REPOSTING : " THE FACTS AS WE SEE T

[mg_myanmar@xxxxxxxxx]

Subject: REPOSTING : " THE FACTS AS WE SEE THEM "

SOURCE : Myanmar Information - http://www.myanmar.com/

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS 
Leaders Magazie, Volume 21, Number 2, April, May, June 1998

" THE FACTS AS WE SEE THEM "

H.E. Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt in a rare interview granted to
Leaders Magazine, gave a brief but concise account of the perils that
Myanmar has had to  face since Independence, and hardships that
Myanmar has been through to overcome them and establish national
reconciliation with the armed ethnic groups.

He explained the background in the course of an interview when he was
asked about the internal programmes being implemented for the welfare
and development of the ethnic groups and the extent of success so far
achieved. Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, had this to say:

"To understand the programs that will determine our future, it is
necessary to understand our past."

"We have had a very long history\of dissatisfaction and insurrection.
Our country is a union composed of 135 different national races. Of
these races, the largest group is the Bamar, who represent about 80
percent of the entire population and live on the plains and in the
delta area of the country. The rest of the people live in the remote
mountainous areas."

"Our country was ruled by Britain for nearly 100 years, under
different administrative systems, until we regained our independence
in 1948. Before this could happen, however, the British said that we
had to have a constitution. So in 1947 we drew up a constitution,
which contained one very special clause. It said  that 10 years after
we regained our independence, if the national races so desired, they
could secede from the union."

"Not surprisingly, soon after we regained our independence, the
leaders of the different national races expressed opposing views, and
as a result, the country  faced armed insurrection. Various groups
took up arms against the government for ideological, economic, racial,
and even religious reasons, and the  communists went underground."

"In 1958, there was a split in the ruling political party. And since
it was the 10th year of our independence, some national races decided
to take advantage of  the clause in our constitution and secede from
the union. Even after the government changed hands back and forth from
political parties to the military, there  was still much
dissatisfaction on the part of the national races that were trying to
secede. Therefore, in 1962, the military resumed responsibility for
the state  and formed the revolutionary council, which ruled the
country from 1962 to 1974."

"In 1974, a new government was formed, run by the Burma Socialist
Program Party, which tried to lead the country with a socialistic
economic system.  When, as a result of economic difficulties, the
system didn't work, a majority of the people expressed the desire for
a change of government. So the  communists took advantage of the
dissatisfaction and incited riots and unrest which led to anarchy.
Those were the disturbances of 1988 - when innocent
people were being beheaded and there was much looting - the year that
finally caused the military to assume the responsibility for the
government."

"Our first task was to build back law and order and peace and
tranquility in the country, and then to form the administrative
system, which had broken down completely, and to have it function
smoothly. Our second task was to achieve unity, reconciliation, and
reconsolidation among the national races. Members of  our military
council went into the jungle to have talks with the armed troops to
bring them under a legal umbrella to help achieve tasks."

"In previous governments, the one stumbling block to discussions was
that we always asked the armed groups to give up their arms and
surrender. So now in  our discussions we told them they didn?t need to
surrender yet. Instead the government is trying to establish an
understanding, and to win their trust and confidence."

"Little by little, in discussion after discussion, we finally reached
an agreement that they would give up their arms when we drew up a new
constitution. So group after group of armed forces, 17 in all so far,
laid down their arms and entered our legal union, which drove out the
communists. These forces are now  working with us for the development
of their regions, and of course, we are providing assistance and funds
for that development. Some of the leaders of these  armed groups are
even taking part in the convention that is drafting the new
constitution."

"At the moment, there is only one group left to join the rest, and
then there should be absolute peace and stability throughout the
country. When the last group joins the legal union, there will no
longer be any armed insurrection in the Union of Myanmar.?E
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Mg Myanmar
A Myanmar citizen who loves Myanmar

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