth 356 million dollars, mostly in the textile sector.

 

Both Canada and the European Union have imposed tighter sanctions on Myanmar, while the country's largest donor Japan has suspended new economic aid.

 

An official with the Washington-based Free Burma coalition called the Senate vote "a huge step in the right direction and that direction is regime change in Burma."  But he said the regime would only rethink its policies if nations around the world join the sanctions."  A change in Burma is going to happen if there's multilateral pressure in place," said Jeremy Woodrun, director of the group.  "The next move is to press hard for the United Nations Security Council to take up the issue on Burma."

 

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EXILED GOVERNMENT WELCOMES US SANCTIONS

(Kao-Wao: July 16, 2003)


The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, the Burmese government in exile, welcomes the passage of US sanctions on
Burma.

 

“Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003" was passed by the US House of Representatives with an overwhelming majority vote of 418-2 on 15 July 2003 and a similar bill was passed by the Senate with 97-1 vote on 11 June 2003.


In its statement, the NCGUB stated the Act serves as a clear and strong response from the
United States to the Burmese generals who had imprudently carried out a murderous attack on the National League for Democracy on 30 May.  It sends a strong message to the generals that their days of ruthless oppression are over and that the only

option for their survival is to start national reconciliation and the democratization process in Burma.


The NCGUB Prime Minister Dr Sein Win said, "By passing this act the
US will certainly boost the moral of the Burmese people struggling for democracy and hit the generals where it hurts most--their pockets.  We are confident that as clearly defined in the Act, the United States will empower the democracy movement and continue to closely monitor developments to ensure democratization is taking place in Burma."

 

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma also supports calls by the U.S. congressional leaders, European Union and other democratic countries to bring the case of Burma before the United Nations Security Council and help bring about democratic changes in the country.  It also urges Burma's neighbors to think about relations with a democratic Burma of the future.

 

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Feature

 

NON-PROFIT EDUCATION IN MOULMEIN

(By Banya Hongsar, 7 July 2003)

 

Local students in Moulmein have enjoyed attending a non-profit education program in the capital city of Mon State while being banned from attending regular lectures at Moulmein University for many years. A few Mon scholars who work at the Ministry of Education in the country devote their time to serve the local community with self-help programs at the community hall. Children of some Burmese military officials have also enrolled in the informal classes.

 

A trend of education in the country has emerged in which the new generation is keen to learn English and hope to find classes in town both at the private and non-profit institutions. Many young students struggle for a better education and employment, while the Burmese officials engage in a competitive power struggle for Public Office.

 

Nai Soe Than, a former high school teacher from Mon State who now serves as the 2nd Chief of Mon National Education Committee has campaigned for years for a non-profit educational system in the community, especially in the urban area of Mon State, after traveling inside the country. He has had access to other areas of the country after the ceasefire agreement between New Mon State Party and State Peace and Development Council, the current ruling military junta.

 

“They (Burmese army officials) know what we are doing because it does not involve politics. So they say nothing, instead they allow their children to come to learn the English Language class,” Mr Than said in a recent meeting on the Thai-Burma border area.

 

A leading Mon academic “Ajar JaNu” works with his colleagues in running a non-profit English Language Class in the Mon Community Hall at the hill in Moulmein for the last two years.  Ajar Janu is the former Director of Department of Basic Education No (2), Government of Union of Burma; he retired in recent years, and now informally teaches evening classes in town with the help of the local community. The students pay a small fee for textbooks, but most students receive sufficient materials from community donations.

 

His colleague Mr Than Nyunt, a former headmaster of a High School, also opened similar classes at Thanbyu Zayat city. Over 600 students completed a sufficient level of English language classes in that city under an English Language Teaching (ELT) program run by Mr Nyunt. He also manages ELT programs for both spoken and written English at Pa Nga, Kroke Pi, Hnit Kayin villages.

 

“I raised the issue to a few aid agencies in the border area and they donated small cash allotments with their good will for volunteers,” Mr Soe Than added. “You know, it is a way to gain merit,” he said.

 

It is a noble job for these scholars in the community after they were refused employment in government-run schools. They were accused of participating in pro-democracy campaigns during 1988 and now are unable to pursue a career in the department of the Education Ministry.

 

“It is such a relief for them to earn cash for their family,” Mr Than said in an interview recently. For over ten years, these educators were banned to work at the government schools, many fled as a result to the border area and to Thailand for employment.  Many Mon teachers joined the Mon National Education Committee under the management of the New Mon State Party in the border area and in Mon State.

 

Moulmein is the capital city of Mon State, located in the southern part of Burma, there is no reliable electricity, no power is available for 24 hours while local residents rely on private generators. They cannot use a computer and other learning aids such as listening to tapes during the night. Public electricity is only available until 9.pm in the town but the City Municipality switches on the electricity for the government departments especially the military buildings at any time.

 

A non-profit English Language Teaching programs continues throughout the day until the sun sets over the highest mountain in Moulmein city. “Aja Janu is now over 70 and he loves teaching despite his physical shortcomings, mentally he is very strong”, Than said.

 

“I told him to leave teaching and just manage the program, but he refuses,” Mr Than repeated. “He is a man with professional skills, fluent in Mon, Burmese and English, he is keen to contribute his experience and teach the younger generation until he steps into the grave”, Mr. Than proudly said.

 

The world community knows that Burma is an under developed country caught in a quagmire of a political crisis that has lasted for over fifty years. However, a few local scholars continue to have faith in their community and are committed to reform the educational and public sectors. Such a proposal has been turned downed by the military regime for many decades.

 

As a former Director of Basic Education Department of Burma, Aja Janu transferred his educational vision and strategies in a paper to the “Seminar of Mon National Affairs” in the 2001 educational reform in Mon State and Burma. However, the political climate, especially in Mon State is still not resolved, and many projects have been put on hold. He can no longer wait for the local politicians, but has decided instead to devote himself to better the education in the community. A challenge for the project is lack of resources both financially and materially, with no assistance forthcoming from the ruling military government.

 

“What will be our future without proper education in this country,” he recently told KaoWao in Moulmein.

 

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EXILED ARAKAN LEADER PASSES

 (Kao-Wao: Bangkok, July 18, 2003)

 

A prominent Arakanese leader passed away in a northern city in Thailand on July 18, 2003.

 

According to the Head Office of Arakan League for Democracy (ALD-exile), its General Secretary Khaing Myo Khaing passed away at the Chiang Mai hospital on July 18 at 4:10 a.m local time.

 

Khaing Myo Khaing also known as Ko Tun Tha, 55 years old, was elected as the general secretary of the ALD (exile) at the third conference in 2001 and also became an active leader of the United Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD) in exile. 

 

Khaing who leaves one daughter behind was admitted to the hospital and given medical treatment for several days to treat complications resulting from a long-suffering battle with leukemia.

 

Khaing Myo Khaing, the eldest son of 7 was born in 1948 at Kyauk Taw, Arakan State and held BA degree from Rangoon Workers’ University.  He was highly respected by the exiled Arakanese community and other democratic and ethnic political parties.

 

The Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) won 11 seats in Rakhine State during the 1990 general election in Burma.  Shortly after the general elections of 1990, the ALD was banned inside the country.

 

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Opinion

 

DIASPORA NEEDS DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP: BY KANBAWZA WIN

 

Now that the NLD has been decapitated with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior NLD leaders are under lock and key, the pro democracy movement inside the country has been more or less paralyzed. It seems that Burmese people might as well bite the bullet. One and a half decades of non violent struggle had produced little or no effect somewhat quite similar to Nazi Hitler where there is no place for non violence. But hope springs eternal in human breast and a drowning man will catch a straw. Some of the focus has now shifted to the three million plus Burmese in Diaspora couple with those who continue to fight bravely in the peripherals of Burma especially the ethnic nationalities.

 

U Tin Maung Win, the main architect of amalgamating the causes of the ethnic nationalities with those of the pro democracy groups has met with an untimely dead and there is a dearth of leadership outside the country. The Burmese provisional government better known as National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), label “Na Gote” meaning a bull in Burmese, had been unable to show any substantial result for the entire one and a half decades. It just echoes the initiatives of the others without any innovation, incentive or vision and thus has been fittingly named “Na Gote   because it just follows the lead of others. The Burmese exiles have completely lost faith in them.

 

A thorough shake up is necessary that will in co operate the activist, intelligentsia and young patriots both Burman and ethnic nationalities which will be able to synchronize with those inside the country. This is a MUST. The justification that a provisional government must be made up of those elected members who manage to escape from the clutches of the Junta and deliberately leave out the activist and the intelligentsia is long gone. It should consider a more pragmatic approach instead of working as a clique dominated by the Myanmar (Burman) tribe and those ethnic leaders who are pro-Burman.

 

The whole idea of the Burmese problem in nutshell must not be lost that there are two major problems, the pro democracy struggle and the ethnic nationality autonomy. The very fact that “Na Gote” cannot only organize the Karenni and the Shan into their fold but even the existing members such as the Kachin, the Mon and other smaller groups have break away from them and enter cease fire with the Junta reveals its impotency. This also indicates that that the provisional government even on paper does not represent a Pyidaungsu (Union).  The situation became worst as the years go by so much so that that the majority of the armed groups have to form their political wing, an Ethnic Nationalities, Solidarity and Cooperation Committee (ENSCC). But the worst of all is that the international donors who wanted to see the Diaspora group to be strong and united lost faith in them and began to cut down the funds.

 

The international community is looking at the Burmese community in Diaspora of how Burma will govern itself once democracy is achieved. Confrontation instead of coordination, jealousies, washing dirty linen in public and trying to outshine each other and so on proves that we are not fit for democracy yet and even if we manage to get democracy by somehow with this kind of mentality we are sure to lose it again as in the days of U Nu.

 

Now “Na Gote” exists only in name with their members airing some media outlet off and on. Residing in the comforts of the Western world they have no vision whatsoever as their intellectual and moral bankruptcy can be compared to that of the Junta. The ousting of Sao Harn Yaungshwe, a think tank from the “Na Gote” comes out open in the media itself reveal that something is very, very wrong with the Burmese provisional government. It is high time that it should be replaced by some tangible leaders so abundant in the nationalities. We were appalled to learn that none of the “Na Gote” members have ever contacted the members of the Polit-Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party nor ever met the Indian leaders and members of the Central Policy Analyst, the Indian think tank policy makers. Thus the idea of playing in the international relations is completely lost e.g. giving bait to India vis a vis Pakistan (that is selling arms to the Junta) or contacting North Korea vis a vis South Korea (whose companies are having a big business in Burma). This explicitly means that “Na Gote” has little or no contact with the major international players in the Burmese politics that are so influential on the Junta. So how can it make a move?

 

At this crucial period when the international community is about to take drastic actions nothing was done by “Na Gote”. We have learnt that US President George W. Bush is eager to sign the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act which was passed by the Senate 94 to1 and the House of Representatives 418 to2 margin. These measures represents a significant policy shift for the Bush administration, which previously tried to encourage the military to engage in a dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's ethnic groups and now they will be pressing the Burmese case at the UN Security Council. The American U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte had already raised some concerns in the Council. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, himself did not rule out the possibility of UN sanctions. In such a scenario we cannot comprehend of why the so called leaders of the Diaspora “Na Gote” continue to look on with folded arms?


It is lamentable that “Na Gote” had concentrates only on the Western countries and even then did not know how to lobby in the
US congress and the workings of the American policy. As far as the European Union is concerned it can only get the support of the Nordic countries and not much on the main countries as Germany, Italy and France whose companies (such as TOATAL) are pumping in dollars into the Junta. In short having a nice life in the West and moving just only in the West while forgetting those in the peripherals of Burma will not lead us to national liberation. A more dynamic and activists people should lead.

 

Winnipeg, Canada

 

The views expressed here are solely the opinion of the author. (Kao-Wao Editor)

 

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