The Final Assault to Victory

Shwe Ba (Burma Digest) 

I hope that our democratic leaders who are struggling for the Régime Change in Burma have already agreed upon a strategy for a Win-Win condition for our country, not like during the 8888 revolution which was forceful and thunderous earlier but stopped tapered with the whimper. This 18.09.2007 should be designated as a Golden Yellow Revolution or 999 revolution. We must make sure that winning the war is far more important than just winning the battles. 

We need to agree on some salient points. First of all is, we must be able to overcome our hatred on the Military Junta. We could not annihilate them as the result would be far more worse than Iraq. We need to practice the give and take policy. If there is no military force in our country, our neighbors and separatists could take advantage and disintegrate our country. The Generals are human being only and are scared of their lives, families, future, positions and properties. Even if you try to assault a docile cat in a close room it would definitely attack back. So we should make a golden hand shake by rewarding them if they give up power voluntarily. We need to show them a face saving and safe golden escape route so that they would not resist us in fear, Kyauk Kan_Kan Thee. 

If we could guarantee their safety and future there is a chance that they would change from the present hard line, defensive and aggressive position to a more reconciliatory tone. I would like to propose a Myanmar National Security Council for all the present SPDC leaders or top five of them. We could promise to continue giving them with the present salary and parks, minus power to meddle in the daily running of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led new cabinet formed from NLD, 88 students, Ethnic Minority representatives and ceased fired rebel representatives. Myanmar National Security Council could advise or discuss on various issues with the new Cabinet but this new Cabinet and PM Daw Suu must be allowed a free hand. 

I would also like to propose a Burma National Advisory Board, from all the experienced, elder politicians, ethnic minority and religious minority representatives and respected elders, proposed by the respective groups but decided to choose by the PM and the Cabinet.  

We should request the help of world’s famous economics, technocrats, IT experts and retired leaders etc. to be the associated members to this Burma National Advisory Board. Ex-Burmese citizens should not be excluded. In this way we could get the best of the world. 

We should unanimously decide to choose our leader in advance, e.g. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the future Prime Minister of the Interim Government. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led new cabinet should be chosen from NLD, 88 students, Ethnic Minority representatives and ceased fired rebel representatives.  

Not like the later part of the 8888 uprising, instead of calling just check, check, check to threaten the king only but allowed the king to slip through the hands we should consider the game plan to checkmate Senior General Than Shwe and SPDC Junta with a final lethal move and win the game. We should prepare, discuss and probe all the possibilities, could not say that we would try to cross the bridge if we arrive. The only important thing is that we need to consider or brain storm all the tactics, strategies and most important of all is how to execute the final lethal strike to take control of the country’s power.We must try to persuade the 400,000 strong SPDC Myanmar Military, armed groups still struggling against the SPDC and ceased fire groups i.e. those groups that signed the peace agreement with the present government. We should consider and decide in advance how to handle them. We must think about our country’s socio-political, security and economic conditions after our second Independence. We must brain storm now not only for the revolution but what to do after our success or to effectively steer or guide our country immediately and for the long term progress. I hope the monks and protesting activists could give some insurance and incentives like giving the Military rulers to act as Presidents or Constitutional Monarchy or King of Burma to reign for few years each or for five yearly.  We could even consider to give the whole SPDC like the status of an upper house, selected mostly from Military as a Guardian of Burma, as stated above as Myanmar National Security Council for the long term stability but not to interfere in the daily running of the elected governments. 

Our demonstrators must avoid the provocation of SPDC agent provocateurs and stay away from violence, damaging the properties and prevent the lootings.  We could not lose the war after winning the early battles because a lot of our comrade democrats’ lives were already sacrificed. Daw Suu told Mr Razali that she was even preparing a suitable constitution, so instead of just tossing the SPDC Constitution, we should allow Daw Suu to appoint a Constitution drawing board to amend the SPDC Constitution. The basic laws before Ne Win take over must be looked back and choose and amend accordingly. It will take some time for Daw Suu led Interim Government to chart our country’s future, constitution, Laws, Rules, Regulations and future development plans for short, medium and long term. A coup d’état usually involves control of some active portion of the military while neutralizing the remainder of a country’s armed services. This active group usually uses the power of the existing government for its own takeover and tried to do the followings: captures leaders, seizes physical control of important government offices, control the means of main communication, and control the physical infrastructure e.g. streets, radio TV stations and power plants. Breakthrough coups – In which a revolutionary army overthrows a traditional government and creates new bureaucratic elite. Breakthrough coups are generally led by non-commissioned officers (NCOs) or junior officers and only happen rarely in history. Because the coup is led by junior officers or enlisted men, it could be seen also as a mutiny.
 

Mass street protests or popular uprisings like our 8888 or present 999 or Golden yellow monks led movement could force the unpopular and corrupt leaders from office in a coup-like fashion. We must plan to rapidly grasp and consolidate the power during this uprising. But anyway, if we could persuade Yangon Division Commander to rebel against the central Nay Pyidaw SPDC Generals, release Daw Suu and form a government, declare Independence of Liberated Burma. Even if the uprising opposition could declare independence in Rangoon for one day or an hour only, we could ask help from US and UN to send troops. (We should request this kind of things in advance to the US authorities.) Finished! We could declare amnesty for all the SPDC Generals and soldiers who wish to change side. No need to even fight like in Afghanistan or Iraq. US and UN need not fight for us, just defend us. Looks like childish plan but who knows it would not work.If the present SPDC try to do as they had recently announce, if the elder Sayardaws could not use Dhama powers, they are ready to use their fire power, it could be called Veto coups – it occur when the army vetoes mass participation and social mobilization. In these cases the army must confront and suppress large-scale and broad-based opposition and as a result they tend to be repressive and bloody as in 1988. In 1988 people and the leaders were fooled with false promise of free and fare election, transfer of power to the democratically elected civilian government and the false promise of withdrawal of military to the barracks. Now they could not cheat the monks, people and the activists with those nursery rhymes, “Hta Min_ See San_Shwe Lin Pan” like children. They are nowadays clever after the military had cheated once.

1. The monks and protesting people are not going to just raise their hands and retreat without any resistance naively like the last face of our 8888 revolution, knowing that Myanmar Military would never keep their promise of walking the talk along the road map to democracy.

2. We have to plan in advance what to do if we get the power, to form a government. We need to discuss in advance with UN US EU NATO for help and support.

3. So I hereby suggested restarting or rebooting our selves based on Panglon treaty, our First old constitution and amends the SPDC’s Constitution by Daw Suu led government.

4. First govern the country with Interim Government. Within a year we could finish drawing a new constitution, and share power between all the opposition, all ethnic minority all races.

5. PM from NLD with all the full executive powers.

6. President, person proposed by Military. Veto power to control the integrity of the country.

7. DPM from Ethnic Minorities: Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Chin, Mon.

8. Each and every group leaders choose 3 persons from themselves to choose for the Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Parliament Secretaries positions.

9. To appoint the DGs and MDs all according to meritocracy.

10. We should decide to offer amnesty to all the SPDC Generals and soldiers to change to our side.

11. If possible we should need to define the exact type of Secular Democratic Federal Union we want. Iraq could offer US with oil. Although US denied that they had helped because of oil, we could not get support because we are too proud and wish to be on our own at the end of their help.

12. Now Burma got oil and gas but not much to persuade the west with this alone. Promise of long term support in geopolitics. Burma is in a very important geo-political situation between China, India and ASEAN. Yes we could give long term commitment of political and all means of Military support to USA to be able to control the whole Indian Ocean, entrance of Malacca traits by offering 100 years’ usage of Co Co Inlands. I am not asking to sell our country or to become a puppet nation. But nothing is free man! There is no free lunch. There must be give and take. If we give peanuts we could get monkeys only. If we want our whole Burma back we have to sacrifice few small islands thousands of kilometers away from our mainland. And the much needed long term promise of loyal support of USA policies. SPDC could take advantage by accusing us as selling the country by just pointing our fingers. But that is their right for propaganda warfare; we need to do what is right for all of us. After all they had given Co Co Islands and some islands for the Chinese Navy.

We should focus on all the possible issues and go in-depth. We should pursue a definite plan to tackle all the possible issues to see the best possible results. All of us cannot get all we wish for or want but must be ready to sacrifice and compromise for our common cause or victory.