Burma Army Officers - Work together

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Subject: Burma Army Officers - Work together for Democracy

Burma Army Officers- Work together for Democracy



 At a time when every body in  Burma has become part of the process of
introspection as to  the role of the army,Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo,
NLD leaders issued clarifications calling the Tatmadaw to work with the
people to achieve democracy Independence to Burma from long colonial rule
perhaps came on an in auspicious day. While other countries freed of the
colonial yoke have been marching ahead in forging vibrant societies
paradoxically Burma witnessed downfall in all respects. The political
scenario is vitiated, economy in shelters, education throttled, health and
development in doldrums. The ethnic and related problems accentuated
threatening a total disintegration of the country. The land of golden
Pagodas has been transformed into a land of strife, conflict, Simmering
discontent and fear.
 In September 1998, Army generals staged a coup and took control of
political power. They tried to traverse a new course, formed SLOC
 Subsequently SPDC..) Their positive contribution was their solemn promise
that they would charter a  multi-party democracy. It did not matter why they
did it or whether they were sincere. The fact is that it was a turning point
in Burmese history. The regime under Ne Win and regime under B.S.P.P
systematically followed one party dictatorship and an suppressed all
political and ethnic dissent. For the first time after more than a quarter
century the generals  have committed the army unequivocally to a course of
multi-party democracy. As a result to that they held the General election
1990 and allowed political parties to participate they accepted the results
of the election and conferred legitimacy to the largest party NLD. However
when the question of handing over power to the mandated  party came they
started dithering and prevarication became their  hall-mark. They managed to
buy ceafire  agreements with many ethnic and armed groups. Though it is a
tenuous truce it could prevent the break-up of the country which even great
country like Russia could not prevent. But theirs is only a military
arrangement Political  issue of Autonomy, federalism which are upper most
into the minds of ethnics they have kept in the hold. Their exercise in
constitution drafting is now lost in the wilderness. Their success in
controlling resurqence of political turbulence has made them over-confident.
They hope to continue as self-appointed guardians of the people from
generation to generation.
 Looking back at the history of Burma army, it is will be found that though
he is the father of the modern army U Aung San decided to leave uniform and
join political parties to continue his mission to make people prosperous. On
the transition to Independence to Burma, he was offered a permanent
major-general's commission. He refused the question remains: Could he not
carry on his mission by remaining in the army in the same way as the present
army leaders are doing? He did not do that the army leaders can draw their
own conclusions.
 If we look at the World history, instances galore will be found where the
military after taking power made strategyical retreat leaving the civilians
to run the government of the country. In Turkey military traditions were
deeply interingled with socio- political fabric, neverthless the founder of
modern Turkey  Kamal Pasha discarded his military uniform and  gave Turkey a
constitution and Parliament. After he passed away, there was coup and
executions followed. But the army retreated and the political parties again
took control. In 1957, Marshal Zhukov, Conqueror of Berlin, one of the
greatest of generals of  World war II was dismissed for display of "
Bonapartist tendencies?. In Greece the military colonels seized power in
1967 to establish " Astability." Within 7 years, people called back the
political leader in exile. In Agentina, the army leaders  seized power but
had to hand over power to the people.  In China, when Mao was the paramount
leader, Marshal Lin pao attempted to establish military as cendeney. The
plot was crushed and political ascendeney prevailed. In Indonesia Surhato
establised military ascendeney. It is now on the way to go. Pakistan had
been rocked by several military dictatorships. But now the military has
become wiser and they have left it to the political leaders to sort out
things. Bangladesh has also witnessed number of coups but now it has settled
down to path of political transition. In Eastern Europe, when the
pro-democracy movement spilled out, the generals took control. But later
they retreated and allowed the political parties to take control. In
Thailand we have seen the hegemony of the army has gone. In many Africa
countries  army staged coups but subsequently they retreated.
 Two classical examples maybe cited where one-party rule dominated but the
army did not intervene when crisis broke out. In Russia, the communist order
crumbled and U.S.S.R got disintegrated. The Red army did not stage a coup to
keep the party in power or to pr-empt disintegration of the country. In
China when the Tia uprising took place, the People's  Liberation Army of
China did not take over power to main tain peace and stability. The
political ascendecy prevailed. The Japanese and German army before the World
war II were almost invincible. People have given them good lessons and they
have accepted democracy.
 The universal tradition of the army has been  to respect civilian hegemony.
Burma army must steer anew course and make the army pro-people army. All the
pasin committed by erst-while generals will be smudged if a new chapter is
opened. The soldiers will become citizen soldiers and their participation in
nation-building will be unique. Democracy cannot confine it self to
particular sectors, communities of the people. The citizen soldiers will be
the greatest beneficaries of democracy. All round the world, democracy has
uplifted the army and their families. There will be a reverse  swing from
violence to peaceful sustained development. The scenario from gun-trotting
soldiers in the country side will change into a scenario where soldiers
farmers will be working together to produce food for the people. The
generals can ids abuse their mind People will not go for retribution.
Democracy is inherently for reconciliation, discourse and compromised. There
is no question of settling old  serous. The prime convern will be
eradication of people's poverty and rehabilitation's. The democratic forces
cannot afford to be engaged into confrontation with army after power is
handed over because they will have to undertake the  Herculean task of
building the country in ruin on a new edifice of peace, democracy and
Autonomy co-operation of the army will be big factor if a faster growth is
to be achieved.
 The ethnic nationalities comprise a big chunk of the Burmese polity. They
have become more hostile to Burma as Burma army is over whelimingly composed
of Burman. And the oppression that army has carried out has earned more
bitterness against the Burmans. They equal the Burma army with Burmans.
Burmese army can never politically solve the ethnic problem. Only genuine
democracy can solve this and pro-democracy party  NLD has a natural,legal
right to undertake the political experiment. Theonquishment of power by the
army will restrain ethnic chauvinism and accelerate the democratic forces of
the ethnics and bring them to the main stream of democracy movement and
there will be emergence of a new alignment. The generals should realize that
NLD is the principal intermediary in the process which will galvanize all
the people in Burma.
 When democratic forces take over the governance, the Inter national friends
of Burma will extend economic/ technical help to enable her achieve quick
recovery. Burma's entry into ASEAN has not helped her economic recovery.
With her political instability and rule by a military dictatorship,no
country has come forward to held her out of growing economic crisis. The
International community has generous fund of friendship for the democratic
forces of Burma. The army generals should give the elected leaders a achance
to steer the ship of the state. They have had enough chances. In battle, the
generals do have to retreat at time to win the War. In Burma real war is
against poverty and dis unity. That war is common to both army and
democratic forces. Lay down gun and take hold of the new weapon-the
invincible weapon of democracy and unity.









B.K SEN