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An Open Letter To Daw Aung San Suu



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Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 23:16:12 -0700
Subject: An Open Letter To Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

/* Written  7:46 PM  Aug  2, 1995 by kmtto@xxxxxxx in igc:soc.cult.burma */
/* ---------- "An Open Letter To Daw Aung San Suu" ---------- */
" An Open Letter To Daw Aung San Suu Kyi "

				    Dated the 1st August 1995.

Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,


	First of all I would like to say that I, as a human,
am glud that you have been released from house arrest on
10-7-95.

	I would like to humbly introduce myself to you,
Madam, that I was one of those (the politburo, Unity and
Development Party founded by the late Thakin Soe) who sent
you two open letters - the first open letter (13 pages) dated
5-7-1989 (i.e before your house arrest) and the second open
letter (8 pages) dated 9-9-1989 (i.e soon after your house
arrest).
	In our first open letter to you we said that we feel
obliged to share with you and your lieutemants in the National
League for Democracy (NLD) in time our political views on
"what is Democracy? How should it be achieved? In tne name of
Decocracy what should not we do? " and in it we also mentioned
the two Global Capitalist Dernocracy Revolutionary Trends
taken place in the modern history of the world. The first ..
trend was the Classical Furopean Bourgeois Dernocracy Revolutionary
Trend caused, led and manipulated by the bourgeoisie and the
manufacturing class aginst the European Monarchy and Autocracy
(i.e naseent capitalism against feudalism)- hence the
Revolution from Below. The second trend was the unique
Prussian - Japanese Bourgeois Democracy Revolutionary Trend
caused, led and manipulated by the enlightened ruling class
themselves - hence the -Revolution From Above.
	For developing countries and so-called ex-socialist,
ex-communist countries the second type of Democracy Revolutionary
Trend is only and most suitable trend to follow,for example in
Germany an enlightened and energetic regime headed by
King Willian of Prussia and Chancellor Bismark and in Japan
enlightened and farsighted despotism headed by King Meiji ,
the Military and the Diet.
	Besides, in our first open letter to you we also warned
you that our party (at that time the Red Flag Communist Party
led by Thakin Soe) had commited greatest wrong during the period
1947-1970 by launching the Armed Revolutionary movement, first,
(i.e by starting the outbreak of Civil War) in the Union of
Myanmar and other political parties and ethnic parties followed
suit. "So, we had to repay the debt of the greatest wrong to the
state, and that our party had used head-on confrOntation all the
time laying it out among the masses in all aspects such as
philosophical, ideological, organizational and practical aspects
and that our party's ideological and practical errors, mental,
verbal and physical head-on confrontation and political violence
should well be taken as lessons by the National League for
Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung ban Suu Kyi. We said we were
apprehensive that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD would commit
the mistakes as we ourselves had made in 1946-48." (quoted from
the book on Burma Communist Party's Conspiracy To Take Over State
power).
	In our second open letter to you dated 9-9-1989 we
stated how to build DEMOCRACY in developing countries and once
so-called socialist, so-called communist countries in general and
in the Union of Myanmar in particular. That is peaceful transition
to DEMOCRACY-from Economic Democracy to Political Democracy.
It needs a long process.

	" Dialectical materialism obliges us to regard human
society as a living organism in its funcnctioncing and development "
							(Karl Marx)     
	Development of any human society will be step by step
and stage by stage. It will grow gradually; it cannot jump the
stages; it must pass through different stages of development.
So, DEMOCRACY cannot be built in short order.

	Now, in this open letter to you, first of all I would
like to convey to you that I do not like and appreciate the
tone and content of your STATEMENT in English issued internally
and externally at a press conference held on 11-7-95 just one
day after your release from house arrest by the chairman of the
State Law and Order Restoration Council Senior General Than Shwe.
	In the third paragraph of your STATEMENT you stated
that " once bitter enemies in South Africa are now working together
for the betterments of their peoples. Why can't we look forward
to a similar process? We have to choose between Dialogue or
Utter Devastation."

Dear Daw Aung oan Suu Kyi,

	Motives and political objectives of the fervent
patriotic leadership of the ANC in South Africa and those of the
leadership of the NLD in Myanmar are not similar; they are
extensively different. It is one thing. And another thing is
the State Law and Order Restoration Council headed by the Top
Brass in Myanmar is not similar in essence to the apartheid
government in South Africa; they are quite different.

	Moreover, the long history of political activities and
arduous struggles of the ANC in South Africa is not the same as
that the NLD in Myanmar; it is uncomparatively different.
	He must use the process of reasoning between parallel
cases. The South African model to national reconciliation and
then the transfer of state power to the elected members of the
ANC is not the model to be followed by us in Myanmar. The two
cases are not parallel cases.
	Besides, also in the third paragraph of your STATEMENT you
stated that  " we have to chose between DIALOGUE or utter
DEVASTATION ". The meaning of this sentence is undeniably
tantamount to intimidation to the state Law and Order Restoration
Council and the entire nationalities of the Union of Myanmar.
It is indeed deplorable.
	In the fourth paragraph of your STATEMENT, you stated
" Establishment of certain principles? Recognition of critical
objectives to be achieved? Joint approaches to the ills
besetting the country." If I am to interpret it into its proper
perspective, it means that you do not still understand and
appreciate the meanings of the principles and objectives adopted
by the State Law and Order Restoration Council during the
period of nearly 7 years. These are as follours:-
	(1) The ending of the one party political system.
	(2) The re-establishing of the multiparty political
	    system.

	(3) The abolishing of the socialist economic system.

	(4) The establishing of the market economic system.

	(5) The allowing and inviting of foreign investment
	    and technical know-how.

	(6) The declaration of our 3 main national causes,

	(7) The declaration of t-he 12 national objectives in
	    political, economic and social fields.
Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
	What principles and objectives do you want to discuss
and adopt apart from the principles and objectives mentioned
above?
	In the sixth paragraph of your STATEMENT you claimed
that "in spite of all that they had undergone, the forces for
DEMOCRACY in Burma remain strong and dedicated." Regarding
this claim may I soundly advice you to politically and theoretically
differentiate DEMOCRACY  from MOBOCRACY.
	You concluded your STATEMENT by asserting that "With
an expression of sincere thanks to people all over the world
and especially to my countrymen who have done so much to
strengthen my resolve and to effect my release."

Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
	Of course, your release from house arrest is effected
not by the pressure of the people all over the world and the
people of the Union of Myanmar but by the sincere goodwill of
the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Don't you understand
and remember that however the pressure of national and international
community is strong, the ANC leader Nelson Mandela was imprisoned
with labour for a long period of 27 years by the minority
regime of South Africa?
	May I now proceed to explain to you the process of
building DEMOCRACY in developing countries and in the recently
collapsed so-called socialist and so-called communist countries.
Dear Daw Aung San huu Kyi,
	"With the change of economic infrastructure in a
certain society, the immense superstructure of that society is
more or less repidly transforned. The mode of production of
material life conditions the political, social and intellectual
life process in general." (Karl Marx)
	If I am to highlight the theoretical viewpoint that
economic plurality, that is the market economy (i.e. the
capitalist mode of production, of exchange and commerce) is
indispensable for modernising the productive forces and
productive relations of all nations. Economic Plurality (Economic
Democracy) presupposes Political Plurality (Polotical Democracy).
Please see and study thoroughly the distinct changes and
developments taken place in South Korea, Tauwabm Singapore,
Hong Kong and Indonesia. In all these countries, first,
economic development and then gradually the status of the
world's newly Industrialised countries (NIC) has been
attained not by Democracy but by Militocracy and Meritocracy.
And subsquently - from Militocracy and Meritocracy to
Democracy. (as in Germany and Japan in the late 19th century
A.D and the early 20th century A.D).
	Although the American-style democracy or the west
European-style democracy or the Japanese-style democracy has
been considered widely and recognised worthily, beyond any
doubt, the best, it is absotulely impossible and improper to
adopt or carbon-copy expeditionsly such democracy in
economically less developed countries like the ex-Soviet Union
countries, the people's Republic of China and other developing
countries including the Union of Myanmar.
	Rome was not built in a day, and so are the seven world
richest industrialised countries (G-7) and the 15 nation-European
Union.
Dear Daw Aung daa Suu Kyi,
	Today, the whole world is thirsting and clamouring
for DEMOCRACY. However, DEMOCRACY is not something to be fallen
suddenly from the sky or is it something to be gushed suddenly
from the earth? Moreover, DElSOCRACY is not something to be
born and brought up in a short time-besides by being not a
material thing or an article of commerce or a kind of
commodity itself, it cannot be given or taken, demanded or
supplied. It is to be built gradually.
	"Let us see: In England and some Suropean countries
the germ-seeds of DEMOCRACY have logn been preganated in the
womb of the middle and late feudalism-generally speaking,
that is since the early 15th century A.D or in a broader
sense the early 11th ctntury A.D. It means that building
democracy in a nation is indeed a long, long process."

	"The medieval emphasis on other worldiness - the
idea that life in tEas world was only a preparation at best
for heaven in the next world-slowly gave way among the
wealthier and better educated, at least, to a new interest
in the world of here and now and the life of the present.
Changes in the economic and political aspects of life likewise
brought about distinet changes in man's outlook. The growing
concept ot the city dweller with affairs of trade and
manufacturing undermined the church's authority, for when she
Church's doctrine clashed with material benefit, the new
burgher class was apt to disregard censure in favour of-making
money. The medieval church concepts of the just price and its
ban on usury conflicted with the new urban commercial practices
that involved banking and maney-lending. As we shall see later,
a capitalistic society was taking form at this time."

					
					(The Middle Ages: Civilisation
past
					and present.
					The University of Southern
					California)

Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,

	In a certain society-be it in Asia, Africa and Latin
America- democratic pratices will take root, send out roots,
grow up, flourish and democratic institutions will become
stable, durable and lasting long only in proportion to the
level of the development of productive forces in that society.
	It can therefore be indisputably and irrefutably 
theorised that the level of economic development is sine qua
non in building democracy in a country.
Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
	May I draw your attention to come to notice that:-
	"The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of the 
instruments of production, by the immensely facillitated 
means of transport and communications draws all-even the most
barbarian nations into civilisation.... It compels all nations,
on pain of extinction, to adopt  the bourgeois mode of production."
					      (Karl Marx)
	"The Japanese have certainly not had a democratic society 
of democratic  political organisation in the past , and it is 
unlikely that they can set up a democracy of western type in short 
order. if a well developed industrial economy is an indispensable 
base for the development of democracy, the Japanese have already 
had great start over all other non-western peoples, poor though 
the Japanese peasent and labouring  classes are by American standards,
they are far ahead of other non-western peoples."
					(CIVILISATION-P625)

Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
	May I conclude this letter by stating again that:-
	"Today , the whole world is thirsting and clamouring 
for Democracy and human rights . However, DEMOCRACY is not something 
to be fallen suddenly from the sky or is it something to be gushed 
suddenly from the earth? Moreover, DEMOCRACY is not something to be born
and brought up in a short time-besides by being not a material thing 
or an article of commerce or a kind of commodity, it cannot be given
or taken, demanded or supplied. It is to be built; it needs a long
process.

Dear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
	Last but not least, may I warn you gently again(as We have done
before in our first open letter to you dated 5-7-1989) not to make 
political movements  that might jeopardise  the political stability,
community peace and tranquility, prevalence of Law and Order in the 
Union of Myanmar.
	May you be happy, healthy, wealthy and long-lived.



						With metta,


						
					      (U THAN MAUNG )
			
					    ANAWRAHTA STREET,

					    PABEDAN TOWNSHIP,

						 YANGON.
					   
					    UNION OF MYANMAR.

					   TEL :  01-78630