_ By Prof. Kanbawza Win

The civilized international community has laugh in their sleeves after witnessing the Ne Win administration made a mockery of Socialism, in as much as the current Junta is making a mockery of Democracy. The Tatmadaw has tried relentlessly, to erase the democratic movement and humiliate the entire people of Burma. But, they have not won the people and on 29th ultimo they have spoken loud and clear. The people of Burma at this moment are stronger than they have been in the past and have let the world know that they are united and not threatened by the strength and power of the military. But the rigged Nargis Constitution and the bogus elections will go on with Soutshet-less, a new Anglo Burmese word for shamelessly. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi our noble, Nobel leader has given a clarion call when she make it known that she would not even think of the elections and the majority of the Myanmar and the non Myanmar or rather the ethnic nationalities have also declared that they are not interested and nothing would change.

It is quite imperative that the elections sponsored by the Junta and supported by its cronies, psychopaths, apologists, hypocrites and opportunists both inside and outside of Burma will be held before the new year rings in and several insignificant ethnic political parties will participate with the blessings and active help of the ENC (Ethnic Nationalities Council). Paradoxically, it clearly indicates that the funds from the international donors were being channelled via the Euro Burma Office to ENC encouraging the ethnic nationalities to participate. One could not ever contemplate that in face of ethnic cleansing of why the ENC is working hand in glove with the Junta? What is the rationale that the precious donations from international community have been wasted instead of using in more fruitful ventures?

The timidity, fickle leadership, afraid to stand for the righteous cause, couple with the lack of vision of the Diaspora Ethnic National Council has been vividly painted to the world by this action. It is time for the ethnic communities to question their self appointed leaders. These so called ethnic leaders jetting around the world, drinking beer and staying in luxury hotels only because they know where to tap the international resources, whereas the ethnic fighter after forfeiting his life in dangerous battles with an uneven fire power comes home to find that there was no rice in the pot is something to think of.

It is time for the ethnic nationalities to question their leadership and replaced these elites, with young, sincere, dedicated and patriotic persons so abundant in the ethnic communities. Since Balkanization is not accepted by the ethnic nationalities of Burma as the Manerplaw Agreement of 13th July 1992 indicates, to establish the Federal Union, in other words the Genuine Union of Burma, the ethnic nationalities should join hands with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership and the genuine Myanmar nationals. Those dedicated ethnic leaders who are in touch with the grassroots level and is part and parcel of the ethnic community has made known their views and an un-mistakable message was given when Chairman of the Kachin National Organization  Bawmwang La Raw said, “There is no earthly reason to accept this election I don’t think any party which contests the elections are well intentioned,” KNU General Secretary Zipporah Sein said at a press conference in Bangkok on 19th March said that,” These elections will only compound the suffering of our ethnic people,” while the SNLD spokesperson Sai Leik commented,” I would like to say these laws are one-sided and are simply unjust and unfree. […] For that reason, we can’t accept such restrictive laws,” The New Mon State Party Secretary Nai Hang Thar on 22nd March added “The junta is holding an election because their main political goal is to supersede the 1990 election result that gave the NLD victory and legalize their military rule” even as the WA and Kachin are preparing to fight. These real leaders of the ethnic communities have made known their options, long before which has nothing to do with ENC or NRP. Several exiled political groups like Aung \moe Zaw of the DPNS (Democratic Party for New Society). Khun Myint Tun, of NCGUB (National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma) and even the defunct student leader Dr Naing Aung of NDD say it loud and clear before NLD make a decision. It is only after the NLD has made its decision known that ENC came up with a declaration of supporting the NLD decision what in Burmese call Mee-sin-kyee-ka. Why? Perhaps we will have to agree with U Aung Zaw that as far as Burma is concerned, even among the ethnic’s nationalities are also not short of hypocrites. Hence if the ethnic communities were to go forward, we should stand on our own legs and must not rely on the ethnic elites or the hook nose farang experts that unwittingly lend a helping hand to the Junta and augment the accusations that we were the lackeys of foreign countries but to throw our lot with Daw Aun San Suu Kyi.

Again to throw our lot with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership, great care must be taken and the ethnic nationalities must be able to distinguish between a genuine Pyidaungsu Myanmar/Burman and Mahar Bamar. Among the NLD members and in Diaspora there are several people who harbour the Mahar Bamar chauvinist attitude. If that is the case how are we going to distinguish the Pyidaungsu Bamar and the Mahar Bamar? It is only by making friends with them and working together that one can know the real intentions of their obsession. A classic example is that if we were to look at a not so recent history of Burma

(a) The 1948 Constitution. When the ethnic nationalities realised that the 1948 Constitution not only disregard the essence of Panglong Agreement but also was substantively different from the “Draft Constitution Approved by the AFPFL National Convention”.  The non-Myanmar ethnic national leaders gathered in Taunggyi, in 1961 to discuss its defects. Over 200 non-Myanmar politicians, leaders, and scholars agreed to amend the defects of the Constitution of Union of Burma (1948) within democratic principles and approved the drafted “Federal Bill” to table at the Union Parliament. Consequently, they also urged Prime Minister U Nu to initiate Federal Seminar in Rangoon to discuss the future of Burma Union and implementation of federalism in the Union of Burma. In doing so this “Federal Bill,” the Myanmar will have equal status with non-Myanmar nationals. The Mahar Myanmar nationalists, who were the high-ranking officers in Burmese Army, realized that the only way to safeguard Myanmar domination over non-Myanmar ethnic nationals is removing the democratic regime by force. Therefore, the Burmese Army took the power on March 2, 1962.

(b) The 1974 Socialist Constitution. The raison d`étre was to prevent from disintegration of Burma Union and the Revolutionary Council arrested all participants in the Taunggyi Conference and sent them to jail without due process of law. Many prominent non-Myanmar ethnic national leaders were secretly murdered while some of them died in jail. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Council drafted a new Constitution after ten years that came to force in 1974. This new Constitution not only disregarded the essence of Panglong Agreement, but also constitutionally expanded Myanmar ethnic national domination toward non-Myanmar ethnic nationals by creating Seven Divisions out of Myanmar inhabitant area.

(c) NLD’s Interim Constitution. Although the Socialist military regime collapsed in 1988 and the NLD was voted for to restore democracy in Burma by the people, it miserably failed to carry out the peoples’ mandate due to two significantly important factors. First, NLD failed to draft the Interim Constitution of Burma based on the essence of Panglong Agreement. Second the majority of NLD’s top leaders are former military officers who were ousted by General Ne Win, so that restoration of democracy in Burma is not priority for them but toppling the present military regime is always their first priority in their head. Even though Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had expressed her willingness to form a Federal Union of Burma to solve political problems in Burma but she has not received warm responses from NLD’s top leaders.

(d)  Current Nargis Constitution, I will not comment much on it as it has been rejected by the people The Junta is so deeply one-sided, harmful to the country’s interests, as measured in terms of human security, economic development, political stability, ethnic harmony and national security. So much so that the regime’s friends and foes alike are dismayed by the repressive way it is proceeding with their electoral process.

So the real ethnic national leaders must take over the leadership and great care should be taken to weed out the Mahar Bamar from the Pyidaungsu Bamar, We will have to follow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership together with the Pyidaungsu Bamar but not necessarily the NLD dominated by the Mahar Bamar and throw our lot with the genuine leader to fight the ultimate battle with the Junta’s Tatmadaw. But the pre requisite is that we have to revamped and reorganise the leadership and a new Ethno Democratic Movement should be inaugurated that can synchronise both inside and outside the country.