The shameful situation in Burma.

The shameful situation in Burma.



After Ne Win was ousted by popular uprise in 1988 General Saw Maung seized
power in a coup. In May 1990 election NLD won by 83% but the military junta
refused to hand over power and on the contrary pursued the democratic
victors. Early in his administration Gen Saw Maung became psychologically
unstable and was ousted by strongman General Than Shwe who promoted himself
to Ultra Supreme Commander Senior General and increased the strength of the
arm forces to over 400,000 soldiers with several thousand of them made up of
under age child soldiers against the objection of the UN and world
community. The junta was too proud, it had the guns and refused to change
course despite the plea from its own people and the elders/seniors/statesmen
of
Burma. Consequently the notorious junta fell out of favour with ASEAN.
Sanctions were imposed by the US and the EU. The regime became very
unpopular with the masses and its ethnic minorities. But the junta
formulated law to cover and protect themselves, surrounded themselves with
informers and "Yes-men" and pushed ahead with intimidation, torture,
jailing and murder of men, women, students, monks, oppositions and its
citizens who would not agree with them and support them or fall in line with
their rule and unfair governance similar to the way Nazi Germany went about
its business.

It is widely reported that SLORC/SPDC soldiers were overlooked when they
raped the ethnic women and their daughters. None of the soldiers were
investigated and charged. There were forced labour, forced relocation,
confiscation of live stock for the army, capturing villagers from the
villages and forcing them to work as porters and janitors without wages and
food, using these unfortunate people against their will as human mine
sweepers and discarding their bodies along the road side when they are of no
use to the army. The soldiers burnt down bamboo housed some times with old
disable men/women in the house unable to move. They Bullied farmers to sell
their produce at an unreasonable low price to the army, etc.. All these had
a detrimental effect on the morale and social fabric of the people who
gradually became very bitter, distorted with despair and losing confidence
in themselves and those around them. But this junta continued regardlessly
to tell the people that they are matching forward hand in hand with the
people. That the junta is of the people, for the people and by the people
and handing down unreasonable very lengthy (21, 24, 50, 75 years) jail
sentences to those who oppose them and refuse to toe the line. The education
system deteriorated with the devaluation of the high school and university
education. The State Health System is shameful so much so that Than Shwe
himself goes to Singapore for treatment. The fighting with the ethnic
minorities continues. The junta plants thousands of land mines killing
thousands of innocent people in the villages and they feel quite good going
to bed every night with that thought. The junta continues to divide and rule
and handing down unjustified sentences on political opponents simply
designed to deliberately break them and try to eliminate them to safe guard
the generals from their crimes. The junta does not like questions that
expose them. The junta would find fault on them and put them away. The junta
is acutely aware that the majority of the people are not on their side so
they rule by fear and the gun. The junta refuses to discuss the affairs of
the nation with the people's representatives because they have no legs to
stand and falsely believe only the generals are capable of ruling the
country. The general rule by force and intimidation and bulldoze people to
accept things the tatmadaw way. The junta does not respect the opinion of
the people. The people have no voice and certainly no say in the matter. The
generals talk of democracy but essentially they behave as brutal dictators.
The TV and media are used for the junta's propaganda. The news papers would
show pictures of the generals in great meetings singing their praises. The
news papers write nothing good about the democratic opposition. The media
and news papers are used to discredit and reduce the democratic parties and
to run favourable articles for the pro junta group USDA. University students
are forced to join USDA otherwise the students are not allowed to sit for
their final exams. Without USDA membership graduates are denied scolarship.
The junta uses the USDA as an instrument do dishonest and disgraceful things
for the tatmadaw which the tatmadaw does not want to be seen as done the
deeds. The tatmadaw directed the USDA to commit massacre at Depeyin and then
arrested the democratic parties as being the perpetrators. All junta members
who committed murder and crime were all set free. Several NLD members were
arrested without trial at the pleasure of the junta. Several
NLD offices were closed down and all their documents confiscated and
examined by USDA. End of 2006 five 1988 generation students leaders were
illegally arrested without trial simply because they pose a treat to the
junta. The junta would grant amnesty to thousands of prisoners and releasing
only a hand full of opposition members.


It has been widely reported that the Generals have damaged the economy of
the country. This is evident in the value of the Kyat. The junta is spending
nearly 50% of the overall national expenditure on arms and ammunition to
protect the tatmadaw from the people. Most of the trade was with China to
secure protection in the Security Council. A very large number of the
population is suffering from HIV Aids but this matter ranks very low in the
list of priorities. The junta has changed the capital city of the country
to Pyinmanar and has changed the flag of the nation with only one star
without the permission and consent of the people. The junta's dishonesty is
well known as they engage in lying and deceiving the people to achieve their
objectives. If the person that planted the bomb is not found they blame it
on the opposition. The important matters concerning the nation is disclosed
to the overseas media first instead to it own people. The people frequently
come to know of these matters via the overseas news. So much for respect for
the people.



The regime has also defied repeated calls by the International Labour
Organisation to end forced labour not to mention forced relocation, forced
confiscation, etc... The generals are the wealthiest people in the country
with unexplained wealth. Half of the generals seem to be concerned with the
state of the nation and most of the other half is power drunk. The top
general's actions and decisions are based on astrologers' predictions
instead of scientific findings. What can one expect with their education
level? The junta relies heavily on foreign investment and foreign
manufacture and thought they would surpass China. The country has suffered
from brain drain and most of the intellectuals have left for other countries
because of the disastrous policies of the junta. Several foreign investments
have pulled out. The Finance and Banking systems and the Science and
Technology structure have run down setting the country several years behind
the neighbouring states. The country suffers from hyper inflation and
poverty is wide spread with some families have only one meal a day. The
junta's priority is purchase of arms for the tatmadaw and the protection of
the army although it has no obvious enemy. The peoples' welfare rank very
low in the list of priorities. It is more important for the generals to
protect themselves. So those who are problematic to the tatmadaw' s policies
are exterminated even to the extent of engaging in purging with genocide.
Citizens are picked up in the early morning to avoid wide spread spectacle
and objection of the people around. To achieve this end the junta is engaged
in a sham National Convention widely known to be made up of special hand
picked pro junta personnel to perpetuate military rule despite the fact that
the people have told the nation in the 1990 general election that they do
not want military rule. The junta is shaping the constitution to safe guard
themselves by filling 25% of the parliament seats with unelected military
personnel to act as eyes and ears to protect the power hungry generals. The
junta demands that the President of the country can only be a general from
the arm forces and that the tatmadaw will have the veto power over the
parliament. The generals do not trust any one and believes only the tatmadaw
is capable of ruling Burma and is acutely afraid of reprisals. They are now
engaged in installing military officers in civilian positions over career
civilian officers. The junta has no consideration for the civilian officers
although the civilians are more educated, experienced and qualified than the
military officers who are only qualified to pull the trigger. It is an
unfair strategy to protect the generals and military rule. They have caught
hold of the tiger's tail and are unable to let go of it. Their hands are
still wet with blood and the junta calls this Democracy.


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