_ By Setkyar Heine

On May 27, 1990, the people of Burma have given their overwhelming mandate (82%) via the May 27, 1990, elections to the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (1991 Nobel Peace Laureate) to shape their destiny and lives. Despite the fact,then ruling military oligarchy dubbed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) led by Saw Maung reneged on his given promise to hand over power to the elected representatives, who have been entrusted by the people to hold a National Assembly with a view to draw the country’s constitution and establish a representative rule in Burma, deprived of since Ne Win’s military takeover of the country on March 2, 1852.

Than Shwe, today’s military strongman in Burma, succeeded Saw Maung, who died under dubious circumstances. He dubbed his military clique – The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) – in November 1997. And like his predecessor he has chosen to ignore and deny the existence of the people’s mandate – the results of the May 27, 1990 elections – empoweing the NLD to shape their destiny, until today.

The SPDC REFUSING to RECOGNIZE or HONOR the RESULTS OF THE 1990 POLLS is no more CREDIBLE than the DENIAL of the HOLOCAUST or the ASSERTION  that the EARTH is FLAT.

Fortunately for Burma, Saw Maung led military regime has made its MOTHER of MISTAKES when it undertook to hold the free and fair elections im May 1990, giving mandate to the NLD to shape the lives of the people. With the loss of the military backed party (National Unity Party) in the elections the military rulers have lost their initiative and right, not to mention legality or legitimacy to run the country as well. Hence they have resorted to bullying the people and use of brute force, to intimidate, torture, imprison, and ultimately kill the people, to get them tow their line, however, unsuccessfully,like today,

At the same time, the SPDC, out of  desperation, has shown its most basic instinct – MURDER.

On May 30, 2003, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in the company of U Tin Oo (Vice Chairman, NLD) while going on an organizing tour of the country was ambushed by thousands of thugs (members of the military backed Union Solidarity and Development Association) and three dozen long-term convicts, given cash incentives and promise of frreedom, at a killing field near De-pe`-yin in upper Burma. The murder operation was orchestrated by and carried out under the overall command of Soe Win, today’s military prime minister of Burma. However, Burma’s freedom fighter and world icon of democracy survived the murder attempt, as she was shielded by her brave and loyal members of her party and adherents, until she could escape out of the death trap. The price paid was - the lives of 282 NLD members and supporters who died on the spot while defending their beloved and brave leader.

And today, Than Shwe is left in a dilemma, while hearing a death knell and under the shadow of a hangman’s noose – a murder rap - as the result of his hit-man Soe Win bungling the job at De-pe`-yin.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, though surviving the murder trap were collected and held first under closed custody for more than a hundred days before they were placed under house arrest and incommunicado, since then until today. 

Finally, today Than Shwe has opted to BRING DOWN THE CURTAIN on his uneventful, unlawful and murderous rule, unawaring or unknowingly of course,  via his self-serving idiosyncrasy – THE SEVEN STEP ROAD MAP; a ploy designed primarily and ultimately to establish a military dynasty in Burma only, as worldwide known today.  

In this direction he has revived his oft-stalled National Convention - started since a decade and a half ago - with his handpicked lackeys, drug worlords and some ethnic renegade figures only, at a fenced off place called Nyaung-nha-pin, outside of Rangoon.. Elected representatives of the NLD and others are not invited to his SHAM SHOW, lacking in any semblence of freedom and norms of democracy, much less legality or legitimacy of any sort as a result.

Thus, Than Shwe has called his bluff and thrown his gauntlet.

Therefore, it is our unreserved right and obligation, not to mention our show of courage, to pick up the gauntlet and show the military misfit that _ 

WE ARE NOT LETTING HIM GET AWAY WITH HIS LITTLE PLOY and WE ARE NOT STANDING DOWN, THIS TIME, also.  

In order to nail him we need to STAND TOGETHER and IN UNISON cry out LOUD and CLEAR  that THAN SHWE and his MILITARY REGIME has NO RIGHT, MANDATE, AUTHORITY, and much less LEGITIMACY to convene their so-dubbed NATIONAL CONVENTION in the first place, IN LIEU of the RESULTS OF THE MAY 1990 ELECTIONS STILL IN PLACE AND VALID until today. 

Furthermore, there is NO AUTHORITY, POWER or MANDATE, much less of Than Shwe and his thugs’, on this earth to DECLARE the May 1990 elections NULL and VOID, and DENY the fact that the results of the May 1990 elections are still in place and valid. 

In this regard, ALL OPPOSITION ALLIANCES specifically, bivouacked overseas should be sounding their clarion calls, echoing the obvious fact –

The SPDC has no right or legalityt to hold the National Convention or any of this sort in the first place, as long as the results of the May 1990 elections are still in place and recognized by the people of Burma and the international community. 

And most importantly, the international community led by the UNITED NATIONS, the United States of America, the European Union, Japan, the ASEAN not the least, and all member nations of the UN should also, follow suit, and in unison and collectively echo the theme that _

ANY UNILATERAL ACTION ON THE PART OF THE RULING MILITARY REGIME IN BURMA TO LEGITIMAIZE ITS OTHERWISE ILLEGAL RULE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Getting the job done - acquiring the above statement from the international community, at this crucial time and precarious situation - also, RESTS in the hands of the people who have the mandate of the people of Burma in their hands and professing  to strive their best for the freedom and democracy for Burma, while living in alien lands today.

Not the least also, it is a bounded duty, not to mention the privilege and honor for the 8888 Generation Students, organizations and individuals vowing to fight military rule in Burma, living in foreign lands and striving for Burma’s freedom and democracy since 1988 until today, to strive their utmost of course, in concert and cooperation with all opposition alliances overseas, to acquire all important international support,calls and clamor to echo the same theme and voice –

SPDC HELD CONVENTION IS ILLEGAL AND A FARCE ONLY, AND HENCE ANY OUTCOME OF THE CONVENTION IS UNACCEPTABLE. 

In that respect, it is the DUTY and OBLIGATION of the PEOPLE of BURMA mainly, to VOICE THEIR DISSENT on MILITARY RULE IN BURMA, starting with the SPDC held sham show, the first step in the military regime’s bid for establishing a military dynasty in Burma.

They should be aware of the fact also, that the SPDC has placed everything in place to affect eternal military rule in Burma; hence, the reviving of its oft-stalled sham show as the first step in the military’s bid to ‘put ropes through the noses of the people’, in order to make them obey their commands, like the people do to the cattle in pulling carts in Burma.  

It is the bounded duty and responsibility of the remaining NLD leadership in Burma – Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo under house arrest and incommunicado  - to rally the people in every possible way and means and lead them against the military rulers and stop them from continuing with their bid to enslave the whole nation, while acting proxy to the likes of Communist China and Russia. The ex-military officers like Aung Shwe and Maung Lwin amongst others should take note of the fact that it is irrevelant and unwarranted specifically, at this crucial stage and time,  to remain silent and immobile. A word of caution in good faith and spirit of camaraderie,  

HOLDING ONTO LEGITIMACY ONLY, HOLDS NO WATER TODAY! 

while the country is in DIRE NEED of POSITIVE and LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP to affect the required and inevitable change to democratic rule, before Burma becomes a SATELLITE STATE of China, if Than Shwe and his thugs get away with their little ploy – The Seven Step Road Map – to nowhere, other than under the heels of the Chinese communists. 

In that same vein, the UNITED NATIONS also, has the bounded duty and obligation to take SUBSTANTIAL STEPS, instead of BEATING AROUND THE BUSH – sending feelers to China, India, and Japan all with formidable ties to  the Burmese military regime,recently – with a view to democratize Burma. A world body like the UN should be carrying out its mandate and responsibility in a fitting and appropriate manner, specifically, when concerned with rogue regimes like Burma. It would be more credible and dignified on the part of the world body to send its SPECIAL ENVOY like Mr. Ibrahim Gambari or any other official for that matter to Burma directly and get results and the job – replacing a representative rule with the present ruling military one as desired and warranted by all – done.

Most importantly, it is the time NOW THAN EVER, given the circumstances and situation.

Failing to strike the iron while still hot would be a certain “DERELICTION OF DUTY” on the part of the world body and hence, its stature and status would be fittingly categorized simply that of the late LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION ; due to its inefficiency and dereliction of duty, Hitler and his Nazi Germany plunged the world into destruction and death in the form of the Second World War.

At the moment, the military regime in Burma is posing a CLEAR and PRESENT DANGER in the region, and the world, as it is covertly vying for nuclear capability. Burma has considerable deposits of uranium as known widely. Russians are building nuclear reactors in the country and hundreds of Burmese military personnel are undergoing training in nuclear technology and others in Russia.

Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the military rulers in Burma would be akin to MONKEYS WITH HAND GRENADES in their hands.

In view of the facts, Than Shwe and his military thugs should be restrained or preferably completely put out of commission or circulation in the affairs of Burma, as they would bring only DESPAIR and DESTITUTION on the people and the country, given their penchant for brutality, corruption, egotism, nepotism, cronyism, injustice etc. among many others. Given them the liberty and opportunity to run amok like today in the region would only culminate in the disappearance of a once proud, free, friendly, and prosperous country endowed with vast natural and human resources, not to mention a millennium year history, culture and religion; a country only to be remembered as a PROVINCE OF CHINA only, in later years.

Certainly, the world also, and the humanity itself will WOE THE DAY, when the military ruled Burma in cohorts with the likes of communist China, Russia, and who knows, the Islamic extremists like Iran gang up and hold the world and its citizenry hostage, in a near future. 

Setkyar Heine