OUR VIEW ON PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN BURMA : THE WAY FORWARD IN 2008

By
Fighting Peacocks 8888
Washington DC Based Dissidents,
USA


We were in the midst of an audience when a political discussion panel comprising of six members of the democratic alliances from the border areas of Burma and Thailand was held on December 10, 2007, while marking the 59th anniversary of International Human Rights Day, in Washington DC . USA .

Speeches and views given at the discussion were informative and encouraging with respect to Burma ’s democratization process and reflected the reality of life in Burma under the present ruling military junta.

We welcome the delegates - representing 42 different ethnic groups – who have come a long way and presented their views on the perception of foreigners, who have aired their concerns over the country’s probable disintegration in the absence of military role in politics. Specifically, we have great qualms over the likes of Gambari handling Burma ’s case today, possessing no insight into or real grasp of Burma ’s politics, other than lectured by Thant Myint Oo, a grandson of former UN Secretary General U Thant, presently colluding with the ruling military thugs in Burma today. Further, they stressed their desire of co-existing in a federal union and accordingly drafted a federal constitution.

However, we are very much skeptical of this very critical and crucial issue - a federal constitution as drafted by them - as we understand that the power or authority to draft or draw a viable and relevant ‘constitution’ rests in the hands of the elected personnel and scholars well-versed in that field..

A case in point and fact is the people of Burma have given their overwhelming mandate and authority to the elected representatives of the May 27, 1990, elections to shape their lives and destiny.

In this view and fact, neither the military constitution drawn by Than Shwe and concluded at the Nyaung-hna-pin sham show and today heading to their doom with their self-serving road map to legitimize their otherwise illegal rule nor the so-called federal constitution drawn by the ethnic groups on the Burma-Thailand borders also holds no water, as both constitutions are drawn by people lacking in legitimacy and authority, much less mandate of the people of the country to do so, in the first place.

According to the Washington Post, U Maung Maung, secretary of FTUB says, he contributed mobile phones, digital and video cameras to some people and they were on front line during the September uprising.

Many people have criticized Maung Maung for exploiting the situation. And specifically, a number of people including the Buddhist monks have refuted the call disputing that the Saffron Revolution was only a case of spontaneous developments led by the students primarily and later headed by the Buddhist monks.

“The Buddhists monks and students organizations led the nationwide demonstrations based on gasoline price hike and no exiled politicians were behind the scenes” said U Sanda of Burma Monks Alliance and 88 Generation Students leader Tun Myint Aung.

Given the view, we have nothing but to heap sympathy on Maung Maung who has been taking things for granted much too long and too far, this time at the expense of the Buddhist monks even, who are being hounded, arrested, tortured, displaced, imprisoned and ultimately murdered today, for showing their sympathy and empathy on the people, befitting their status as much revered ‘Sons of Buddha’ and obligation, confronting the infidel Than Shwe to uphold and protect our religion, Buddhism.