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The SLORC/SPDC Version of National (r)
- Subject: The SLORC/SPDC Version of National (r)
- From: suantak@xxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 17:14:00
Subject: Re: The SLORC/SPDC Version of National Identity
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S. Wansai:
You are treating the leaders of the Burmese military as if they really =
meant what they say. They changed the name from Burma to Myanmar because =
they thought that by saying Myanmar embraces all nationalities they =
might get acceptance by the non-Burman. They were also playing a trick =
with the international community that they are gearing themselves to a =
term more acceptable internationally believing that their power abuses =
may just disappear with the disappearance of the name "Burma". It is =
upto the pro-democracy minded people whether they would allow these =
things to be thrusted to their throats.=20
On the one hand the military leadership appear very ignorant but in =
reality they carefully calculate what they do. For example their present =
play with the World bank is testing whether they can once again fool the =
World Bank into giving them a loan. The Ne Win dictatorship of BSPP =
successfully fooled the World bank for 26 years and the WB supplied the =
financial nessecities to terrorize the people especially the non-Burman =
nationalities. You failed miserably your armed campaign against the =
regime during the sixties and seventies because the World Bank was =
standing solidly behind the regime with its financial pillar of support.
The prodemocracy group should not allow the World Bank and other =
financial institutions and governments to stand behind the bloody hands =
of the Burmese military.
Vum Son =20
-----Original Message-----
From: S.Wansai <m.win@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: Shan-EU <100706.1311@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; SHAN <shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; =
SCMP/Jonathan Fenby <jfenby@xxxxxxxx>; Irrawaddy <waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; =
FEER <review@xxxxxxxx>; Burmanews <strider@xxxxxxxxxxx>; BurmaNet 2 =
<burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx>; BurmaNet <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Burma Project =
<burma@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Burma Issue <durham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Burma =
Courier <celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Asiaweek <editors@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Saturday, November 20, 1999 8:49 AM
Subject: The SLORC/SPDC Version of National Identity
=20
=20
The SLORC/SPDC Version of National Identity=20
=20
By: Sai Wansai
=20
The views of successive Burmese governments, including the present =
regime, SLORC/SPDC, concerning national identity have never been clear. =
They have been at a loss even as to what sort of name they should adopt; =
that is the reason why they are still using "Bamar" and "Myanmar" =
interchangeably for what they would like to be termed a common =
collective identity, in other words, national identity. The reality is =
that when one mentions "Myanmar", "Bamar", "Burmese" or "Burman", such =
words are usually identified with the lowland majority "Bamar"and have =
never been accepted or understood by the non-Bamar ethnic nationals as a =
common collective identity to which they also belong.
=20
Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime has changed the name of Burma =
to Myanmar. Its aim is to create a national identity for every ethnic =
group residing within the boundary of the so-called Union of Myanmar. =
But since the name Myanmar has always been identified with the lowland =
"Bamar", the SLORC/SPDC effort is only doomed to fail in trying to =
establish a common national identity among the non=AD-Bamar ethnic =
nationals. On top of that, this national identity was not chosen with =
the consent of the non-Bamar ethnic groups, but cocercively thrusted =
down their throats by the hated Burmese military
dictatorship.
=20
This writer has never heard anyone mentioning that he or she is a =
Bamar Myanmar, Shan Myanmar, Kachin Myanmar, Karen Myanmar and so on. In =
the United States, by contrast, it is normal that one considers or =
accepts oneself as an American, Chinese America, Japanese American, =
Afro-Americin and so on. The point this writer is trying to make here is =
that the successive Burmese governments' nation-building process has =
totally shattered which failed to take root after all these years. The =
armed resistance of almost all the non-Bamar ethnic groups is a stark =
reminder and living evidence of this failure. The ceasefire deals which =
have been arranged with some of the resistance armies are also not a =
solution. They have, as noted by Bertil Lintner, simply frozen the =
ethnic conflict for the time being. They have failed to solve the =
underlying political problems and grievances.
=20
The hard reality is that the denial of the right to =
self-determination is the crux of all the problems encompassing Burma =
today. All along the Burmese military has been implementing its own =
version of "nation-building" without tolerence to the notion of "Unity =
in Diversity". Its "win - lose" oriented conflict resolution has not =
produce positive result during the last five decades and it won't =
possibily do for the future. It is astonishing that the ruling military =
clique has not given a thought to embrace the approach of "win -win" =
outcome to manage the conflict.
=20
The rebuilding of the shattered Union will need a political dialogue =
where comprehensive issues will be addressed and discussed in a sincere =
and open manner by all ethnic groups on an equal footing. Only then will =
we fighting chance of ever establishing a "national identity" in a true =
sense, embraced by all ethnic groups, Bamar included.
=20
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>S. Wansai:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT><FONT size=3D2>You are =
treating the leaders=20
of the Burmese military as if they really meant what they say. They =
changed the=20
name from Burma to Myanmar because they thought that by saying Myanmar =
embraces=20
all nationalities they might get acceptance by the non-Burman. =
They were=20
also playing a trick with the international community that they are =
gearing=20
themselves to a term more acceptable internationally believing that =
their power=20
abuses may just disappear with the disappearance of the name =
"Burma".=20
It is upto the pro-democracy minded people whether they would allow =
these things=20
to be thrusted to their throats. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>On the one hand the military leadership appear very =
ignorant=20
but in reality they carefully calculate what they do. For example their =
present=20
play with the World bank is testing whether they can once again fool the =
World=20
Bank into giving them a loan. The Ne Win dictatorship of BSPP =
successfully=20
fooled the World bank for 26 years and the WB supplied the financial =
nessecities=20
to terrorize the people especially the non-Burman nationalities. =
You=20
failed miserably your armed campaign against the regime during the =
sixties and=20
seventies because the World Bank was standing solidly behind the regime =
with its=20
financial pillar of support.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>The prodemocracy group should not allow the World =
Bank and=20
other financial institutions and governments to stand behind the bloody =
hands of=20
the Burmese military.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Vum Son </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
</B>S.Wansai <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:m.win@xxxxxxxxxx";>m.win@xxxxxxxxxx</A>><BR><B>To:=20
</B>Shan-EU <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:100706.1311@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>100706.1311@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A>=
>;=20
SHAN <<A =
href=3D"mailto:shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx";>shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx</A>>;=20
SCMP/Jonathan Fenby <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:jfenby@xxxxxxxx";>jfenby@xxxxxxxx</A>>; Irrawaddy =
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx";>waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx</A>>; FEER =
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:review@xxxxxxxx";>review@xxxxxxxx</A>>; Burmanews =
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:strider@xxxxxxxxxxx";>strider@xxxxxxxxxxx</A>>; =
BurmaNet 2=20
<<A =
href=3D"mailto:burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx";>burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx</A>>;=20
BurmaNet <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx";>burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx</A>>; =
Burma=20
Project <<A =
href=3D"mailto:burma@xxxxxxxxxxx";>burma@xxxxxxxxxxx</A>>;=20
Burma Issue <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:durham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>durham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A>>=
;=20
Burma Courier <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx";>celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx</A>>; =
Asiaweek <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:editors@xxxxxxxxxxxx";>editors@xxxxxxxxxxxx</A>><BR><B>D=
ate:=20
</B>Saturday, November 20, 1999 8:49 AM<BR><B>Subject: </B>The =
SLORC/SPDC=20
Version of National Identity<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D4><STRONG><U>The SLORC/SPDC Version of National=20
Identity</U></STRONG></FONT>=20
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><STRONG>By: Sai Wansai</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The views of successive Burmese governments, =
including=20
the present regime, SLORC/SPDC, concerning national identity =
have never=20
been clear. They have been at a loss even as to what sort of name =
they=20
should adopt; that is the reason why they are still =
using =20
"Bamar" and "Myanmar" =
interchangeably for=20
what they would like to be termed a common collective identity, in =
other=20
words, national identity. The reality is that when one mentions=20
"Myanmar", "Bamar", "Burmese" or=20
"Burman", such words are usually identified with the =
lowland=20
majority "Bamar"and have never been accepted or understood =
by the=20
non-Bamar ethnic nationals as a common collective identity to which =
they=20
also belong.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime has =
changed=20
the name of Burma to Myanmar. Its aim is to create a national =
identity for=20
every ethnic group residing within the boundary of the so-called =
Union of=20
Myanmar. But since the name Myanmar has always been identified with =
the=20
lowland "Bamar", the SLORC/SPDC effort is only doomed to =
fail in=20
trying to establish a common national identity among the =
non­-Bamar=20
ethnic nationals. On top of that, this national identity was not =
chosen with=20
the consent of the non-Bamar ethnic groups, but cocercively thrusted =
down=20
their throats by the hated Burmese military<BR>dictatorship.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>This writer has never heard anyone =
mentioning that he=20
or she is a Bamar Myanmar, Shan Myanmar, Kachin Myanmar, Karen =
Myanmar and=20
so on. In the United States, by contrast, it is normal that one =
considers or=20
accepts oneself as an American, Chinese America, Japanese American,=20
Afro-Americin and so on. The point this writer is trying to make =
here is=20
that the successive Burmese governments' nation-building process has =
totally=20
shattered which failed to take root after all these years. The armed =
resistance of almost all the non-Bamar ethnic groups is a stark =
reminder and=20
living evidence of this failure. The ceasefire deals which have been =
arranged with some of the resistance armies are also not a solution. =
They=20
have, as noted by Bertil Lintner, simply frozen the ethnic conflict =
for the=20
time being. They have failed to solve the underlying political =
problems and=20
grievances.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The hard reality is that the denial of the =
right to=20
self-determination is the crux of all the problems encompassing =
Burma today.=20
All along the Burmese military has been implementing its own version =
of=20
"nation-building" without tolerence to the notion of =
"Unity=20
in Diversity". Its "win - lose" oriented conflict =
resolution=20
has not produce positive result during the last five decades and it =
won't=20
possibily do for the future. It is astonishing that the ruling =
military=20
clique has not given a thought to embrace the approach of "win=20
-win" outcome to manage the conflict.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>The rebuilding of the shattered Union will =
need a=20
political dialogue where comprehensive issues will be addressed and=20
discussed in a sincere and open manner by all ethnic groups on an =
equal=20
footing. Only then will we fighting chance of ever establishing a=20
"national identity" in a true sense, embraced by all =
ethnic=20
groups, Bamar included.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<HR>
</FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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