Subject: Re-try, re:: Not to be late for all - Is the KNU ready for the future ?
In reply to :-
> From: treved@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Not to be late for all - Is the KNU ready for the future ?
> To: Recipients of burmanet-l <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-Id: <518124877@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> In-Reply-To: <9605301807.AA04288@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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[repost of response - tech. problems]
This response is ridiculous. A well-known Karen (ex-KNU) artist chooses
to express his doubts - founded on experience - about the KNU's past,
present and future, and is mauled for it on his English !
How good is your Burmese or Karen ?
I checked it before it was typed (and re-checked) by another Karen - a
long-time serving KNU ex-member, who agreed with all its sentiments.
I felt it was easily 'good enough' to provoke, hopefully, debate of a
higher order than this particular response.
We chose to support his right to be heard and 'published' on the net.
I would agree it's a bit wordy, but read the three extracted paragraphs
below again. This is what he's saying ...
1. The KNU leadership missed it's opportunity after 1988 by not giving
the Burmese students arriving in their areas better support (result: so
many of them ended up in Thailand)
basis :- my own reading of the (e.g.) books quoted below, and talking
to both KNU and ABSDF, (leadership and rank-and-file). Sure some
people could disagree, but lets have the facts - it matters
especially if the same mistake could be made again
2. Many KNU leaders have vested interests in property and the well-being
of their own extended family, above that of the Karen people as a whole
true on personal and shared investigation - though not of all the
leadership
3. The Karen leadership doesn't know how to use the media, therefore
doesn't know how to relate to the outside world (enlist support, etc.)
back this up by comparing numbers of press-releases from, say
S.H.A.N. and ABSDF press offices, both of whom put out far more
OK, there is a KNU Karen-language magazine, and a good historical
journal - neither is easy to find
4. The writer is actually calling for better unity among the opposition
- do you even know how many opposition groups there are and how
incredibly difficult it is for them to communicate ? This is an often
heard anxiety in the wider opposition, especially given a few
generations of mutual mistrust and the particular (and different)
histories common in schools in both Burma and Karen state.
This summary of his arguments is is easily backed up by ...
1. reading any of the easily available books on Burma - e.g. Bertil
Lintner's "Burma in Revolt" or Martin Smith's "Burma (Politics of
Ethnicity)";
2. referring back to the article on the Burmanet recently by Kanbawza
Win, who had just conducted lengthy interviews with the KNU leadership
("Are the KNU's days numbered ?")
3. Actually talking to the younger generations of Karen people, who do
not find their interests and aspirations represented by the KNU's
current leadership - a number of them sought out Kanbawza Win recently
having read "Are the KNU's days numbered ?" to express their support.
4. Taking a dispassionate look at the effectiveness of KNU military
doctrine. Rumour has it that Bo Mya went into hiding for several months
after Manerplaw fell, for protection from his own people. (OK, it's a
rumour). But many young Karens leave the KNU, which the leadership
calls "desertion".
In the kind of country we hope Burma will one day become, a free press,
accessible to ordinary people, will be vital. It will be 'OK' to offer
reasoned criticism of anyone, even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi - she herself
would want no less. The KNU and other ethnic organisations will have
open and transparent leadership which will welcome constructive
criticism and positive change. This will be the Burma which you, the
outside world, will deal with. But there will have to be a lot of
change first - the removal or dismantling of SLORC is only one of those
changes. Don't, please, stifle the voice of the ordinary people now,
and inhibit the other changes which need to take place just as much.
Burma is not, never has been or will be, so black-and-white, for you to
shout 'SLORC-ite' at anyone who disagrees with you. Show us, and the
Karen people, that you're taking it more seriously than that.
Please criticise ! This response or anything from the 'Zone', but
please remember, the voice of these younger generations _to_the_world_
_outside_ is like a child learning to speak or write. You can help it
to grow or you can stamp on it.
>
> Whatever you are trying to say, it is not intelligable. Say it simply and
> in a straightforward manner.
>
> Your waffling sounds like you want to sow the seeds of disunity and distrust
> among those who are opposing SLORC. Perhaps you are an agent of SLORC!!!
>
> Good try - but nobody is going to buy it!!
== quoted paragraphs from original posting
> > The Karen National Union (KNU) is the most experienced and
> > strongest group among the ethnic revolutionary groups. Its rates of
> > income and recruiting soldiers were the highest during 1970-80. Although
> > since that time in stead of building up the abilities of the next
> > generation for the future, extending propaganda in the media, taking the
> > chance of using the weaknesses of opponents and effectively attacking
> > them, collecting all of the unjust acts of the enemy for news world
> > wide, the leaders were invested in individual economics, they were
> > satisfied with building up strong bases and either directly or
> > indirectly despising and pressing down the younger people who are active
> > and educated.
> > ...
> > Though in this opportunity, thee KNU leadership absolutely
> > believed in the strong bases in their territories and still concentrated
> > on their property and neglected the duties unaware of the changes in the
> > current situation. Positive reports from the bottom made them think that
> > everything was going well. Suddenly, on the 8th of August, 1988 , there
> > was a countrywide democratic up-rising. The people needed the
> > revolutionary groups to participate. But the leaders of the KNU were
> > only able to lift up their wrinkled foreheads and watch the changes
> > through thick glasses with no response. After that, the bases they
> > believed were strong have fallen one by one. In 1991, some KNU troops
> > penetrated into the Ayeyawaddy delta region. On behalf of this chance
> > the groups might have worked together to pressure and abolish the SLORC,
> > but every group avoided involvement and ignored this event. Finally most
> > of the Karen people in the dalta region suffered a many causaties and
> > troubles. It was because neither the KNU nor the other groups have
> > enough mutual understanding,or wish to participate in unity. They just
> > only worked to benefit and emphasize their own associations and
> > nationalities. Even though they have the policy of " unity to destroy
> > the common enemy" not much has been done.
> >
> > Now in the last situation, there are only Karen, Arakan, Chin
> > and Burmese revolutions (ABSDF) remaining. The other groups have made
> > cease fire agreements with SLORC. Never the less it is still necessary
> > to increase more firmly unity and cooperation with systematic
> > preparation. It is the beginning of changes again in Burma, after Daw
> > Aung San Su Kyi has been released. The KNU also has made a decision for
> > the peace talk with SLORC. No one knows whether it will succeed or not,
> > but it seems a lot of people are wishing and hoping for the best.
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