Transforming of ethnic armed groups by Burmese junta

by Zai Dai

KNG - Isn’t the junta's pressure on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed wing of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) to transform it to the regime’s Border Security Force seemingly a harsh violation of the principle of Federal Democracy ostensibly to be launched once again in Burma?

It is regrettable that the junta has pressurized KIA to transform to its Border Security Force seven months before the 2010 election in Burma. The KIA must do it within a very limited time as ordered by the Northern Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win in late April. It is crucial to scrutinize as citizens of Kachinland (Kachin State) and Burma whether there is truth behind such treatment. The regime might misuse the process of declaring globally that it has been initiating the resuscitation of Federal Democracy and will revitalize the country very soon. The Federal Democratic Union is the aspiration of all the citizens of the country.

Yet, history has been subverted as seen across the globe or in the nature of the dictatorship uprooting the original bond of political stance up to the present. On the one hand, an action of maneuvering could lead one's country into constant destitution and on the other hand a single submission of the victims toward their despotism could re-strengthen a certain and constant neo-slavery system in the country. Is it the right time for one and all being citizens of this soil to adjudicate why and how the junta threatens the KIA and other armed groups to surrender?

The regime's plot manifested itself towards KIA as its target and international communities in general in a way that the regime has officially declared its devoted principle of military dictatorship.

Meanwhile, certain assumptions could be possible that the regime has really informed the armed group from its heart despite positive engagement by the KIA for being constantly loyal and supportive towards the regime. Thus, it could be noteworthy to critically analyze the plot of the regime from the very angle that it could be a certain Constructive Logic of the regime's pressurizing the KIA.

Of course, the regime's pressure on ceasefire groups in particular on the KIA has not been a new chapter. Its natural or rather unwise strategy has been to disarm it since the very agreement. Yet, unfortunately, no constructive appeal or interference has been made from any democratic big brother, father and grandfather nations/communities so far from outside even though it is a very critical plot for the security and peaceful survival of tribes/minorities in Burma.

Such a norm of humanitarian jurisdiction is being adjudicated in the better implication of democratic enterprises side by side. In a way what is needed is democratic value as a safeguard/shield towards the marginalized, deprived, the oppressed, and the victims who are badly alienated from the state under the military's yoke. Having persecuted non-Burmese minorities from the time of Takhin Kodaw Hmiang, General Ne Win, U Nu and currently the regime and particularly towards KIA and Kachin people and other armed groups and minorities, it clearly reminds one of euthanasia.

The regime has been making the constitution referendum, election of 2010 and so on in its own way without the consent of the people in Burma. Even now, the plot towards the KIA has come without any prior principle engagement and any consensus as practiced by despots like General Ne Win who ordered gunning down pro-democratic innocent citizen demonstrators in 1988. Just like outdated colonizers of the past, the regime is still practicing discrimination toward the minorities of the country by its merciless military might.

As a matter of fact certain crucial assumptions would be precipitated that the regime may have engaged one way or the other with both inner alliances, its sympathizers and Chinese smugglers who are cunning parasites of the regime. This is just for the sake of business in order to extract and rob resources from the country for China that dehumanizes and re-colonizes the citizens and the land of Burma.

It seems that the Chinese would be dominating the country as long as the regime exists by supplying outdated arms, ammunitions and fighters to be used in civil war or rather to uproot and wipe out insurgencies in Burma.

On the one hand, the regime could be an interim government through the election into a full fledged Federal Democratic Union. It could be possible that the regime would initiate this since it wants KIA to be absolutely transformed into Border Security Force (BSF) which we can see only in fully democratic countries like USA, India and so on.

First, BSF seems to be formed not for civil defense but for the defense against enemies outside the country. Having the longest border with China, BSF seems to be needed for the special purpose of security against foreign enemies. Is there any hint that China could become the regime's enemy?

Second, supposing the regime seems to be in the process of wiping out KIA prior to the Kachins. Then, why are the Kachins and minorities committed towards the principles of Federal Democratic Union established with the basic policy of ethnic cleansing campaign of the Burmese regime? By no means is the regime itself on the right track as the Federal Union has been established with its norm and principle.

Third, then it could be possible that the regime has decided to maintain Buddhism as the religion and policy in the military based democratic country regardless of the negligence of the vow of democratic principle. Rather should the regime make a mutual-engagement with Chinese instead?

As result, the coming election would by no means be conducted in an undemocratic manner or under the supervision and safeguard of the Chinese government. In this process, the strong alliance of the regime with China is leading Burma to a position of one of the strongest allies of China to subvert the social-economic-political domination of the west and Europe.

As analyzed the tendency of the new state to conceive such a terrible alliance against norms of democracy, against the denial of peaceful survival of its own citizens, the regime has perpetuated an alliance with China. The regime has failed to solve the political chaos in Burma between Burmese groups and minorities on the principle of democratic value and tools. The regime has chosen and created a path of uncertainty, danger and more insecurity for future generations of the country.

As a matter of fact, being citizens of Burma it is the right time to focus on the regime’s plot on the KIA, making a new enemy of its own citizens, neglecting the humanitarian crisis of Burma prevailing among minority and armed groups created by the regime by way of mercy killing since 1962. There is need to create a country which is a friend of its own citizens and nations all over the globe.