We’re Not Quitters

MIN KHIN KYAW
min kyaw"

The NLD has been waiting for real talk with the junta since 1991 or so as the elected representatives of the Burmese people as they have been given the mandate to govern the country as the legitimate government.

However, the UN has been so far never able to bring the junta to the table to start practical dialogue. Will it be able to talk to the junta one to one in terms of human rights and political freedom? So has ASEAN failed; the pain is it’s always ready to blame us, the democratic side, bluntly. Can it also talk to the junta one by one in near future seriously for the improvements of human rights and poverty?


As the call for tripartite dialogue has been ignored so many times for two decades, it’s time for both UN and ASEAN to take the matter in their own hands. The cooperation between ASEAN and UN is up to their choice and strategy.

So far, neither UN nor ASEAN had tried to engage the junta and democratic activists outside Burma where equal term can be applied – especially, in their assemblies but accepted the denials of the junta to engage with us inside Burma as they failed to highlight that; instead they are pointing their fingers at us as if we’re behaving the same way as the junta does. As ASEAN is unfair to us, the UN seems its sole solution to the crisis is to second the ASEAN. Although Thailand tried once with its roadmap, that was rejected by the junta but we are still willing to engage in that process anyway; however, was the Thai government of that time really serious? Or was it just for show whilst lending a significant amount of money to the junta and trying to gain access to Burma ’s domestic market and natural resources? And currently, Thailand is a main source of income to the junta to keep running its brutal business against Burmese population. Also the current Thai government is openly opposing our effort for democracy. Certainly, we can never trust any Thai government that is unfair to us.



Whilst they cannot bring the junta to the table for talk inside Burma , why have they ignored our voices to bring the junta to their tables wherever their meetings took place? Why have they ignored us to give an equal share of recognition, as Burmese people have their own elected representatives, as they have given to the junta?



We are ready to meet the junta anywhere any time, whether it’s at UN or ASEAN meeting to solve the political crisis that has deprived the population from everything good.



We should want to know how they’re going to answer about this.



We just want to start a practical path. And both UN and ASEAN should have real plans as they have been engaging with the junta such a long, long time. Neither UN nor ASEAN ever engaged in political issues directly however. They have failed but have they appeared that they want to make it our fault now?!



As the junta do not want to meet NLD directly, can ASEAN and UN envoys seek the head of the junta for real discussion political issues, economic issues, refugee crises, human right situations, drug problems and their views how things should be? After they have discussed with the junta, whatever results they achieved, then could they talk with us – as favouring the junta to say what it wants first.



On the other hand, we have stated our stance. We are for the democracy in Burma . What is that we have to discuss with the junta? Isn’t it how the junta will implement democracy as soon as possible? As both UN and ASEAN know what we want, we can give them total responsibility to engage with the junta in their own terms. All we have to do is to raise our voice on what going on between the junta and the UN and between the junta and ASEAN and among themselves.



Whether we given the observer status during their meetings, we have to right to observe and we can do just that. And we should just give them complete control to steer the junta toward democracy – if they agree to do so.



If they cannot do just that, then we have to know what they can do for the people of Burma .



By observing, we don’t isolate ourselves as our critics and voices will be as important as ever. We rather change our way as the junta doesn’t want us to exist as it has been suppressed all political activities inside the country. And this must be in the minds of all envoys to Burma and their activities and views must reflect this directly or indirectly as they try to engage with the junta toward true democratic practices.



After all, it seems we have to prove that we are not the problem makers. Then we can prove that we are the side that wants all problems solved as soon as possible but we are going to take the status of observing what and how the ASEAN and UN deal with the junta.



If they fail again, they must admit the junta is failure. Then they must seek the best solutions to solve the crisis. If they want to give up completely, then they may do so. But don’t support the junta both economically and politically – as such actions are supporting the cruelty of the junta breaching the human rights and the cause of the state of atrocity of Burmese people.



The reality is ASEAN has avoided real political engagement with the junta and the UN has started to follow the ASEAN’s achievements in denial. ASEAN has given us hope and successfully avoided actions in finding solutions and testing solutions. The reality of ASEAN is some of its influential countries are enjoying cheap resources and cheap labour from Burma whilst others share the blame for their own reasons. Yet we must not put the blame on the shoulder of the Thai people who are still struggling for their democracy.



But the United Nation should address the reality in dealing with the junta and why it hasn’t achieved particular goals and what troubles it has been facing in solving the crimes committed by the junta. The UN’s responsible people have failed to recognise how they should report the barriers and the reasons of failures – such as to free Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists detained unlawfully, and why it cannot bring the junta to the negotiation table.



Whatever happening, we have to find our way to freedom and must carry on the torch of revolutionary to the final glory.



We must prove with our history making efforts that we are not the quitters in fighting their injustices and insincerity. The history will glorify as the true freedom fighters and record them as villains. The history always stands by the truth.