(probably in a benighted moment)

By Saw BaSaw Khin, Mizzima News (www.miizzima.com)

January 28, 2004

Occasionally, those frequenting the Internet would be treated to the opinion and writing of some highfalutin types, which may leave them, wondering whether these reasonably good correspondents do this for amusement or mere entertainment, or really think that by doing so they are contributing to a good cause.

In this case, the cause comprises part of the various efforts to restore Burma to her proper global stature from its current humiliation of being one of the few least developed countries. Falling into the category is Kanbawza Win's latest "Junta's Divide and Rule Policy" that appeared in Mizzima Website on Jan 24, 2004.

Apparently, the same self-styled pundit penned an article early this month (1-11-04), entitled "Burma Thugs Have Become A Little Educated", which was dismissed by a prominent dissident colleague as Kambawza Win's diatribe. It may be best not to rise to the occasion (or rather sink into this quagmire) by responding to the Jan 24 Mizzima or the earlier posting. However, at pain of being accused of suffering from the same disease, which is oral diarrhea, and for the sake of refutation and clarification, and perhaps a trifle of enlightenment, the following might be said.

First of all, "Divide and Rule" is not a policy; it is merely a modus operandi (operandus, if you wish). The British raj have used it in almost every aspect throughout their mid-1900 to mid-2000 Pax Britannica, but were very mindful not to declare it as a policy. Of course the SPDC uses the same technique while harping on the sins of the British having applied the method in the course of its governance with the resultant chaos and turmoil among the ethnic peoples of Burma. Curiously, while the British may have thoroughly exploited the ethnic diversities in India, doubtlessly calling upon this unwritten process, there still is a functioning democracy in India, which, in fact, is the largest democracy in the world.

So what is the point of mentioning this banal term which, in effect, has been employed since time immemorial by rulers of all sorts, if only to perpetuate themselves. And when the SPDC generals happen to adjust their focus of governing the country that at this point may be loosely interpreted as applying this divide and rule procedure, it may sound condescending to say that the"Burma Thugs Have Become A Little Educated." Granted, perhaps not all the junta generals and their second echelon officers have formal college degrees. This does not mean that they do not have some innate intelligence, without which all of them would be out of power by now. To wit, all indications are that the dictatorship in Burma is not just a one-man affair. It is a consortium of generals, and these powerful men in uniform indubitably have enough hardware and manpower to almost systematically weaken all their armed opposition groups. And yet they seem to have concluded that there still have to be ways to gain peace and prosperity in the country other than military might alone.

The marginalization of Daw ASSK is not a recent happening, nor is it going to be the perceived result of the current round of KNU-SPDC peace negotiation. She, along with a host of the NLD leading members, has been detained from the very beginning, even before the 1990 general election. And as far as diminishing her influence is concerned, it is quite logical to assume that had they really wanted to do so, the generals could have easily annihilated her at the Depayin ambush / massacre. Let us be generous and peg this one on a modicum of compassion plus a smidgen of sophistication on the part of the junta. It would also seem possible, tenuous though that may be, that the generals could recognize the power of nonviolence resistance, while, at the same time, taking heed of global opinion.

As for the KNU General Bo Mya, it is true that he is getting old, now a mid-septuagenarian, has never had much formal education, somewhat enervated by poor health, and may even come close to being a "warlord" as Kambawza W. alluded (as are most of the SPDC regional commanders of general ranking), but senile?, not hardly (to quote the late actor John Wayne); - not in the foreseeable future anyway. Bo Mya has recently written an autobiography, the English translation of which leaves a bit to be desired, and while not quite an outstanding literary piece, one can yet see in it a simple but honest and relatively intelligent person, not to mention his physical prowess. This may be a hill Karen leader who never deigned to learn the English language, and, for the moment, may have returned from the Khin Nyunt meeting seemingly empty handed, which does not mean that they would not strive further for a formal cease-fire agreement, as a first step.

At this point, it would be presumptuous to dismiss this martial personage as a washed-up nonentity. Comparing Bo Mya to the Biblical Moses, who never resisted the Pharoah, but actually fled from him, does take some imagination, if not a ridiculous correlation. One thing that can be said about this KNU VP and KNLA C-in-C is that, having led this armed resistance for over 50 years with no end in sight, if he deems it appropriate to communicate with a much stronger adversary, if only to bring about a breathing spell for his people, he does have the derogative to do so. And at the same time, he certainly will attempt to pave the way to a more normal condition for the entire country, and it has to be to his credit that he is able to change and adjust to what he may happen to consider a
propitious time. After all being over 65 is not necessarily on the wrong side. Winston Churchill was well over that age when he led Britain to victory in WW II. Donald Rumsfeld, the current U.S. Secretary of Defense is already over 70! We really do not and cannot know how this current KNU-SPDC initial détente will pan out. The results could go both ways. But there appears to be every indication that Bo Mya will not act recklessly and ignore other opposition groups, including the NLD and Daw ASSK. As a final note, more of a triviality, in the second paragraph of Kanbawza Win's Jan 24 missive, it is a little bewildering that the junta "still continues to embark upon its scotch earth policy ---." Discounting the word scotch, which means a different thing altogether, the Scotch or Scottish blokes seemed never to have an 'earth policy' Of course, there is the scorched-earth policy, a military policy of devastating all --- so as to leave nothing salvageable to the enemy. Also, the usage for Kleptocrats elsewhere in the same article may have stretched or misrepresented the actual meaning of this recently concocted word. Well, to each his own, as the saying goes. Meanwhile, we definitely do not have any ill regard to Mr. K. Win who, with his palpable erudition, may obviously believe that his contributions are constructive to the endeavors of many, who sincerely wish for an end to the myriad problems that beset that beautiful land of pagodas.

BaSaw Khin
Tucson, AZ