unfc answer to euro-burma office (ebo) ,english

7/27/2019 UNFC Answer to Euro-Burma Office (EBO) ,ENGLISH

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Riposte to Article in EBO Briefing Paper No. 8, dated August 2013(August 15, 2013)

Virulently attacking the UNFC organized Ethnic Nationality Conference, which was held toenhance the National Reconciliation and Peace Building process of the non-Burman ethnicresistance forces and the political opposition, the Euro-Burma Office (EBO) reared its ugly head

again. With a sprinkling of twisted facts, half-truths and perverted logic, worthy of Nazi propaganda,in an article titled Analysis of the UNFC Position it slanders the UNFC and accuses the UNFC oftrying to represent all the ethnic nationality forces, playing a dangerous game and with imprudence.

Previously, by using the media it maliciously attacked the Nippon Foundation i, which isproviding humanitarian assistance to the hapless IDPs, seeking refuge in the most deleteriousconditions in jungles, in the resistance areas. It was a brazen attempt to curry favor with those whohave caused the very humanitarian problems. By using the MPC people and other means, it is stillpressuring the Nippon Foundation to limit its humanitarian activities.

Since its formation in 1997, the EBO and its craven followers have increasingly attempted,time and again, to highjack the freedom movement of the non-Burman nationalities ofBurma/Myanmar, through liberal use of cash and brainwashing with the ideology of Appeasementand Development.

The Appeasement and Development political line ii, and divisive strategy of EBO, havecaused confusion and weakening of unity within the movement, because the Appeasement andDevelopment political line calls for all the non-Burman nationalities to submit tamely to agenda ofthe racists and chauvinists, in power. This same political line had helped the SPDC militarydictatorship to isolate the KNU and KNPP in 1994 and concentrate its military might to wipe out thetwo resistance forces for 17 long years, without success. Now, it has helped the military-dominatedgovernment to isolate the KIOiii, an organization of one of our fellow oppressed nationalities.

The non-Burman nationality resistance as well as the democratic organizations, in exile,initially welcomed EBO as a funding NGO with an agenda to help the ethnic cause, but when itstarted to pander to chauvinism of some nationalities, divide the unity between the non-Burmannationality and the democratic opposition forces, engage in fear mongering, push for surrender andtry to highjack the freedom movement, most opposition forces, the ethnic as well as the democratic,shied away from it, except a few opportunist individuals and some CBO organizations.

It is similar in the case of the UNFC. At its formation, the UNFC allowed EBO to co-fundsome meetings and conferences, with the active participation of ENC, which is an ethnic umbrellaorganization based on states, and which still is liberally funded and used by the EBO. However,when EBO and its followers tried to highjack the freedom movement of the non-Burmannationalities by using the WGEC, supposedly a work group for ethnic coordination, the UNFC had

to part ways without loss of love on its part. The UNFC position with regard to EBO is Just do nottry to own or highjack the freedom movement of the non-Burman nationalities and the democraticforces, and all can cooperate and coordinate for bringing genuine national reconciliation and peacein the country.

At one point, the article says, The UNFC Ethnic Conference has rejected thegovernments offer for talks without seriously offering any practical alternative other than a return towar. It is a dangerous game. This is fear mongering and pure libel against the UNFC, which hasalways called for resolution of political problems by political means, or through talks. However, the


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UNFC adheres to the principles of undertaking meaningful dialogue, collective bargaining forcollective rights, systematic approach and security for all. The UNFC has to uphold its policy ofOne for All and All for One.

The Federal Union Army the UNFC has in mind is an entity to serve as a model militaryestablishment for the future Federal Union all of us have in mind. It is to be an army to defend the

Union, and part of a concept for lasting peace and stability in the country. An army based ofchauvinistic ideology has been the curse of our situation almost since the time of independence.

The UNFC is at a loss to understand why EBO wants everyone to respect and protect the2008 Constitution, which was fraudulently drafted and adopted by the previous military dictatorship.It is designed to perpetuate the military, or rather the racists hold on power. Some constitutionalexperts view Burmas problem as a constitutional crisis and rightly so. All three Constitutions of thecountry favor racists and chauvinists to monopolize political power, resulting in political, social andeconomic instability and the civil war, since the time of independence in 1948.

The EBO should not forget that there are such things as legitimacy and legality. We haveto question all laws if they are legitimate or just self-serving for a handful in the society. The so-

called reform going on in Burma now must include the review and reform of our political culturealso. We have to build up our courage and that of the people to repudiate all repressive lawsinfringing on human rights and democratic freedom.

In its criticism, the EBO questions the refusal of the UNFC to go to Rangoon/Yangon for ameeting with the MPWC and choosing to hold talks in a neutral venue, instead. This is also aquestion of legitimacy, sincerity and not forgetting the recent history. So far, we have not seen thegovernment stop completely its war against the KIO, TNLF etc. and even against some groupswhich have signed ceasefire agreement, or lift the repressive laws, such as the Illegal AssociationAct. 17 (1) & (2). We should not forget that all the ethnic leaders and democratically electedgovernment members, including PM U Nuiv, were thrown into prison in 1962, at a time when theywere holding meetings on federalism and genuine democracy.

The UNFC has strong suspicion that the government is copiously soft-soaping someceasefire groups, because its investment driven war against the KIO has gone awry. Thegovernment troops in the field had openly boasted to wipe out the KIO in ten days, as it was able towipe out the MNDAA (Kokan) in three days. Now, the war has gone on for more than 2 years, witha tremendous cost in terms of human lives, materials and money. To rub salt in the wounds of theresistance movement, some government agencies are accusing the KIO and its allies as hard-liners and not wanting peace. The previous military dictatorship had alleged the KNU of being thesame, when the KNU had to fight for survival in isolation, for 17 years.

It is a critical time for all the people in Burma, especially the non-Burman nationalities of the

country, who have suffered long enough. It is a time to build enough unity, if total unity isimpossible, to continue struggling and achieve national reconciliation and peace. If EBO is forgenuine national reconciliation and lasting peace, the UNFC would have no problem to work with it.In fact, it welcomes EBO criticism, if it is well meaning. After all, criticism or freedom of speech ispart of the democratic culture and system, the right of the minority, and a good way for encouragingpositive reform. However, at a time when the divide-and-rule policy is still actively pursued andsome of us have to carry on active resistance, no one should engage in criticism with maliciousintent and in infighting.


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Perhaps, EBO should ditch the idea that the resistance of non-Burman nationalities hasbeen a hindrance to peace. It is an idea introduced by some European NGOs with a superficialknowledge of our country. They most probably assume that the 7 major non-Burman nationalitiesform only 30% of the entire populationv. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons for some EU NGOs totry to impose forcefully the ideology of Appeasement and Development on the non-Burmannationalities movement. However, the UNFC study has shown that the non-Burman nationalities

form more than 60% of the entire population.

The UNFC knows that many big and not-so-big powers such as India, China, Japan, US,UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, tiny Singapore and even the unlikely Ceylon have aninterest in Burma for economic, commercial, security and cultural reasons. Maybe, it is part of theglobalization movement, but it calls for all of us to be extremely careful, since we are only smallpawns, including the military-dominated government, in the global situation, if we do not want tobecome colonial subjects again.

The EBO followers love to allege that the UNFC has no strategy. They produce a numberof studies, most of which are shallow. They are seemingly blinded by greed, aggression and totallack of conscience. A catch phrase they like to use is Politics is Dirty. They fail to realize that

power politics, or what is called party politics is normally dirty, but the politics of liberation andresistance is noble and true.

In many cases, it is necessary to keep a large part of the strategy secret. The superficial orsubjective study of conditions by the EBO followers has led them to reach the false conclusion thatthe UNFC has no strategy. If they continue to adhere to superficial study, it is possible for them toreach only false conclusions. Probably their allegations are tactics in accordance with their mindsetof Politics is Dirty and an attempt to ferret out the UNFCs secret strategy.

Road maps, principles and guidelines, however, can be made public. The UNFC hasadopted the so-called Political Framework for Dialogue as its Road Map. The UNFC Principlesand Guideline for National Reconciliation and Peace are as follows.

1. Love Your Enemy;2. Uphold Freedom, Truth and Justice;3. Harbor No Vengeance;4. Be Cautious and Wise;5. Empower the People;(1) The moral of Love Your Enemy is to enable us to put ourselves in the shoes of the

enemy. Only then, will we be able to know the real character, concerns and mindset of theenemy and find a viable solution to conflict and the problem of peace building. Also, itwould facilitate finding a compromise solution and implementation of the idea of fighting the

ideology rather than elimination of the human enemy.(2) For peace to last or to be eternal, it has to be based on Freedom, Truth and Justice. In ourparticular case, the people and each nationality must have the rights to pursue life,happiness and self-development, equality and self-determination, a fair share of politicalpower, wealth and economic opportunity, within the framework of a suitable federal politicalsystem. Truth and Justice must be served, or made sure to be served, in the transitionperiod for national reconciliation.

(3) The principle of harboring no Vengeance is a corollary to Love Your Enemy. For truenational reconciliation to happen, the idea of taking vengeance by all stake holders is out of


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unfc answer to euro-burma office (ebo) ,english

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