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LET'S OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR



Subject: Re: LET'S OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR BURMA!

>From james.mckay@xxxxxxxx Thu May 18 22:08:16 EST 1995
>Article: 2342 of soc.culture.burma
>Newsgroups: soc.culture.burma
>Subject: LET'S OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR BURMA!
>Date: 19 May 1995 01:33:02 GMT
>Organization: Yale University, Department of Computer Science, New Haven, CT
>Lines: 18
>Message-ID: <3pgsgf$k9f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>NNTP-Posting-Host: 130.132.204.43

Mi Mi Myint Phu's writings are quoted with ">" and my reply follow without ">"
 
>I am very sad to hear that some of my friends think I am trying to secure UNDP 
>funds on behalf of the "Darkside".  The issue here is not UNDP; it is the 
>millions of poor and innocent families who will suffer when basic UNDP 
>grassroots training and self-help training programs are abruptly taken away 
>just as they are beginning to bear fruit. I do not advocate blanket endorsement
>of UNDP operations nor foreign exchange going through the unrealistic official
>rate. I am talking about basic human needs. Projects that are closely 
>monitored and openly reported -- and spending money at the open market rate. 
>Some of there programs which I became familiar with when I was recently in 
>Burma, are areas of primary healthcare, water & sanitation, environment & 
>energy, Food Security, Income Generation, and Education.

	This posting deserves very careful response and a bit terminological 
explanations. It is pretty convincing to people who won't reach their study
at the "grassroot level" of current Burmese society. Perhaps there  are two 
grassroot groups in Burma now. These are SLORC-trained grassroot group in which
poorest people are such as daily waged office clerks, soldiers on the front-
lines, blue-color workers in SLORC own (it is clearly not state own) factories,
and SLORC's servents; and another grassroot group is the group in which people 
are completely sufferring under SLORC brutal disruption because of their beliefs
that the elected representative government should govern the country OR that 
they believe they should have rights to practice their ethnic or opponent's 
rights in Burma (for instance is self-determination of languages, religions etc.
and freedom of expression). For that latter level whatever energy and
intelligentia they exert to develop their lives and family economy, they will 
not achieve what they want.  Their activities will be ended up by certain 
control of so-called local "yart-kwat" (village or district) council's 
observations.
	Another fact that we have to look at is that both of these grassroot
groups are sadly created to become from the state of green-grassroot level to
the state of dry-grassroot level by relocation projects since 1989. This 
creation clear-cut basic needs of daily survivals of those common people.  You
will know when you walk through so-called so many "Myo Thit" (newly created 
city) around Rangoon and near Pagan city. These cities have no electricity, no 
clean wanter, no medical services. People are very much self-trained by their
experiences to survive in that condition of life.  This creation has invited 
such as UNDP plans and aids to flourish in Burma. This certainly is SLORC's 
traditional strategic tricked show-down adapted from BSPP's four-year and five-
year plans. And not to forget that it is SLORC's tactic to catch international
humanatarian concerns that will overwhelm real issue of the country that is to
open the society. Therefore, this crisis of basic needs of life isn't occurred
within day and night time period, but it is historically and traditionally 
created by the whole political institution of Burma under army-generals.
 
>These programs are new and very much needed and wanted by the Burmese people, 
>and they are self-help participatory programs at the grass-roots level that do 
>not go through the government apparatus.  

	Who can guarantee those UNDP aids will not go through the SLORC army
generals' pockets and army barracks? Even the UN Redcross medical aids to Burma
during Irrawady Flooding in 1991 were totally controlled and distributed by
SLORC. Later, those first-aid medicines were used in attacks to those villages
by accusing those villages of helping insurgent groups.  

>We cannot talk irresponsibly when millions of  lives are at atake. The people
>of Burma look up to the UN to help and protect them.  The bottom line is UNDP
>human development programs improve basic living standards, prevent unnecessary
>deaths, and save lives. Anyone who wants to take these away from the people 
>must take responsibility for the very destruction and the loss of lives these 
>cuts will lead to. Who will be there for the people when the blue UN flag and 
>the eyes and the ears of the world are gone?

	People of Burma, except SLORC and its followers, look up the UN Blue
Flag hoping to get help to solve the country's political crisis peacefully.
They know the disease of heart is much more dangerous than the disease of skin.
It is needed to realize why all of those basic destruction of human dignity in
Burma is occuring historically under army generals' control. We, people who see
and feel that the UN development aids or international humantarian aids will be
devalued and cheaply used by SLORC, want the UN and international merciful
orginizations to delay their humantarian aids to Burma until it is sure that
their aids will truly reach to Burmese people. There is only one group that
is attempting to take these humantarian aids away from the people. It is SLORC.
SLORC has been exerting its power and tactics to get those international
humantarian aids by reasoning the absolute poverty of rural population. It is
in fact created by SLORC by launching war in those regions.  Since those wars
against its opponents on the border and in the rural area are growing days
after days, it is ridiculous to believe that SLORC will try to develop the
lives of those millions of victims in grassroot level.  

 
>Yes, some of you have told me that more lives are destroyed because of the 
>regime in power and that you have no choice but to try and put utmost pressure 
>on them to change regardless of the negative impact.  But I feel that MORE LIVE
>S WILL BE DESTROYED IF WE ABANDON BURMA IN ITS NEEDIEST HOUR. China and other 
>pragmatic countries will just step in.  The system will go on and the "little 
>people" may be forgotten.  

	Your feeling is right but if you look at Burmese history, there is no
one died of hunger in Burma.  SLORC knows those conditions of lives in Burma
that nobody can be died of hunger. Because of its people's kindness, its natural
resources, and richness of soil, anytime, anywhere at least people can grow
vegitable and eat it for life. No life in Burma is destroyed by starvations or
lack of electricity.  It is the only condition that is destroying Burma's
citizens, Burma deginity, Burma beauty, Burma's hope, and Burma's future
perspectives: THAT IS THE EXISTENCE OF SLORC. The Burma politics under control
of uneducated army generals graded the country down into the bottom of the list
of UN members. The existence of SLORC will not only destroy its citizens but 
also destroy Burma's national identity and its in existence in the world.


>You heart is in the right place but WHEN YOU ALLOW YOUR ANGER AND HATRED TO 
>INFLUENCE YOUR THINKING, YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE WISDOM TO SEE THINGS AS THEY 
>ARE AND TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE 
>COUNTRY.  BURMA WILL GO NOWHERE WITH THAT KIND OF POLARIZED THINKING, WHICH 
>UNFORTUNATELY IS PREVALENT ON BOTH SIDES. There are many change taking place 
>in Burma today, and if our aim is to really help the people, 

	People like you who lived away from Burma for long time and just went
back and see Burma may think that Burma has changed a lot. For people who live
there for life and waited positive changes for life have not seen any changes 
excepts Rangoon become white-colored city and Mandalay become Hongkong.  Keep in
mind that for those grassroot level people, life in Burma become not only
expensive but become homeless by SLORC's forced relocations.  People whose
lives are changeed positively are not those grassroot level people for whom you
and we concern as priority.  Open your mind and eyes widely Ms. MI MI Myint
Phu. Your wisdom should not only be excerpted from your experiences. Try to
wears those people's shoes who have mentally and physically suffered under 
SLORC's brutal disruptions. 

>a comprehensive and impartial study of TODAY'S BURMA should be performed first.
>We must maintain goodwill if we are to achieve genuine dialogue and to heal
>the pain.  We must have balance in our thinking and forgiveness in our hearts. 
>At the heart of a democratic society is the readiness to understand and give
>others a chance.  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF A PEACEFUL AND 
>PROSPEROUS SOCIETY.  It can't he demanded or bought in a store.

	According to a comprehensive and impartial study of TODAY'S BURMA, the
only condition that is destroying country's economy, citizens's lives, human
dignity is the existence of army-dominated politics. Therefore, SLORC must
first step down to transfer power to the government of people that is resulted
from the election of May 27, 1990. Without this transition of political
situation in Burma, nothing can be done. People in Burma are ready to forgive
to those army generals, who acted those past atrocities under the commands of 
their head-officers, by giving blanket amnesty. There is a burmese saying that
"no clapping sound can be produced with one hand." Therefore, SLORC must began
to talk not only with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi but with all political figures such
as U Kyi Maung, U Tin U and all of the elected representatives to settle down
country's political crisis that has been destroying Burma. Without this process
first at hand, nothing can be proceeded.
 
>Things are not perfect but some lives have improved from more open economic 
>policies.  Some lives have worsened due to inequalities in income distribution.
>THERE IS GROWTH AND THERE IS TURMOIL.  THE OUNTRY NEEDS MORE PROFESSIONAL 
>ADVICE AND INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO TURN THE ECONOMY AROUND AND IMPROVE 
>LIVES.  According to the 12/94 US Embassy report, the private sector mow 
>accounts for 76% of the GDP, believe it or not.  

	Don't be so early to boast the numerical account without thinking who
own those "private sector." Please don't forget the first group that you concern
a lot, which is what you called "grassroot." 
 
>When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the regime met last year, I was very happy to see
>the beginnings of a bright future for Burma.  I decided to apply for a visa to 
>visit Burma in December, not knowing whether I would be allowed one due to my 
>well-known desire and activities for a peaceful and prosperous Burma. I got my 
>visa in February and I went home in March.  Everyone was critical, some 
>accusing me of betraying the "cause".  Just for returning to see my country?  
>Just for trying to see how things really are?

	What you have seen and think of the development of FutureBurma is
basically on the right track, but you need to look into more detail and should
be practical as much as possible so that we can produced more productive
actions. 
 
>I don't think we shoul corner ourselves into these black and white boxes. I 
>think we should all reach out to each other, as brothers and sisters, as 
>citizens of Burma who love our country.  We should be thinking positively and 
>constructively.  Let's look for a pragmatic and reasonable solution.  LET'S 
>OPEN OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS FOR THE SAKE OF BURMA. AND IMPORTANTLY, LET'S NOT
>HURT THE POOR AND INNOCENT PEOPLE WITH POLITICAL AGENDAS
 
>Mimi Myint-Hpu
	
	These black and white boxes are the absolute symbol of democracy and
justice at first hand. All democratic must respect these boxes. We are ready to
"reach out each other, as brothers and sisters." But SLORC is refusing to act 
in civilized manner. 
	Their love of Burma is cheating people by selling Burma to Red China 
in order to control Burma's future political power.  It is not loving country.
Do you believe that they love Burma? Which evidence has proved you to believe
in that? Please OPEN YOUR MIND AND EYES TO SEE THE REALITY AND THE TRUTH OF
TODAY'S BURMA UNDER SLORC. Then YOUR HEART will be fairly opend.
	Tun Myint.