Kanbawza Win

The Burmese struggle of a unified democratic nation state has been going on since its inception in 1948, however, after 40 years (to be exact 1988) it became serious when the entire  nation demonstrated against their tyrannical Burmese regime and the Burmese army known as Tatmadaw met the people with bullets where thousands of them were massacred. Since then the silent struggle has been going on and up to this day, and there is little or no end in sight. Everyone is looking forward to the installation of a puppet government with fake election and a dubious Constitution. It is hoped that on Oct 10^th (10-10-10) will be an auspicious day for the new government will declared a general amnesty and the Diaspora ethno-democratic elites and refugees can go back and at least visit their motherland.

This defeat of the ethno democratic forces was nobody’s fault but our own, as all these years the ethnic nationalities elite could not form a united front not to mention joining hands with the pro democratic forces to be an alternative for the Junta and attract the international support. Now it seems that it is useless to cry over the spilt milk. But there is a small group of professional intelligentsia who are on the sidelines and no doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has. This intelligentsia are afraid of megaphone diplomacy which most of the Diaspora are implementing as blaring over the internet, demonstrating and fighting the Junta with declarations. Intelligentsia refused to make any sound as they are not empty vessels. We would humbly like to appeal to this type of Diaspora and sympathetic friends to have pity on the 55 million plus people and rescue them.

Computers and internet have transformed economies and given advanced nations great advantages, armies such as the ability to send remotely piloted aircraft across the world to gather intelligence and attacks targets. The spread of digital technology has now exposes armies and societies to digital attack. It t is complex, multifaceted and potentially very effective. The enemy or rather the Tatmadaw Generals are now relying on computers system link on internet given them more avenue on the ethno democratic forces.

Cyber space has become the fifth domain after land, sea, air and space. As computer networks collapse, factories and chemical plants explodes, satellites spins out of control and the financial and power grids fail. Infiltrating networks is pretty easy for those who have the will, means and the time to spare. Many a Burmese in Diaspora have acquired this kind of knowledge and there is the will to implement if proper guidance is given. The Junta know this because they themselves are such enthusiastic hackers and have hired the top technicians from Russia, China and Singapore to train their technicians. Spies frequently break into systems to steal information whether it is from Google or defence contractors. Successful penetrating networks has been demonstrated w hen it the web sites of the opposition forces such as Irrawaddy, New Era, Mizzima News Agencies were attacked sometimes ago..

Cyber attack on Estonia in 2007 and on Georgia in 2008 is a well calculated to coincide with the advance of the Russian troops across the Caucasus directed by Kremlin. China organize raids to ransack Western technical know- how and we are quite sure that a few bright Burmese in Diaspora who are working particularly in this field have the technology to counter the Junta’s cyber warfare. Our ardent appeal goes to these technocrats.

Obviously the existence of nuclear weapons and cyber weapons did not mean that they will be deployed but with the Junta’s mentality somewhat akin to the African ones, cooler brains cannot prevail and that is one of the main reasons of why the ethno democratic groups should think about it. However, it is a fact that Cyber weapons are being deployed secretly by the Junta and one cannot predict of when and how will they be used. Besides the risks of making mistakes, misattribution and miscalculation are great in the rogue regimes like Burma.

My dream or rather my wishful thinking is that with more and more vital computer systems linked could we may be able to use the logic bombs and target the key generals instead of the young soldiers who like us are suffering under the hands of the tyrannical generals? Or turned off the electricity or target their financial transactions via the banks.

President Obama had declared America’s digital infrastructure to be a “strategic national asset” and the Pentagon has set up the new Cyber command for defensive purpose. Britain has set up the cyber security outfit GCHO, while China has targeted winning the informationized war. Russia, Israel North Korea and Iran boast of having the world’s second largest cyber army.

The Burmese Junta has formed the Cyber and Missiles force in 2009. Hence in this digital age the ethno democratic forces should go at par with the changing times. What will be a Cyber War look like can be seen in Richard Clarke’s (former White House staff).book. Within half an hour a computer bugs can bring down a military email system, oil pipelines and refineries exploded, air traffic control systems collapse, electric goes down. But the identity of the attacker may remain a mystery. These are but some of the scenarios. Cyberspace certainly will play a major contribution in the war of liberation.

China has systematically developed a wholesale espionage system attacking the major Western Defence System and taking classified details such as F 35 fighters, then when Googles protested it kick them out. The loss of highly technical know-how could erode the economic and defence advantage. Now it is everybody’s knowledge that China deploys the most assiduous and the most shameless cyber spies, but it was the Russians that are most skilled and subtle. That is why the Junta sends most of its scholars to Russia. All these indicate that dedicated, intellectuals, professionals can implement great things.

But the most aspects is how to synchronise with the situation at home in Burma. Ko Min Zin in his article “Burma Road to 3 G” that appeared on the 14^th instant in the ‘Irrawaddy Magazine’ has scientifically prove it that this coming election will not lead to genuine political transition and economic development but rather provide the semblance of legitimacy the Junta craves. That the theory of something is better than nothing, or the elections in the only game in town are absolutely wrong giving classic examples with contemporary Burmese history. His views of Burma through the Burmese eyes should wake up the foreign advisers, self appointed alien experts and apologists alike not to mention the psychopaths.

At the same time the racist attitude of the some of the ethnic nationalities elites so prevalent in the Diaspora must be taken into account as one cannot pacify the obsession of some of these racist leaders. Hence ethno-democratic politicians and statesman should volunteer not only to bail out Burma from this quagmire but also to set the country to be a modern nation state in the civilized world. We hope that these intelligentsia and technocrats should silently work together and liberated the country from the clutches of the Tatmadaw.