by Maung Chan ( Burma’s Chinese )

"Silent Killing Fields"

   After I have read the "Silent Killing Fields" by Christ Sinclair in “Burma Digest”, all sorts of feelings are welling up in my mind.

   Dear friends, Do you know the following facts?

   --The Shan people is Burma's largest minority and Shan State the largest ethnic state. 1947 Panglong Agreement , the base of 1947 Constitution （nullified by Ne Win junta in 1962), was signed in Shan State. The First President of Union of Burma, jailed in 1962 by General Ne Win and his youngest son was shot dead in front of him by Fascist Ne Win’s soldiers, is Shan leader.

   --The Karen people entered and settled in Burma much much earlier than the Burman. They call the wide land reclaimed by them “Kawthoolei”.They have been fighting indignantly the Great Burman Chauvinism since 1948.

   --Arakan Kingdom was annexed by Burmese King Bodaw Hpaya in 1764-65 and the Arakan people is the owner of Maha Muni Buddha in the Burmese old Capital.

   --The Mon State is the place of origin for Burma's Theravada Buddhism. Burmese is derived from Mon alphabet. The historical Gold Land,Thuwunnabumi, was in Mon kingdom which was destroyed by Burmese King Alaunghpaya in 1757.The racial junta like to say, ”You know, Talaine is those Mon hybrid descendants whose fathers were killed, mothers and sisters were raped or brought home by our ancient Burman soldiers”. Regardless whether it is true or not, the Fascist generals’ wicked idea and evil intention is mean and shameless.

   --All people of Burma are now fighting against the dictatorial junta for democracy, national equality and real Federalism.

   If Christ Sinclair does not tell us,many of us certainly do not know :

   "Shan remain the only minority not granted legal status as refugees by Thai authorities. Scraping out their existence on construction sites, farms and orchards in the north, they have emerged exploited and marginalized,citizens of no land".

   Dear brothers and sisters,just as Christ Sinclair writes,

   We,135 nationalities and races including Burman,really "reside at the heart of what human rights groups consider to be today's silent killing fields".

   --All our compatriot's dreams of equal rights ，democracy and freedom were shattered by General Ne Win’s 1962 coup that has abolished the 1947 Constitution ,established the military dictatorial rule and resulted in the world's longest-standing civil war.

   －－To cut off people’s support to the oppressed ethnic nationalities’ struggle ,the junta burned the ethnic villages and destroyed their crops.the junta has driven nearly million of ethnic people from their ancestral lands to seek asylum in neighboring countries Thailand,Bangladesh and India.

   －－On 8.8.1988,our country became the open killing field. Thousands of our peacefully demonstrating compatriod who love democracy were shot or beated dead by the junta’s Fascist army.

   －－In 1990 the dictatorial junta banned the absolute election winners NLD, SNLD etc, detained NLD's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of other political parties. Recently the junta jailed the SNLD's 9 leaders each for 78-105 years and threatened the cease-fire groups,peace groups,people's organisations to talk and work only according to the junta's will.

Editorial: "The World As ONE"

   BURMA DIGEST is a journal for democracy & human-rights in Burma, published weekly online, with Prof. Kanbawza Win as Patron ,Ko Htun Aung Gyaw, Sai Wan Sai, Ko Sa La, Dr. David Law , Dr. Win Naing (NLD/LA/UK) as Board of Advisors and Tayza Thuria, Zay Ya and May(Blog Editor) as Editorial Team .

   On 18.12.2005, BURMA DIGEST issued an Editorial: "The World As ONE" .

   The article writes:

    They say these days that "The world has become a village". If so, it must be that the WORLD has become rather a democratic village with a keen spirit to make united efforts for improvement of human-rights in every part of the village.

   Now, for the first time ever in history, Burma's deteriorating human-rights and humanitarian conditions have been discussed in United Nations Security Council. It's just an informal discussion_ but even for a thousand miles journey, we have to make with a single first step.

   On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, another wonderful evelopment is happening at the East Asian Summit. Breaking their tradition of sinful silence or non-interference, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) voiced their concerns about Burma's lack of progress in democratization process and continuing ruthless oppression on pro-democracy politicians.

   Now, an envoy from ASEAN will go to Burma and, hopefully,push the military regime towards democratic reforms.

   And, on the whole world stage, we can trust our American and British friends that they will persuade UNSC to make a formal discussion on Burma and to take necessary actions later on.

   These international efforts are very crucial for our democracy movement because our movement is surviving mainly in exile only_inside Burma, all credible and important pro-democracy activists are in jail; some of them had died under torture, and some broken down under torture and already given up their fighting spirits for democracy. The movement is thriving only in exile with the help and support from our international friends.

   Previously, Burmese people suffered silently 30 long years under the cruelties of former dictator Ne Win without much recognition and sympathy from outside world. Nowadays, the whole world is uniting behind us for a democratic change in Burma. The only difference is that we have a credible and very active pro-democracy movement in exile this time.

   So, who knows, with the well-concerted international efforts we may be able to drive military Generals to round table dialogue with pro-democracy and ethnic leaders to make honest negotiations for true democracy and sincere federalism in Burma.

   (S.H.A.N. & Burma’s News Published by Burma’s Chinese 貌强 )