|
|
Asia-Pacific
Letters from India
Burmese Students Term New Government Bogus
By Nava Thakuria Special Correspondent
 | Burmese new President Thein Sein. Burmese students call his government bogus. | The new Burmese regime, led by President Thein Sein, has tried its best to get international recognition, but the All Burma Student¡¯s League (ABSL) has termed the government at Nay Pyi Taw as bogus. The students organization alleges that the new government, formed after the November 2010 election in Burma, has maintained its attack on pro-democratic and ethnic forces around the country.In a series of resolutions adopted at the ABSL meeting on September 9-23, 2011 and sent to media recently, it points out that the ¡®the military regime, holding the power firmly in its hand, has gradually been installing its political infrastructure. It also forcibly ratified the pro-military dictatorship constitution by annulling the 1990 elections¡¯ result which is the political reward of the Four-8s revolution¡¯.¡°International situations and domestic opposition have forced the military regime into carrying out such superficial reforms. The forced ratification of 2008 pro-military dictatorship proves the fact that the military regime resolves to continue holding power. The attitudes and actions of the military regime that wish to firmly hold power in its grip do not generate many difficulties when communicating with neighboring countries. But they do pose obstacles in its relationship with western democracies. To solve this crisis, such superficial reforms are being introduced,¡± stated in a resolution.It argues that the ¡®military-turned-bogus civilian government led by Thein Sein in civilian dress has launched a series of political attacks on its dissidents in the international and domestic political arena¡¯. ¡°The regime also starts holding closed-door political meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi, the internationally-recognized democratic opposition leader, declaring fake general pardons and extending pretentious invitation to dissidents along the border and abroad to return home,¡± stated in the resolution adding, ¡°We have full confidence in honesty and compassion of Suu Kyi for the people of Burma. She has led Burma¡¯s pro-democracy movement over 20 years despite of various kinds of oppression. However, the regime¡¯s past lies and current ploys make us difficult to believe in the ongoing meetings.¡±The ABSL was formed by the students and youths who were once involved in the 8888s Revolution. Majority of its members held a stance — We are Ba-Ka-Tha(ABFSU-All Burma Federation of Student Unions) inside and Ma-Ka-Da-Ta(ABSDF-All Burma Students¡¯ Democratic Front) outside — and a belief that there must be a single unified student body. It is their stance that the student body must be known as ABSDF abroad and ABFSU inside.However, the ABSL emerged as a separate organization because of particular political reasons. Its members based in Thailand are ex-ABSDF members and student comrades of domestic student fronts and unions. On July 30, 1994, the ABSL officially came into existence with a democratic constitution with various political goals and policies. The ABSL is recognized by international youth and student bodies like International Union of Socialist Youth, International Union of Students and World Federation of Democratic Youth as a member organization.Speaking to this writer, Kyaw Than, president of ABSL, argued that the real political power of Burma will always remain ¡®in the hand of a few military dictators regardless of the existence of sham elections, puppet parliaments and bogus civilian governments¡¯. ¡°We firmly believe that Burma¡¯s political crisis cannot be solved – no matter how many agreements are made with whatever political party – as long as 2008 pro-military constitution remains intact. According to the pro-military dictatorship constitution, the military leaders are guaranteed with one-fourth of the total parliamentary seats, all important ministerial positions including national security and the power to legally stage serial coups d¡¯état. Until now, all the ministries have been occupied by military officers and ex-military officers,¡± he added.The ABSL admitted that the Burmese ¡®forces based abroad and in border areas did not have an effective cooperation within the people¡¯s movement for democracy and anti-military dictatorship¡¯.¡°This is a direct result of our common failure to build a complete unified front and establish a firm and decisive leadership. Even though this blame goes majorly to ourselves, the external interferences as one contributing reason to this weakness must also be included in this criticism. It is the result of over-dependency upon the donors due to the use of excuse for survival difficulties abroad.The main anti-military dictatorship movement has been backburnered by the peripheral issues such as campaigns and trainings for human rights and woman rights,¡± a resolution said.The student¡¯s organization also criticizes the United Nations (with the international community) as being losing ¡®confidence in democratic forces¡¯ adding that ¡®only a genuine national conference, which is free, fair and fearless, is the key to rebuilding Burma that has been disintegrating for over forty years¡¯.The Burmese regime has recently released over 200 political prisoners and many other prisoners prior to Thein Sein¡¯s visit to India. But the ABSL claimed that over 2000 political prisoners are still being kept in jails. New arrests and tortures of political activists are still going on. The basic rights of the people are still disallowed. The censor board is still retained and freedom of press severely curtailed, it asserted.
Related Articles When Sarsanghchalak Emphasises on Nature ... Worshiping Motherland as a Deity: An Indian ... Durga Puja sans Idols at Kamakhya Temple Searching for Roots through a Literature ... Welcome to Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival Questioning Credibility of Editors Guild of ... When 177 Global Leaders Stand behind Prof. ... Manifesting Patriotism on I-Day Raising Demand for a Media Grievance Cell India: Rhetoric Boycott Call by Separatist ... Banning Polygamy with Consensus No End to NRC Controversy Protecting Rhinos in Manas National Park When Scribes Face Corruption Charges and ... Complainant to Re-approach Court on NRC Assam ... My Unforeseen Journey as a Scribe Converting Profit Hungry APDCL to Consumer ... Dreaming of a World with Three Zeros After Two Years of Military Coup Myanmar Heads ... When India¡¯s Highest Court Faces an Unwanted ... Riding City Buses in Guwahati When Rumour Kills a Mainstream Newspaper! Dissecting Assam NRC for Better Understanding Vehicular Speed That Kills Millions of Indians ... Intriguing Debate on Automobile Mishap Projecting Guwahati as a Krira Prangan New York Times: Editions, Visibility, ... Northeast Celebrates I-Day with Full Patriotic ... Marching Ahead with the Spirit of Swatantra ... Time for Journalists to Be Cautious, Authentic ... Prakash: Throwing Light on Tibetan Literature ... When Repeated FIRs Lodged against an IAS ... Developing Guwahati as a people-friendly city Negating PSO Culture among Media Persons Losing Public Goodwill: Assam Media's Way Global Award to Journalist Nava Thakuria India¡¯s Restive Region Sets to End 2021 ... RSS Condemns Islamist Attacks on Hindu ... When RSS Chief Bhagwat Articulates Agendas Let¡¯s Talk about Self-Reform and Financial ... 'Self-reform and Financial Transparency in ... Tibet Sympathizers to Lodge Protest against ... Prof. Yunus Receives Laurel, Bangladesh Adds ... India Practices Secularism, Democracy and ... Needed a Scientific Probe into Bamunipahar ... Pandemic-Hit Book Publishers Eye for Openings India: Persisting Vulnerability to Scribes Bharat: Nurturing Nationalism with National ... POK Editor Bats for More Exchanges Cries Mounted for Reviving Nabin Chandra ... Scam, Media Outburst and Its Aftermath Amidst Chinese Threat Dalai Lama Concludes ... Asserting Media Person¡¯s Rights in India China¡¯s Myanmar Bonanza Sans Responsibility Manufacturing Misguided Protests in Assam Assam Forum Bats for Work Permits to ... Bhupen-da Came alive with Dhola-Sadiya Bridge ... Remembering My Principal Sir! Saluting Tricolour to Defy Militants¡¯ Diktat ... Underlining India¡¯s Productive Engagement in ... A Conservator Constitutional Head in Northeast ... Young Journalist Killed in India, ... Unpaid Media Employees of Northeast India Journalist Body Urges Political Parties to ... Saving the Tigers from Extinction Glorious Tribute to Bhupenda Burma Turns Hostile to Indian Separatist Groups Northeast India Rediscovers Tricolour Indian People¡¯s Win Inspires Burmese Activists Nobel Support for a Noble Cause Activists Condemn India¡¯s Arm Deal with Burma Protest Note from Guwahati Press Club Journalists¡¯ Killings: Justice Eludes in ... Games Gogoi Played In Assam Polls Remembering Parag: Assam¡¯s Way Helicopter Missing from Northeast Indian Sky Allegations Poured on Indian Premier Allegations Fired at Indian Premier Rising Resentment against Corruption in India Satellite News Channel Launched in Northeast ... Looking at Burma's Forthcoming General ... Burma Election, Refugees and Media¡¯s Role When British Newspaper Tenders Apology to ... TST Contributor Honored with Excellence Award Burning Rhino Horns: Creating Controversy Condemning Military Election in Burma Protest against Military Election in Burma Burmese Demonstrates Anger against Junta Assam: A Pretending Warrior and Peace ... Southeastern Bangladesh Erupts in Violence Grim Picture of Human Rights in India Burma on Radar as New Delhi Prepares
for ... Assam: Where People Defy Militant's Diktat Bangladesh Readies to Hang Bangabandhu Killers International Film Festival Begins in Guwahati RK Pachauri under Attack from British Media Selling News Space Culture in India: Concerns ... Asian MPs Insist on a Free & Fair 2010 Burma ... Guwahati Festival to Highlight Terrorism Assam: Brutal Armed Group, Incompetent ... Without Suu Kyi, 2010 Polls Have No Meaning Beijing Eyes Northeast India ! Bumpy Road to Copenhagen Nava Thakuria Elected Assistant Gen. Sec. of ... Northeast India: People Defy Militant¡¯s ... Northeast India: Waiting for Justice for 18 ... Northeast India : Where Protector Turns Killer Raising Support for Democracy in Burma Indian Muslims Raise Voices for Uighurs Will Captive Breeding of Vultures Work? Northeast India: Trailing a Notorious Rebel Is Burma Junta Learning from Cyclone Nargis! Is a Nepali Fugitive Winning Indian Election? When Politician Uses Scribe for Vested Interest Assam Editor Killing: Protest Continues Freedom under Chinese Boot in Tibet Pride and Poverty: India's Amazing Blending Sri Lankan Crisis: Shelling on Hospital ... Northeast India Defies Militant's Diktat: Woman Journalist Killed in Nepal Urging for Insurance Coverage to Media Persons Bangladesh: Waiting for a Stable Democratic ... ULFA Leader Appeals UNHCR for Political Asylum Assam Mourns Death of Mumbai Terror Attack When an Assamese Magazine Rejects ... Bangladesh Polls: Apprehension on Final Outcome Manipur Asks for CBI Probe into Scribe's ... Scribe's Killing in Northeast: Demand for ... 'Suspend Burma from BIMSTEC' Guwahati Citizens Meet to Discuss Terrorism Group Clashes Shock Northeast India When Media Distorts Facts to Manufacture News Where Editors Swindle Reporters Calling upon Comprehensive Packages for ... Highlighting Media's Challenge and ... Media on Media' Glitch: An Exercise of ... An Ignited Assam Baffles ULFA Assam Defies Militant's Diktat to Celebrate ... Journalists Dare to Defy Militants' Diktat When Bangladeshi Influx Ignites Assam Nepal Can Expect a Consensus of Government Soon Victorious Maoists Lose Battle for Kathmandu India: Assam Party Waits for an Opportunity Burma after Nargis: Devastated, Depressed and ... When a Disastrous Regime Continues Exposing Corrupt Journalists of Our Time Nepal Waits a Republic Regime: Diasporas Don't ... Waiting for Consensus on Government in Nepal Condemnation Pours on Burmese Junta as Suu ... American-Assamese Preparing White Paper on ... Assam Government Bows Down to Public Outrages Shaky Start to Druk Democracy India and Burma Push Joint Project Bhutan Turns Democratic Disregarding Public Outcry: Assam Government's ... Army, Police Heads Become Governors in North ... Rhinos Dwindle as Poaching Thrives in India Taste of Democracy in Bhutan Is Not for ...
Nava Thakuria, who serves as a Special Correspondent for The Seoul
Times, is based in Guwahati of Northeast India. He also contributes
articles for many media outlets based in different parts of the globe,
and can be contacted at navathakuria@gmail.com
back
|
|
|
|
|