Ralph Bachoes article in The BurmaN

[bina@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Ralph Bachoes article in The BurmaNet News: July 12, 1999

Dear Editor:

Please allow me the following comments on Ralph Bachoe?s article  ?Recent
Ructions In The NLD Have Done Little To Change The Status Quo? in the July
11th
issue of the Bangkok Post, as quoted in the BurmaNet News: July 12, 1999,
Issue
#1312

Burma, small country though it is, has produced some of the best and some of
the worst examples of human social behavior on the world stage today.  

That is why it is disheartening to see educated and successful expatriate
Burmese like Mr. Bachoe, who should be able to clearly distinguish between
good
and bad, jump on the <down with Suu Kyi> bandwagon that seems to be making the
rounds of some foreign capitals these days. 

Is it just faint-heartedness among the lower-echelon troops, or a more
insidious invasion of our integrity?   

Of course, Mr. Bachoe?s choice may be more about pragmatics than principles,
since newspapers and their staff can also be vulnerable to financial pressure
from those who have vested interests in maintaining the status quo in Burma.  

Whatever the reasons, Bachoe?s tactic of hedging of his political support for
the Burmese democracy movement by undermining its most visible proponent, is a
mistake. Publishing the remarks of an embittered and disloyal former aide to
NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi, without explanation, implies his tacit
approval of the aide?s position.

<But wait,> his apologists might say, <we have a right to criticize our
leaders. Is not that democracy?>  

Indeed it is.  Unfortunately, the democratic principle of free speech with
which you might defend yourselves is unavailable to the fifty million people
inside Burma.  By all means, speak freely, but if you care about your
countrymen, try to put the successful installation of a democratic government
in Rangoon above your momentary need to satisfy your personal preferences in
leadership style.  It is not yet the time for haggling and backbiting. Please
be patient.

Bachoe reports:
>
>The remarks of a former close aide to Aung San Suu Kyi at first appeared
>brutal and unfair. A woman who had sacrificed so much to the cause of Aung
>San Suu Kyi was saying the Lady had fallen victim to her own high principles.
>
High principles do have a way of upsetting our comfortable little lives, do
they not?  We had better not set ours too high, eh?  Let people like Suu
Kyi do
it.  Then, when they fail, we can always distance ourselves from them, and
still keep our soft jobs and fat incomes.  Too bad for those suffering under
despotic abuse, but after all, better them than us. 
>
>She describes Ms Suu Kyi as being "impulsive" and "flippant", quick with
>her mouth, always in a hurry, and often failing to follow-up on what she
>says or wants done.
>
It is easy for aides to criticize their former bosses.  They are privy to all
of the leader?s unguarded moments of frustration, anger, and despair.  But
what
is this oh-so-wise ?close aide? herself doing these days to hurry democracy to
Burma?  Telling tales about the ones who actually have the courage and the
persistence to put themselves on the political firing line?  Whose skirts is
she hiding behind now? 
>
>According to the military regime, as recently as last month, another 81 NLD
>members submitted their resignations. They were reported as saying that
>they "no longer wished to participate in party politics".
>
>There have been rumours that NLD members who deserted the party were
>rewarded with plots of land.
>
>But the former aide said that the so called resignations were out of
>necessity, "to carry on with their lives". After all, it has been more than
>nine years since the Burmese voted for a democratic government and some are
>at a loss to see when that era will dawn.
>
As are we all.  But not everyone is ready to turn around and kick his leader. 
You make the argument of children who, their father having lost his job,
complain that he failed to bring them nice gifts he had promised.  A proper
son
or daughter, under such circumstances, would go out and try to help the
family.  Is this not so?
>
>Meanwhile, life has to go on. Now, as ever, it is still up to Ms Suu Kyi
>and the military to make up their differences if they really have the
>interests of the people and the country at heart.

Now, really, Bachoe. Are you saying that the military does truly have the
interests of the people at heart? Go into Burma and have a little chat with
the
ordinary people, anywhere, and get their views on it.  And are you implying
that Suu Kyi might have left her comfortable family life in England to endure
lonely years of house arrest and public abuse, for something other than <the
interests of the people and the country>? 

I must admit that I wonder if people like Bachoe really want democracy to come
to Burma.  Why is it <up to Ms Suu Kyi> to do the dirty work, while Burma?s
<Bachoes> enjoy the nice food and drink of their democratic host countries,
and
castigate those who struggle to bring a tolerable government to their own?  

Put in a few hours on the front lines of the battle, Mr. Bachoe.  Then let us
hear your wise comments on the war.