MAILBAG - Burmese dissidents have r

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: MAILBAG - Burmese dissidents have right to use media to fight junta

The Nation - June 11, 1999

Mailbag

Burmese dissidents have right to use media to fight junta

I READ the letter from Dexter R Andersen, a self-described ''Freedom
Fighter'' [The Nation, June 8]. I do not agree with all of his comments.
I
am one of the Burmese dissidents living on the border and in exile. This
is
because we cannot live in Burma, the area controlled by the ruling
junta,
because we demonstrated in the ''8888 Uprising'' and supported
democracy.

We are still fighting the military in Burma by a number of methods. Some
are
inland working the legal way, some are underground, some are in the
jungle
engaged in armed struggle, some are on the border, and some are in
exile. My
case is an example. I am one of thousands of dissidents. Today I live in
Oslo, Norway, as my duty is to broadcast our opposition radio, the
Democratic Voice of Burma. Maybe tomorrow I will have to go to the
jungle.

There are four foreign-based Burmese radio stations which encourage
moves
towards democracy in Burma. But this is not enough. At the same time, we
need to inform the world community about our country's current
situation. So
we write articles for the foreign press, especially for The Nation. Is
this
just endless wasted paper?

Mr Andersen referred to South African affairs, but does he know the
important role of economic sanctions on the ANC movement? Nowadays, the
US
has imposed economic sanctions on Burma, the EU has imposed trade
sanctions
and the UN is bringing political pressure to bear for dialogue in Burma.
This has come about because of information about what is happening
inside
Burma. If the world community did not know the facts, how could it act?

We live in the information age. Why can Burmese dissidents not take part
in
this? There must be clear understanding that people are still fighting
the
military in their own way. Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD are fighting the
legal way inside the country. At the same time, we who cannot live
inside
must follow other ways, which cannot be done by the NLD or anyone from
inside.

This is why we write articles for the foreign press. This is what it
means

to be an exiled dissident. The media is for all, and we will continue to
exercise our right to use it.

Win Htein

Exiled Burmese writer

Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), Oslo, Norway