Mizzima: A Viable Alternative

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A Viable Alternative

By: Kanbawza Win
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

New Delhi: December 17, 2000, "Irrawaddy," a respected magazine on Burma
and Southeast Asian affairs wrote in its editorial of August 2000 "Time
for Soul-Searching" about the state of the Burmese revolutionary groups.
Its fact and figures hit the nail on the head when it questioned the
ability of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB) to lead the exiled movement. It is high time for the Burmese in
the border areas and in the Diaspora to create a viable alternative to
present the international community other than the Junta. A decade after
the creation of the exiled government (formed ten years ago with a group
of elected parliamentarians from Burma), it has proved its worthlessness
with no substantial achievement.

A post-mortem of it would not only reveal that its narrow clique should
be opened up to excellent ideas from Burmese intellectuals and foreign
scholars but also must be acceptable to the ethnic intelligentsia, which
for various reasons, cannot join the clique but is fighting for the same
cause. Lamentably, the common denominator between the ruling military
Junta and the NCGUB is that it does not place high value on the
intellectuals so abundant in and outside of Burma. Neither of them would
heed the intelligentsia's advice and if possible would have nothing to
do with them. The crux of the problem lies in the fact that most members
of NCGUB's clique suddenly found themselves in a glass palace when it
was formed and, like the junta, would not let go of its positions. The
end result was that they seem to think themselves to be "big guns" and
began to look their compatriots not with their eyes but with their nose
indicating that their heads are always high. No doubt it is a well-known
fact that they have little support from the people inside or outside the
country.

What is more paradoxical is the reiteration by the NCGUB that the
Irrawaddy's editorial was an allegation full of misinformed rumors,
forgetting the very fact that editorials are a reflection of its
actions. Reading the response by the NCGUB gave the impression that it
is some how blowing its own trumpet or self-justification similar to the
Junta claiming success. At least, after a decade the NCGUB has come out
openly in describing its avowed goal to the public. Only it come a
little too late and instead of calling the Burmese in the Diaspora a
debate, a sort of a challenge or confrontation or worst washing dirty
linen in public it should organize them to have a monolithic unity. The
very fact that Irrawaddy has to remind them indicates that something is
wrong not to mention the squabbling among them.

The philosophy of the exiled government must be a constructive "together
we can achieve," and should encompass everyone outside of the Junta's
clutches. We should also remember that our greatest strengths are in
individuals and the cultural values which for the moment are not only in
the border areas of Burma but spread all over the globe. How as an
umbrella organization can we make it into a united force to face the
Junta? The NCGUB still needs to explain its vision, mission, values and
the concrete steps of implementation. What the NCGUB needs is a surgical
transformation and not just a superficial reshuffling among themselves.
It should recruit not only youths, women and students and critics but
also the silent intelligentsia who like to play a silent, but a low and
effective role.

It is our responsibility to ensure that the dreams of our offspring to
have a bright future and to create new hopes of building a free
democratic Union of Burma. We must be able to create new hopes
especially for those at the border areas and to achieve this we need
excellent preparation. Visionary and pragmatic experts in the various
fields of education, health, economic, social, culture, morality will
have to be brought in.

Politically we must also bear in mind that unity in diversity is very
essential if we are to build a healthy and prosperous Burma.

Lack of transparency and accountability under the smokescreen of
security as claimed by its Finance Committee chairman (of NCGUB), have
put them in the same boat as the Junta as they are responsible to no one
but themselves.

Unofficially, we have millions of Burmese refugees in the border area
including hundreds of thousands of young pro-democracy activists who are
struggling not only to eke out their living but also to further their
education in order to contribute to the future of the country.
International aid is needed for them, and the exiled government's
trickle down policy is not evident. All ethnic groups except those who
have connection with them are completely neglected, paradoxically none
of the ethnic leaders are in their core groups and yet they claim to be
working for the Union.

We in the Diaspora highly recommend what the Irrawaddy has proposed, "a
revolution within a revolution" to get rid of this virus once and for
all and to create a viable substitute not only for the people of Burma
but also for the international community. We know that the international
community is scrutinizing the exiled government and the Burmese in the
Diaspora to see how a future Burma will behave once democracy is
achieved. We ardently hope that NCGUB will embark upon a real
transformation and not some cosmetic changes as the Junta often does.

(The author, a former Foreign Affairs Secretary to the Prime Minister of
the Union of Burma is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Faculty
of International Development Studies, University of Winnipeg, Canada.)

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<html>
<b><font size=+2>A Viable Alternative</font></b>
<p>By: <b>Kanbawza Win</b>
<br>Mizzima News Group <a href="www.mizzima.com">(www.mizzima.com)</a>
<p><b>New Delhi: December 17, 2000,</b> "Irrawaddy," a respected magazine
on Burma and Southeast Asian affairs wrote in its editorial of August 2000
"Time for Soul-Searching" about the state of the Burmese revolutionary
groups. Its fact and figures hit the nail on the head when it questioned
the ability of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB) to lead the exiled movement. It is high time for the Burmese in
the border areas and in the Diaspora to create a viable alternative to
present the international community other than the Junta. A decade after
the creation of the exiled government (formed ten years ago with a group
of elected parliamentarians from Burma), it has proved its worthlessness
with no substantial achievement.
<p>A post-mortem of it would not only reveal that its narrow clique should
be opened up to excellent ideas from Burmese intellectuals and foreign
scholars but also must be acceptable to the ethnic intelligentsia, which
for various reasons, cannot join the clique but is fighting for the same
cause. Lamentably, the common denominator between the ruling military Junta
and the NCGUB is that it does not place high value on the intellectuals
so abundant in and outside of Burma. Neither of them would heed the intelligentsia's
advice and if possible would have nothing to do with them. The crux of
the problem lies in the fact that most members of NCGUB's clique suddenly
found themselves in a glass palace when it was formed and, like the junta,
would not let go of its positions. The end result was that they seem to
think themselves to be "big guns" and began to look their compatriots not
with their eyes but with their nose indicating that their heads are always
high. No doubt it is a well-known fact that they have little support from
the people inside or outside the country.
<p>What is more paradoxical is the reiteration by the NCGUB that the Irrawaddy's
editorial was an allegation full of misinformed rumors, forgetting the
very fact that editorials are a reflection of its actions. Reading the
response by the NCGUB gave the impression that it is some how blowing its
own trumpet or self-justification similar to the Junta claiming success.
At least, after a decade the NCGUB has come out openly in describing its
avowed goal to the public. Only it come a little too late and instead of
calling the Burmese in the Diaspora a debate, a sort of a challenge or
confrontation or worst washing dirty linen in public it should organize
them to have a monolithic unity. The very fact that Irrawaddy has to remind
them indicates that something is wrong not to mention the squabbling among
them.
<p>The philosophy of the exiled government must be a constructive "together
we can achieve," and should encompass everyone outside of the Junta's clutches.
We should also remember that our greatest strengths are in individuals
and the cultural values which for the moment are not only in the border
areas of Burma but spread all over the globe. How as an umbrella organization
can we make it into a united force to face the Junta? The NCGUB still needs
to explain its vision, mission, values and the concrete steps of implementation.
What the NCGUB needs is a surgical transformation and not just a superficial
reshuffling among themselves. It should recruit not only youths, women
and students and critics but also the silent intelligentsia who like to
play a silent, but a low and effective role.
<p>It is our responsibility to ensure that the dreams of our offspring
to have a bright future and to create new hopes of building a free democratic
Union of Burma. We must be able to create new hopes
<br>especially for those at the border areas and to achieve this we need
<br>excellent preparation. Visionary and pragmatic experts in the various
fields of education, health, economic, social, culture, morality will have
to be brought in.
<p>Politically we must also bear in mind that unity in diversity is very
essential if we are to build a healthy and prosperous Burma.
<p>Lack of transparency and accountability under the smokescreen of security
as claimed by its Finance Committee chairman (of NCGUB), have put them
in the same boat as the Junta as they are responsible to no one but themselves.
<p>Unofficially, we have millions of Burmese refugees in the border area
including hundreds of thousands of young pro-democracy activists who are
struggling not only to eke out their living but also to further their education
in order to contribute to the future of the country. International aid
is needed for them, and the exiled government's trickle down policy is
not evident. All ethnic groups except those who have connection with them
are completely neglected, paradoxically none of the ethnic leaders are
in their core groups and yet they claim to be working for the Union.
<p>We in the Diaspora highly recommend what the Irrawaddy has proposed,
"a revolution within a revolution" to get rid of this virus once and for
all and to create a viable substitute not only for the people of Burma
but also for the international community. We know that the international
community is scrutinizing the exiled government and the Burmese in the
Diaspora to see how a future Burma will behave once democracy is achieved.
We ardently hope that NCGUB will embark upon a real transformation and
not some cosmetic changes as the Junta often does.
<p><b>(The author, a former Foreign Affairs Secretary to the Prime Minister
of the Union of Burma is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Faculty
of International Development Studies, University of Winnipeg, Canada.)</b></html>

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