Voice of Peacock Newsletter

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Voice of the Peacock

Vol:2 No:2                                                              March
1995

Editorial

Make the gallant morale of March 16 endure forever

One is unable to differentiate nor discriminate the national liberation
movement from the Student movement in Burma for they are related
historically. The slogans coming out odf classrooms, for the sake of national
education movement, reverberated and struck the whole country in 1920,
sounding the alarm for national liberation. This was the 1920 student
movement which was later regarded as the introduction of the national
movement and it ignited the fire for the national liberation. After that the
students supported and encouraged the farmers struggle for the liberation of
Burma led by Saya San in 1930.

In the 1938 Oil workers uprising (1300 Burmese year uprising), the students
were in the fore front of the anti-colonist battles. Finally, the students by
participating in the vanguard of the anti-fascist struggle in 1945 and also
in the battles for independence in 1948, were able to achieve the complete
independence.

The students with great conviction, also battled for democracy educational
causes continuously in serial order in Burma history. They also struggled
strongly against the military dictatorship in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975,
1976, 1987 and right up to the 1988 Democracy Uprising.

March 16, 1988 is a date the Burmese people will never forget. The battle
that day against the military junta is a significant and most remarkable day
amongst the student movements in the history of Burma.

We , the students of Burma were able to organize in solidarity at Rangoon
University(main campus) and hold a strike  against the BSPP's military
dictatorship. We asked for BSPP Burmese military dictators to bring cahnges
against those who were involved in the killing of two student leaders namely
Phone Maw and Soe Naing on March 13, 1988, and to allow us to hold the
funeral ceremony as the state funeral celebration. At the same time we also
raised some demands to the Slorc to assure the rights of the students to have
a chance to restablish the All Burma Federation of Student Union. The "White
Bridge" became "the Red Bridge" stained with the blood of Burmese students.
All the wall fo the Insein prison were shaking and trembling with the
students slogans.

We have made many sacrifices and paid a great price and suffered a great
losses for our activities and movements during this period of time. We have
passed through many sorrowful events and feel deeply hurt, but we still
manage to raise the Burmese democraric flag high and keep our morale and
courage intact. It is by maintaining this morale and gallent spirit that the
Student Army, has been battling the military dictatorship.

We are still outstandingly fighting back our enemy, who are in higher
material supply in every aspect, and still passing through many
difficulities, beyond the deep curves and many angles, through the public
support, unwavering perseverance and irreducible diligence, mature spirit and
in solidarity.

At the present, our enemy, the Slorc, having separately organized the ethnic
groups, according to their divide and rule policy, by making the sham peace
offering individually and also sharing the Phak U Htauk democracy (British
sponge hat democracy).

Recent fighting in Manerplaw and Kawmoora, and continued detention of Aung
San Suu Kyi convinces one of their insincerety toward implementation of
democratic reform, genuine peace and national reconciliation in Burma.

All the ethnic groups who already had a cease fire with Slorc and wanted
implement the border development programs with Slorc, as well as the ethnic
groups still negotiating the cease fire, comprehend the Slorc ruthless deeds
and realize the instability of  cease fire with Slorc. It is very impossible
even to imagine the genuine peace with self-determination and equality under
the Slorc. The regional development programs have yet to establish even a
good three feet wide small route for walking by foot. All the opposition
groups as well as the entire population of Burma fully understand that Slorc
is attempting merely for their self-interest to cling to state power rather
than implement genuine peace reform and regional development programs.

The Manerplaw offensive has challenged all opposition groups and
revolutionary forces by exposing Slorc's true face and real intent.

Our democratic forces and armed revolutionary forces have to continue to
fight back our common enemy, the Slorc. Also needed are much broader
organizing principles to continue to receive the international pressure for
the release of all political prisoners including our national leader Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and for the transfer of power to the duly elected representatives
of 1990 election.

All our colleages 
Even though Manerplaw
We have many Manerplaws
We must try to have many more Manerplaws
Have a solidarity under the umbrella of DAB
and also raise our fighting peacock flag to the highest
endure our courageous spirit of March 16 forever. 

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!

ABSDF  opened for GRC (1/95) training

The opening ceremony of the Guerilla Rifleman Course No (1/95) was held at
the 88 camp of the ABSDF on 22 February 1995. The ceremony was preside by
Aung Thu Nyein, Vice-chairman of the central committee who delivered an
address about the current political and milkitary situation after the KNU had
released to hold two major strong hold and unavoidable tasks of the student
army and the duties students should do today. Maj. Win Cho, the Chief  of
Staff of the Student Army explained the aims of the GRC 1/95.

The selected trainee from various camps attended the training and was
informed that was one month intensive course.

Opening Ceremony of the war casualty management training
Feb 3, 1995

The opening ceremony of the first secession of Basic War Casualty Management
Training was held in the jungle at camp 88, on February 3. Vice-chairman Aung
Thu Nyein delivered the opening speech. Central committee members Myat Kyaw,
Win Cho and Saling Yaw Aung also attended the ceremony. Fifteen trainees
frrom the various ABSDF camps under the Southern Regional Committee including
two trainees from ALL Burma Muslim Union (ABMU) and also one trainee from
Democratic Patriotic Army(DPA) attended this training. 

The training will last two months. Tin Soe, incharge of the Health Care
Department of Southern Regional Committee of ABSDF implementing this as the
chief trainer.

Activists Arrested after Rangoon demonstration

Inside Sources

Fifty prodemocracy activists were detained after a rare public demonstration
in Rangoon last month, and those arrested may be at risk of ill treatment or
torture according to the human rights organization Amnesty International.

These young activists were arrested on February 20 during the funeral
procession for Burma's first and only elected prime minister, U Nu.

The young people gathered peacefully at the site of his funeral procession
and shouted slogans, and then were apparently arrested.

"Amnesty International urgently calls on the military authorities to ensure
that none of these activists are tortured or ill treated while in detention."

Two of the demonstrators, Maung Maung Oo and Moe Myat Thu, were badly beaten
by military Intelligence agents as they were arrested.

The two students beaten during the arrests had been arrested previously in
1989 for their prodemocracy work, Amnesty International said.  It described
Moe Myat Thu as close associate of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Another of those arrests, Ni Ni, is the sister of the first student killed in
1988 when mass demonstrations broke out to protest 26 years of one party rule
and she also has been arrested previously.

Christian People in Sagaing Division Worried About Forced Religious Induction

News in detail:

In Sept. 1994, a Slorc troop column from (A) Coy of Regiment No.(228) led by
Major Khin Soe had arrived in Lay Shee township as an organizing trip, for
the first time to induce the Christian people to change their religion.

In December, 1994, a Clorc Troop for (D) Coy of Regiment No.(52) led by Capt.
Thaung Myint together with four Buddhist monks entered Wet Khin Village (in
Htin Phine Yan village group) and Maw Don Py village, at 8:00 am, all the
villagers were summoned and assembled.  Capt. Thaung Myint told the villagers
to change their relegion into Buddhism within a week and after that they can
get the chances not only rice and money but also local developments at once.
 And then, all the villagers were forced to bow and pray to those four
Buddhist monks, but for those who refused were beaten and kicked including
even the members o fvillage law and order restoration council. (in Wet Khin
village).

Similarly in the village of Maw Don Py, Capt. Thaung Myint threatened the
people to change from Christianity to Buddhism, if not, members of Slorc and
Govt. servants would be expelled from their jobs and students also would not
enter examination.

There are 24 groups of villages in Lay Shee and La Hel townships in Sagaing
Division where Naga and Kuki hill tribes are staying.  The majority of people
are Christian in that mountainous area, and there are only 3 Buddhist
monasteries.  At present, people are very concerned about their religion.

USDA the Scapegoat of Military Junta

Inside Sourced

USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) has been forcibly
recruiting the students in Rangoon Division to be their members.  An
application form for 12 Kyats had been distributed widely, including to the
teaching staff, to induct mandatory members.

When all the student swere concentrating on their studies in preparation for
the final exam (Dec. 94) the USDA chose this opportune moment ot forcibly
recruit all the students of the Institutes, Universities and Colleges
including the Rangoon Arts and Science University, Kammedine, Botataung,
Hlaing campuses, Rangoon Institute of Technology, Economic Institute and all
universities throughout Burma.  A university staff, in front o fthe numerous
informers and undercover intelligence men, commented "Even if I am sack, I
will not dispose nor betray my belief in spite of my meager income."

USDA, a puppet of Slorc which had paved the way in organizing and forcing,
the mass for the convening National Convention have now devised new schemes
to organize the students including force.

Prisoners of the Bankrupt SLORC

Inside Sources

All prisoners including political ones are forced to pay for the expenses of
their detention in Insein jail.  Exorbitant prices have been charged for all
necessities such as brooms, water pots, mats, neon lights, even painting
expenses of the room, etc....(a broom = 45 kyats, a bamboo mat = 90 kyats, a
neon light = 600 kyats).  The poor persons, sell out their food hardly sent
by their families to pay for these expenses.

People's Opinion

Here are some of the high-lights of the letters from people of Burma, to the
BBC.

Ko Aung Nyein- Aung Lan
Magwe division

Because all the media (both electronic and printed) was controlled by the
military government we ahve to depend only on the BBC.  It will be the
listeners who will decide whether a particular piece of news is authentic or
not.  At least we have to depend on the BBC for our general knowledge.

>From an overseas Burmese in S'pore....

International media has predicted that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be released
soon.  But as a Burmese I had forseen that Slorc will never release her.
 Slorc can be likened to holding a sharp piece of fragmented glass, the more
it tightnes the deeper it will go into the flesh.  Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has
become the arsenal of hope for peace and democracy.  Slorc is just
endevouring to manipulate and hoodwink the populace by its National
Convention and the so called Constitution.

A listener from Rangoon

Concerning the news about the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the most
plausible date is the Golden Jubilee of the Army Day if compared to other
dates as Independence Day, Union Day.  Slorc gloats over the guessing of the
people and possibly Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be categorized with the
thieves, pickpockets, brick bats and released simultaneously.

"Even if they release her, will she be allowed to participate freely in
national politics?"

Ko Way Htun
Paung do township, Pegu division

It seems that Slorc asked the Thai Foreign Minister to release the news
concerning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which shattered the hope of the people.  Not
that because we adore her personality cult but the continued detention
depicts that political solution is still in its infancy and contradictory to
the aspirations of the people.

U Hla Htun
New Dagon township

Slorc had made it clear that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will not be released until
the promulgation of their own Constitution.  On the other hand, Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi reiteratied her determination for the prevalence of democracy and
human rights.  What will ht eNLD representatived do?  It is evident that the
people prefer democracy and human rights rather than the National
Constitution.

U Mya Min
Thar Ma Nya Taung

This is my first pilgrimage to Thar-Ma-Nya hill in the Karen state and wee
were quite worried because the driver had narrated that porters are forcibly
recruited and one cannot find a substitute even is one pays Kyat 11,000
because of the ensuing fierce military operations.  If view to the east we
can witness the smoky Daw Na range.  However, if viewed from Myaingale, west
of Salween, Zwegapin mountain which is the symbol of the Karen State, looks
like a Phar Si (traditional Karen drum).  But if viewed from Pha An (the
capital of Karen state), it seems like a reclining elephant with an
outstretched trunk.  The battles ranging today can be interpreted as the
quarrell between the brothers on the different perspectives of the Zwegbin
mountain.

Battle News

ABSDF regiment 203 engaged the Slorc Naval boat which had taken six trawlers,
at sister Islands in Mergui Arhipelago on 13th February.  A student of
democracy made a supreme sacrifice true to its motto of "Even though my head
is bloody yet I am unbowed."  Casualties of Slorc soldiers are numerous but
could not be confirmed.

On Feb. 25th the valiant ABSDF students troops ambushed the Slorc infantry at
Kyant Chaung island in Ademan sea.  No casualty was reported on the student
side but Slorc troops sustain a number of casualties which could not be
confirmed.