by Setkyar Heine

We don’t treat ethnic people as second class citizens of Burma. Only the military people ruling Burma today are treating them as such, as evidenced today.

Everybody knows that Burma is composed of ethnic people and they are our contemporaries, friends and family also, since the beginning of our history and country. There are numerous inter-ethnic (racial) marriages and there happens to be a few even in my immediate family. I have never looked down on or treated my in laws - ethnic people - as lowly second class citizens.
In the same vein, the ordinary people are very friendly and live closely with the ethnic people. I have visited nearly all the ethnic lands when I was growing up in Burma and made strong and lasting friendships with them. I have met them while studying in high school and university also. Until today we are having connections and communicating. In fact, when I am among them I don’t remember my ethnicity even, I love them like my own family and they are very lovable people, also open hearted and sincere.

Of course there were cases of brutalities and mistreatment among the Burmese and some ethnic people in history and recently, in the wake of the last Great War and post-independence era (1948-51) of Burma. Things have HAPPENED as we all know.

You cannot bear any grudge on anyone as all are guilty of one or the other, more or less also. It’s no use to blame one another.

The point and very crucial also, NOW is to work out together and openly how to MOVE ON and LIVE IN HARMONY and PEACE until eternity in the same country where we were born in - BURMA. That is what counts now.

Today, we are opposing General Than Shwe and his thugs who are blindly and backwardly exercising CHAUVINISM and USING HATRED as a WEDGE and a WEAPON amongst the ethnic people and Burman majority.

They are driving out the ethnic people and so-called Burman also, out of Burma to lessen opposition against them. The less people in Burma opposing them the happier they are. In fact, many of us are now living as SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, in alien lands, where we are given jobs which are not taken, or refused by the natives.

Now if the ethnic people including the Burman leave the country who will take up the fight against Than Shwe’s military rule? Who will support or save Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is giving her life and limb in her country’s cause - freedom and democracy. She is a Burman and she is sacrificing for all the people of Burma, not only for the Burman people.

Therefore, I say LET’S STICK TOGETHER and STAND UP TO THAN SHWE AND HIS GOONS NOW AND UNTIL THEY ARE DRIVEN OUT OF BURMA.

And that’s the RESPONSIBILITY and OBLIGATION of all people - BURMAN, SHAN, KAREN, KACHIN, CHIN, ARAKAN, KAREENI and ALL OTHERS - born in Burma and grew up in the GOLDEND LAND.

THOUGH THAN SHWE IS TRYING TO DIVIDE US - forming a class of his own MILITARY and his LACKEYS on the one hand in Burma - WE ARE STILL BEHIND DAW SUU, who is giving her life for the freedom and posterity of all people - IRRESPECTIVE OF ETHNICITY, CREED, RELIGION or LANGUAGE spoken.

We of all ethnic groups must unite behind Daw Suu at least until we have driven out Than Shwe’s military rule and established an elected representative government in Burma.