The shameful situation in Burma.
After Ne Win was ousted by popular uprise in 1988 General Saw Maung seized
power in a coup. In May 1990 election NLD won by 83% but the military
junta
refused to hand over power and on the contrary pursued the democratic
victors. Early in his administration Gen Saw Maung became
psychologically
unstable and was ousted by strongman General Than Shwe who promoted
himself
to Ultra Supreme Commander Senior General and increased the strength of
the
arm forces to over 400,000 soldiers with several thousand of them made up
of
under age child soldiers against the objection of the UN and world
community. The junta was too proud, it had the guns and refused to change
course despite the plea from its own people and the
elders/seniors/statesmen
of
Burma. Consequently the notorious junta fell out of favour with ASEAN.
Sanctions were imposed by the US and the EU. The regime became very
unpopular with the masses and its ethnic minorities. But the junta
formulated law to cover and protect themselves, surrounded themselves
with
informers and "Yes-men" and pushed ahead with intimidation, torture,
jailing and murder of men, women, students, monks, oppositions and its
citizens who would not agree with them and support them or fall in line
with
their rule and unfair governance similar to the way Nazi Germany went
about
its business.
It is widely reported that SLORC/SPDC soldiers were overlooked when they
raped the ethnic women and their daughters. None of the soldiers were
investigated and charged. There were forced labour, forced relocation,
confiscation of live stock for the army, capturing villagers from the
villages and forcing them to work as porters and janitors without wages
and
food, using these unfortunate people against their will as human mine
sweepers and discarding their bodies along the road side when they are of
no
use to the army. The soldiers burnt down bamboo housed some times with old
disable men/women in the house unable to move. They Bullied farmers to
sell
their produce at an unreasonable low price to the army, etc.. All these
had
a detrimental effect on the morale and social fabric of the people who
gradually became very bitter, distorted with despair and losing confidence
in themselves and those around them. But this junta continued regardlessly
to tell the people that they are matching forward hand in hand with the
people. That the junta is of the people, for the people and by the people
and handing down unreasonable very lengthy (21, 24, 50, 75 years) jail
sentences to those who oppose them and refuse to toe the line. The
education
system deteriorated with the devaluation of the high school and university
education. The State Health System is shameful so much so that Than Shwe
himself goes to Singapore for treatment. The fighting with the ethnic
minorities continues. The junta plants thousands of land mines killing
thousands of innocent people in the villages and they feel quite good
going
to bed every night with that thought. The junta continues to divide and
rule
and handing down unjustified sentences on political opponents simply
designed to deliberately break them and try to eliminate them to safe
guard
the generals from their crimes. The junta does not like questions that
expose them. The junta would find fault on them and put them away. The
junta
is acutely aware that the majority of the people are not on their side so
they rule by fear and the gun. The junta refuses to discuss the affairs of
the nation with the people's representatives because they have no legs to
stand and falsely believe only the generals are capable of ruling the
country. The general rule by force and intimidation and bulldoze people to
accept things the tatmadaw way. The junta does not respect the opinion of
the people. The people have no voice and certainly no say in the matter.
The
generals talk of democracy but essentially they behave as brutal
dictators.
The TV and media are used for the junta's propaganda. The news papers
would
show pictures of the generals in great meetings singing their praises. The
news papers write nothing good about the democratic opposition. The media
and news papers are used to discredit and reduce the democratic parties
and
to run favourable articles for the pro junta group USDA. University
students
are forced to join USDA otherwise the students are not allowed to sit for
their final exams. Without USDA membership graduates are denied
scolarship.
The junta uses the USDA as an instrument do dishonest and disgraceful
things
for the tatmadaw which the tatmadaw does not want to be seen as done the
deeds. The tatmadaw directed the USDA to commit massacre at Depeyin and
then
arrested the democratic parties as being the perpetrators. All junta
members
who committed murder and crime were all set free. Several NLD members were
arrested without trial at the pleasure of the junta. Several
NLD offices were closed down and all their documents confiscated and
examined by USDA. End of 2006 five 1988 generation students leaders were
illegally arrested without trial simply because they pose a threat to the
junta. The junta would grant amnesty to thousands of prisoners and
releasing
only a hand full of opposition members.
It has been widely reported that the Generals have damaged the economy of
the country. This is evident in the value of the Kyat. The junta is
spending
nearly 50% of the overall national expenditure on arms and ammunition to
protect the tatmadaw from the people. Most of the trade was with China to
secure protection in the Security Council. A very large number of the
population is suffering from HIV Aids but this matter ranks very low in
the
list of priorities. The junta has changed the capital city of the country
to Pyinmanar and has changed the flag of the nation with only one star
without the permission and consent of the people. The junta's dishonesty
is
well known as they engage in lying and deceiving the people to achieve
their
objectives. If the person that planted the bomb is not found they blame it
on the opposition. The important matters concerning the nation is
disclosed
to the overseas media first instead to it own people. The people
frequently
come to know of these matters via the overseas news. So much for respect
for
the people.
The regime has also defied repeated calls by the International Labour
Organisation to end forced labour not to mention forced relocation, forced
confiscation, etc... The generals are the wealthiest people in the country
with unexplained wealth. Half of the generals seem to be concerned with
the
state of the nation and most of the other half is power drunk. The top
general's actions and decisions are based on astrologers' predictions
instead of scientific findings. What can one expect with their education
level? The junta relies heavily on foreign investment and foreign
manufacture and thought they would surpass China. The country has suffered
from brain drain and most of the intellectuals have left for other
countries
because of the disastrous policies of the junta. Several foreign
investments
have pulled out. The Finance and Banking systems and the Science and
Technology structure have run down setting the country several years
behind
the neighbouring states. The country suffers from hyper inflation and
poverty is wide spread with some families have only one meal a day. The
junta's priority is purchase of arms for the tatmadaw and the protection
of
the army although it has no obvious enemy. The peoples' welfare rank very
low in the list of priorities. It is more important for the generals to
protect themselves. So those who are problematic to the tatmadaw' s
policies
are exterminated even to the extent of engaging in purging with genocide.
Citizens are picked up in the early morning to avoid wide spread spectacle
and objection of the people around. To achieve this end the junta is
engaged
in a sham National Convention widely known to be made up of special hand
picked pro junta personnel to perpetuate military rule despite the fact
that
the people have told the nation in the 1990 general election that they do
not want military rule. The junta is shaping the constitution to safe
guard
themselves by filling 25% of the parliament seats with unelected military
personnel to act as eyes and ears to protect the power hungry generals.
The
junta demands that the President of the country can only be a general from
the arm forces and that the tatmadaw will have the veto power over the
parliament. The constitution gives the junta the right to nab the country
at
any time after declaring emergency. The generals do not trust any one and
believes only the tatmadaw is capable of ruling Burma and is acutely
afraid
of reprisals. They are now engaged in installing military officers in
civilian positions over career civilian officers. The junta is engaging
"Sawn Arr Shin" pro junta militia or thugs and freed jailed criminals to
beat up and abuse peaceful demonstrators who cannot live a normal life
with
500% fuel price rise last month. The junta does not understand the
importance of dialogue with the people before such a hefty price rise.
This
junta does not care about the people. The junta has no consideration for
the civilian officers although the civilians are more educated,
experienced
and qualified than the military officers who are only qualified to pull
the
trigger. It is an unfair strategy to protect the generals and military
rule.
They have caught hold of the tiger's tail and are unable to let go of it.
Their hands are still wet with blood and the junta calls this Democracy.
The generals say they are strong believers of Buddhism but killed many
Buddhist monks, tortured and jailed them and bulldozed down monasteries.
This junta is now charging K1,000,000 for satellite news licence to stop
the
people from tuning in overseas news. This junta does not give the people
news and they are now stopping reliable overseas news reaching the people
!.
This junta has closed down more than half the number of tea shops in the
city to stop people discussing the nation's affair. The junta is denying
the
people information and blanking out the independent hero's history. The
junta lies to the people about the country affair and denying the
political
parties from functioning. They train up secret militia to fight the
people.
This junta is taking away the freedom of the people. What sort of
government
is this ?. This regime is worse than the Nazi, communism and dictatorship.
Now the junta is bent on rewarding itself with the new national
constitution
which was formulated by specially hand picked "yes men" to perpetuate the
general's rule in government. The junta is playing it very dirty to the
extent of disqualifying all those who they think will not vote for the
junta. To maximize their votes the junta is in the business of forcing
people to join the USDA and has barred all convicted students, all
Buddhist
monks, all religious people from the churches, Hindu temples and mosques
from the referendum process. They are doing these despicable and
contemptible things all in the name of disciplined democracy against the
wishes of the people of Burma, world community, the UN, North America,
European Union and ASEAN. The junta is of the opinion that it is their God
given right to act this way and demand the people to serve them.
When Cyclone Nargis struck lower Burma 3 May 2008, tens of thousands died,
missing and homeless exposes to disease. The international community were
immediately there at Burma's door ready to pour in relief aid, food and
blankets etc but the junta refused to accept because the felt unsafe of
being exposed to the outside world. The junta did not want the outside
world
see how the military treated their people. The junta did want the people
to
see the quality and efficiency of outside help. They wanted to preserve
information blackout. The junta would make it a point to show on Myanmar
TV
the generals distributing survival kids to the suffering which is
non-genuine and shameless propaganda. This junta is incapable and has
miserably failed it people in dire need.
|
