Merely poisons, not essential nutrients for Myanmar people

Nowadays, certain groups are relying too much on external elements, holding negative views, and turning a blind eye to the constructive changes in Myanmar that is striving for democracy transition through the practice of the market-oriented economic system. Instead of encouraging Myanmar to be able to boost positive relations with international community and to introduce democracy in conformity with the way of life of national people, they are resorting to various means to isolate the nation from the international community and attempting to directly copy the western democracy. They are also dissuading world nations from providing humanitarian aid for the nation rather than calling for humanitarian aid from world nations for the nation. They are calling for economic sanctions against the nation to make her get in economic straits, while disregarding the social science that says progress of economic productive forces is of the touchstone at the highest level for the advancement of human society. They are inciting mass demonstrations designed to disrupt community peace and prevalence of law and order instead of contributing towards the drive for restoration of community peace and tranquillity and prevalence of law and order. In addition, they under the complete alien domination are seeking wicked means to break up national solidarity instead of strengthening cohesion among national brethren. They are indeed like constructive efforts and destructive acts or essential nutrients and poisons. Almost all the nations are facing such undesirable processes. So, the entire Myanmar people on their part are to contribute towards constructive efforts, while crushing destructive elements. In the process, they should not take poisons for essential nutrients, and destructive acts for constructive endeavours.

At the 60th Anniversary Armed Forces Day Parade held on 27 March 2005, Head of State Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe said, “Under a democratic system, only high education standards can ensure discipline and a clear perception of right from wrong. Similarly, without the dynamism of patriotic spirit, it is impossible to face the challenges from abroad that come from all directions.

“Inferior education standards lead to a reduced capacity to discern right from wrong and make for gullibility and unprincipled poor choices based on various biases. This would open the door to the kind of chaos and disorder that prevailed during the post-independence parliamentary democracy period, which may eventually lead to the collapse of the democratic system. For this reason, endeavours are being made to develop human resources simultaneously all over the country”.

If a nation is transformed into a democratic one without necessary infrastructures, it will be like the words of British writer George Bernard Shaw “Democracy is the election, by the ignorance for the corrupted few”.

Political researchers said that democracy process is easier said than done. It is easy to say but hard to practise it. When asked what democracy is, it is easy to answer that democracy is the government elected by the public. But, to emerge a democratic government, it may take as long as a few generations or a certain period according to situations of respective nations. Genuine democracy can flourish only when each and every citizen possesses reasoning power and is able to vote for delegates without four forms of partiality.

Now, upholding Our Three Main National Causes, the Government has been implementing the seven-point political programme (Road Map) phase by phase to transform the nation into a democratic one. The seven-point Road Map is being translated through four basic principles as follows:

(1) The National Convention representing the entire national people is holding discussions to lay down basic principles and detailed principles to be included in the framing of a State Constitution.

(2) Based on the basic principles and detailed basic principles, the State Constitution (draft) will be drawn. When the draft has been completed, approval of the public will be sought through a referendum.

(3) A fair election will be held in accord with the new State Constitution for forming Hluttaws (legislative bodies).

(4) The State leaders elected and the government and administrative bodies formed by Hluttaws will build a democratic nation.

Here, it is beyond my understanding that why the groups, who are repeatedly claiming that they pay a serious attention to the wishes of the majority of the people and desire democracy, are opposed to the processes. As to whether a democratic nation is to be built or not, what does emphasis need to be placed on — policy (principle) or individuals?

In fact, emphasis is to be set on policy (principle) and how the policy (principle) will be practised, but not on the fact of whether the persons that will come into power are their lackeys or not.

They should contribute towards construction of foundations necessary for democratic transition such as the improvement of economic productive forces, raising the standard of living of the people, and promotion of the education standard of the nation if they are really willing to serve the interests of Myanmar and its people. Yet, the US and certain members of Western bloc are diverting the nation far from democracy with the imposition of economic sanctions against it. At the same time, they are inciting situations to harm peace and stability and interferring in the internal affairs of the nation, thereby resulting in adverse effects on national reconciliation. Moreover, exaggerating the Myanmar’s situation, they are calling on the UN Security Council to take action against the nation.

In particular, since 1988 when the Tatmadaw assumed State responsibilities as there were no individuals nor internal groups capable of tackling the unrest, the US has cut off all forms of aid for Myanmar. And it has called for the handing over of State power. Furthermore, it is putting pressure on the nation to honour the results of the 1990 elections. It made one-sided demand for the handing over of State power without a State Constitution. In 1997, the US Congress approved the law to ban all the US investments in Myanmar. In 2003, the US Congress prohibited all the imports from Myanmar, and President Bush issued an order to freeze all Myanmar’s assets deposited in foreign countries.

At a time when the National Convention representing the entire people is being held in a peaceful way to adopt basic principles in line with the seven-point Road Map for the emergence of a democratic nation, former Czech president Vaclav Havel and South African Bishop Desmond Tutu are calling on the UN Security Council to take action against Myanmar through exaggerations. In reality, the attempts of the two men are subsequent to the intrigues and scandals of the Western masters. Thus, the unreasonable demands are just poisons, but not essential nutrients to the Myanmar people.

Author :   Aung Moe San