The United Nations Is Only A Toothless Tiger

190 plus member nation world body, the United Nations, has been proven as only an old toothless tiger by a lowly military mongrel, like Gen. Than Shwe, at last.

The military dictator Than Shwe has bared his fangs in disdain and distaste on the world body itself by expelling the United Nations Representative to Burma for telling the truth, and just before the UN envoy touched down on Burma’s soil.

Furthermore, the top dog in the military hierarchy in Burma has dived into a ‘shit hole’ again, in the eyes of the international community when he refused to receive the UN envoy after inviting him to visit his hell hole – Nay Pyi Daw – where he was hiding in fear of and away from the people of Burma, protesting his illegal and brutal rule. This is certainly a very low down act on the part of the military misfit though holding nobody in much awe among civilized citizenry of the world, given his audacity and animal instinct, killing even the much revered Buddhist monks, not to mention people and students during recent crackdowns on dissent in Burma.

This is tantamount to an affront on the world body and equally the international community, all the member nations of the world, at this time clamouring for democratic changes in Burma as a start, to preserve greatly needed peace and amity among peoples on earth today.

The Second World War broke out in September 1939 when warmongers led by Nazi Hitler invaded Europe, Africa and Asia. The failure on the part of then so-called League of Nations Organization to rein in Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito from going on the rampage has plunged the world into an inferno of death and destruction, culminated in tens of millions of people killed worldwide. This led in turn to the development of the atom bomb which finally, stopped the dictators in their tracks; the advent of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction today, has culminated in forcing us to live under a spectre of a nuclear holocaust.

The ruling military junta in Burma led by Than Shwe today has nothing for the people of Burma other than to press ahead with its self-serving rule via the Seven Step Road Map, leading to nowhere, but on the path only to establishing a military dynasty in Burma.
The Seven Step Road Map is Than Shwe’s archaic ploy, and a pretext only, to usher in an eternal military rule in Burma; in fact and obviously.

Another translation would be the military regime’s ploy to hoodwink the international community, while at the same time substitute its self-serving toy – the Seven Step Road Map – in place of the 1990 election results and thereby legitimize its otherwise illegal rule, since its debut on September 18, 1988, until today.

At this juncture, let it be known that no individual or organization, much less Than Shwe and/or his military oligarchy in Burma, has the right or mandate to declare the results of the May 27, 1990, elections null and void. Period.

And Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her people in the National League for Democracy (NLD) also, are obliged to hold fast on the 1990 election results as the one and primary vehicle, being the mandate given by the people of Burma, and drive on the road to their objective of affecting a representative rule in the country and eternal peace, as willed by the people of Burma. Any deviation from this path would be deemed as counter productive, irrelevant and certainly, unacceptable for Burma and its people, long struggling for their freedom and democracy.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in high spirits today, meeting with her remaining NLD leadership, who have been remaining mute and inactive all these long years while she alone is taking ALL THE HEAT. Maybe they are waiting for this day, when everything is ‘served on a platter’. Believe me they have another think coming, as the Yankees say, given Than Shwe’s penchant for playing ‘surprise’ politics.

Burma’s freedom fighter has added, “In the interest of the nation, I stand ready to cooperate with the government in order to make this process of dialogue a success,” according to her statement published.

According to Nyan Win, a NLD executive member at the meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, she told her fellow party leaders that the government’s crackdown on September mass pro-democracy demonstrations was “devastating for the NLD, the government and the people.

This is only a hint of what she has in mind over the brutal killings of monks and people during mass pro-democracy demonstrations last September.

And added also,” a healing process such as the release of political prisoners is essential,” according to Nyan Win.
There are still unknown numbers of political prisoners and Buddhist monks languishing in the prisons of Burma, after they have been brutally seized and disrobed.

There is no sign of any sort to release them sooner or later.

And Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is still held under house arrest until today; she is chaperoned, under guard and closely watched while she holds talks with her people. She is virtually, a caged bird, for Than Shwe to play with at times.

How far and does Than Shwe and his thugs really like to ‘move’ forward in the right direction for restoring genuine freedom and democracy in Burma?

And the UN envoy has also, pitched in his view that he is optimistic about the holding of a ‘dialogue’ between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD and the military thugs, without giving due consideration to the fact that he has largely failed in his mission – affecting a three way talk, that would include him also – not to mention the top military dog refusing to give him even an audience, after all inviting him to his hideout the so-called Nay Pyi Daw. That shows Than Shwe’s ilk, distaste on the world body, and certainly, his nil concern on the democratic process of Burma as Gambari has been strenuously brokering and finally, what he thinks of the poor Nigerian diplomat, who has come a long way to shake his hand specifically.

The military mongrel is just playing to ‘buy time’ while he is putting his act together and strategy of eternal rule of Burma in place. He has ruffled a number of feathers in his flock during and after the September massacre of Buddhist monks, people and the students. Many command and division commanders were cashiered and forced out for refusing to fire on and kill the revered monks and the people. As a result, there is a considerable commotion or unrest among the rank and file of his armed minions. Many have voiced or expressed displeasure on the severe crackdowns ordered by Than Shwe on the Buddhist monks as they are born Buddhists also. This has greatly weakened and shaken his stand in his own outfit.

Hence, he has to call for a special meeting of the command and division commanders to pacify some and fire many. It takes time to heal this large rift among his underlings and reorganize again. Thus, he needs time before he takes a hard stand again, which is inevitable once he gets his act together and solidify his position.

Enter Gambari as UN envoy and a toy also, for Than Shwe to play with and while away his time, whilst at the same time he consolidates his stand and recover lost ground among his lackeys and hirelings.

He will let go Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as far and long as she doesn’t mention about the 1990 election results and call for the release of all political prisoners, including Min Ko Naing and his colleagues in the 8888 Generation Students and others, essential in the confidence building and instrumental in the political process of establishing a representative rule in Burma.
And believe me, the world icon of democracy will one day, sooner rather than later, call for the release of all political prisoners and recognition of the 1990 election results. And Than Shwe will no doubt push for, or most probably, force his ploy – the Seven Step Road Map – down Burma’s freedom fighters’ throat.

That will be the ultimate SHOWDOWN!

Who comes out winner is everybody’s guess!

And the fact, that Min Ko Naing and his lot still remaining in prison, like all the other political prisoners today, and specifically, Than Shwe employing the services of a non-entity like Aung Kyi only as liaison between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and himself holds no water in the first place, which in turn reinforced my premonition that Than Shwe is not playing the game straight, as before and always.

At least, Thein Sein, Than Shwe’s newly appointed military prime minister should be Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s counter-part at least, in place of Than Shwe, if the military rogue dared not face our beloved and world recognized leader of Burma.

Obviously, the military despot will resort to bullying and heavy-handed tactics at his will, until he breaks Daw Aung San Suu Kyi down to the point of towing his line or if she still persists, he will call the game off, while a the same time putting the blame on her also.
Then he will push his ploy – the Seven Step Road Map – down the throats of the people of Burma and rape them at gunpoint, while his step-dads China and Russia hold the United Nations and the world at bay.

And Mr. Donald M. Seekins, a Burma expert at Meio University in Japan, has a point in saying, “My reaction is extreme skepticism that this will lead to real dialogue between her and the (junta), or genuine political change. The (government) likes to move Suu Kyi and the NLD around like pieces on a chessboard, to satisfy the international community.”

Than Setkyar Heine
Planning Committee
Anti-Dictatorship, People’s Freedom Movement in Burma