PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY PARTY (Burma)
GHQ (Liberated Area)

Date: 10th May 2004

DEMOCRACY AND THE GOVERNANCE OF BURMA

The political future and governance of Burma is so important that it is imperative for all patriotic communities, individuals and political parties majority by Burmese and ethnic Burmese they engage in exchanging ideas, policies, on how to free it from the iron grip of the illegal military rules who have usurped power from the democratically elected government of Premier U Nu. Of necessity, there will be many varied political ideas and strategies of how to achieve this as advanced by different people and political parties.

The critical issue is not just the removal of the illegal military junta from power, but which direction, what type of political dispensation do we want for our Motherland to become? There is no point in getting rid of a dictatorship only to be replaced by another dictatorship which espouses intolerance and demands monolithic loyalty. All those political parties and people who do not agree or differ from its outmoded and bankrupt policies of claming an everlasting Election Mandate to govern, are considered and abused as traitors! As it has already been pointed earlier, the NLD won the general election in 1990 and most people rejoiced. The illegal military regime intervened to deny the NLD to exercise its Mandate. Most right thinking people condemned the military and supported the NLD in it declared resolution to campaign against military rule until it was removed from power. It formed a Government in Exile with ministers in European countries and the USA. A time passed, this government had no impact at all on the illegal military rulers.

Yes, it was difficult but the international goodwill which the NLD had at the time was strong that, it failed to drive home its advantage. None theless, people gave it the benefit of the doubt after the first four years and continued to support the NLD for a second term in office in exile. At the end of the second four year term, it had achieved nothing tangible, the international support had waned and abject disappointment and despair among the Burmese and ethnic Burmese were the result.

Yet, the NLD had never accounted for its stewardship and failure to Election Mandate. The NLD claims to be a party of democracy, yet in reality, an oligarchy determines and runs the party with no discernible political policies other than its desire for the military to handover power to it"! This mental attitude has gripped many of its supporters to the extent that, they vehemently object to the existence of any other political parties as exemplified by the e-mails sent and posted to other Burmese political groups and those organisations which support them. These e-mails are very instructive, as they clearly show the intolerant and authoritarian nature of the NLD which refuses to acknowledge that, there are other political parties with different political policies who are fighting for democracy and to get rid of the illegal military rulers from power and in their place, to have a multi-party general election based on one person one vote.

Why is the NLD afraid of contesting a general election with other political parties? If it participated in a free and fair general election and it won most parliamentary seats, a new Mandate would have been given by the electorate in a democratic exercise. It must understand that to claim an everlasting Mandate 15- years after a general election, is not only undemocratic, but also, shows undesirable authoritarian tendencies of dictatorship. You can't fight a dictatorship and succeed when you yourself, behave in like manner and use its tools to stifle free speech to designate fellow countrymen and women who hold different political views from your own. This situation has led many Burmese and ethnic communities to question the direction of the NLD and the competence of its leadership who have manifestly failed to deliver the political dividend of removing the illegal military rule from power.

This is what the people of Burmese gave the NLD to do but it has failed to deliver as well as failed to account for its failure. In politics, political failure means political exit to let others carry on the good fight of removing the military from power. Many Burmese and ethnic Burmese are worried that because of the NLD weakness, it might be tempted to compromise and leave the illegal military regime in a dominant political situation more or less exercising the substantive political power. Any such compromise will be rejected by the majority of our people who want the military junta to relinquish power and return to barracks as a National Defence Force.

In conclusion, the PDP and its supporters are not afraid of multi-party political competition, either in exchanging political ideas or in contributing a strategy towards the removal of the illegal military regime from power. The PDP unlike the NLD, respects the right of other political parties to disagree with it in a free and public discussion or exchange. This is healthy and a democratic approach to our national politics. The PDP believes in the freedom of speech and the diversity of political ideas because, this is the only way that we are going to differentiate ourselves from the military junta and the only way we can persuade our people to join us in the historic task of defeating the junta and its ultimate removal from power and its evil oppressive machinery. In it is place, the introduction of democracy, with multi-party political parties and freedom of speech which will compete in a free and fair general election supervised by the UN or the EU.


Central Committee
Parliamentary Democracy Party (Burma)
Liberated Area
E-mail address: emlmpdp@aol.com
Web page: www.pdp-burma.net

To
Shwe Shwe,

Recently, the PDP received the copies of e-mail you sent to the UKorg. We read your letters with interest and decided that the PDP should respond to you. Although you are supporting the NLD party, you must accept that there are substantial Burmese and ethnic groups people who are fighting for restoration of democracy, not for the success of a particular party but for the liberation of our Motherland from the illegal and oppressive military regime. Before 8-8-88 uprising, the PDP was the only one opposition party, which launched armed struggle against the illegal military regime to restore 'Democracy'. After 8-8-88 uprising, many new parties emerged in Burma, and as a democratically minded party, we supported them by keeping ourselves a low profile. Granted, the NLD won the General Election in 1990 with a mandate to form the government, but the military intervened and the NLD was denied this right. Soon after this, the party formed a government in exile with the purpose of removing the military junta from power. Sadly, the NLD has not been able to do this through incompetence and mismanagement of its leaders.

Surely, you can see that it is over 15 years now and things are getting worse. It is everybody's duty to fight against the illegal military rule in Burma, and you have to understand the role of the PDP which has reorganised with the unalterable intention of removing the military junta from power either through negotiations, but if necessary, by armed struggle. From a reasonable and realistic assessment, the  NLD has failed our Motherland and its election mandate expired to put it charitably, in 1998 and the political arena became open to all political parties.

Please do not behave like a baby; who only smiles when it gets what it wants. For example, during the 1990 elections, people smiled, because they won. Would they have smiled or recognised the election, if they had lost? Because of such an un-scientific approach, where people are acting with emotional feelings, not with facts, the truth is covered by a layer of wishful thinking. You should realise that that sort of unrealistic approach causes us heavy losses, and internecine bickering thus diverting our energies from fighting the military junta.. Although people are condemning the army everyday, they still do not dare to scrutinise the NLD for the causes of its setbacks. Please remember that, the UKorg, nor U Nu, nor the PDP were involved in the current political setbacks. In politics, it is unrealistic to claim a perpetual election mandate that is why in democratic countries such as in the USA and Britain, the leaders are facing general elections in 2004 and 2005 to renew their mandates.
Instead of scrutinising the main cause or causes of failure by the NLD, you unleash your temper as a spoilt child to the wrong target. It is deplorable, as this type of self-warped insight is holding up our political progress in the life and death struggle against the cunning military rulers. 

I would like to repeat again that, Burmese people are fighting for 'the restoration of democracy', not for a party. If a party becomes hopeless to deliver the desired result, everybody has the right to find an alternative solution.

You are treating without respect a dedicated party and its respectable members, just because some countries in the world are misguided as to support only the NLD party, which you too are supporting. This gives me an opportunity to put across our view to those countries and to those media, which are mistakenly supporting only one party, as they say that it won a landslide election in 1990. Yes, the PDP also supported it too. We all believed at the time that it would be able to deliver the Motherland democratic governance. But after15 years of political challenges (between the one condemned by the whole world and the one praised by the whole world), the result is appalling. Because of this, the People of Burma and the PDP are searching for an alternative solution now. If some misguided countries want to continue to support the NLD only, they have every right to do so. But this is the time for these countries, to be realistic and think of the manifest failure of the NLD, and the positive roles of the other parties too. Other parties are also working for the same cause with their own agendas. Some parties, including the PDP never participated in the 1990 elections, but supported the NLD because we believed then that it had the opportunity to get rid of the illegal military regime. Alas, our belief has not been realised because of the contradictions and internal power struggles amongst the NLD leadership who must accept full responsibility for the failure. Fifteen years now, the scenario is different. The NLD could not prevail against the military junta opponent. As circumstances favour me, I would like to convey to the world the above messages, while I am writing this letter to you. If I have to continue to respond to your letter, you should see that the PDP is an active fighting force against the illegal military regime, and it is willingly offering its service for the country. The UKorg is a free independent organisation, which is not associated in anyway with the PDP, which is only working for Burma, but also for the other countries, for promoting democracy in the world. Fortunately enough that it is contributing part of its valuable experiences for our country Burma. But, unfortunately, you cannot allow or believe in free speech to those forces, which are also working for the same goal 'Restoring Democracy' in Burma, when their views are contrary to your political illusions about the NLD.

In reality, a true supporter for democracy should support the cause, and support all opposition parties which are fighting to remove the illegal military regime and the introduction of multiparty democracy and a competitive free and fair General Election under one person one vote. Different political parties have different political agendas: all of them are in fact working for the same goal 'Restoring Democracy'. In the democratic countries, people cast their votes to the party which has the best policy for the country. They do not stick to one party only. In the next election, they can cast their vote to another party with a better political programme. Similarly, if the Burmese people are trying to establish democracy in Burma, they should do the same. You should also accept that principle without prejudice to the PDP.
In fact, since over seven years, the PDP calculated the long term future political events and campaigned for multiparty dialogue and a new general election which is free and fair. The PDP believed that, that sort of approach is the only most suitable one for the current Burmese political situation. Now, you can see, how many countries including the UN are supporting for multiparty dialogue and a new general election in Burma. The UN now accepts and recognises that there are other significant political parties apart from the NLD. That is why the world's think-thanks have decided that way, which aligns with the PDP's demands. Please wisely see the wisdom and political good sense of the PDP whose overriding objective is to get rid of the illegal military regime and to allow competitive democratic multiparty political activity in which the citizens of our Motherland would be asked to make their individual choice among the parties. Only the electorate will decide which party or parties win.

Unfortunately, instead of treating us in a friendly manner, you are firing at us. I would like to share one of my experiences with you. When tens of thousands of Burmese dissidents came to the Thai-Burma border just after the 8-8-88 uprising, I paid a visit to each and every one of their camp. I also carried with me medicines and clothes, and gave them to their leaders. I also lived with them for weeks, slept with them, ate with them and encouraged them by giving advices until mid night while a bon-fire was lit at the centre of the ring like formation of group, who were enthusiastically listening to my speeches. There, I got the chance to learn their problems. Instead of being able to form a formidable fighting force, their strength gradually drained away. According to my own experiences after I visited their camps very often, I could learn why it happened. It had happened, because, instead of welcoming the new comers who followed them, they accused one another of being spies or enemy agents, and kicked out from their camps. Also the various leaders of their groups were suspicious of each other. In some cases, they even killed their own co-workers. Those sort of things really happened along the Burmese borders. One of the major reasons of the cause of their failure is that they did not have experience in the field of recruiting people while they were in Burma. They also did not get the chance to have that sort of experience as Gen.Ne Win had strictly controlled the people. With the spirit of going to revenge the murderous military regime, most dissidents came to the borders with their own will. At the borders, they joined other groups who had arrived ahead of them. There, as mentioned above, 'Rejection' events took place. They risked their lives (by crossing the enemy infested territories and so many rough terrains and high mountains, to reach the borders), just to experience the rejections. Overall result is, failure in opportunity to revenge the enemy. That sort of 'Rejection Syndrome' or 'Self-Destructive-Mentality' can be seen still dwelling among many of us. You also seem to be dwelling in such a mentality and that is why you cannot embrace the PDP or the UKorg, or accept U Nu, but instead you are happy and content to live in your own warped world of NLD illusions regardless of extant reality.

Please remember that, the Burmese military regime knows very well the Burmese' mentality. They learned it through their intelligent staffs at each prison for over four decades. You are naively acting for your own failure and to their advantages.
When you are trying to denigrate the opposition parties so as to hide the truth, I would like to give another example for you to illustrate your own mistake.
I read some articles written by so called Burmese researcher about the Burmese history. I do not want to mention their name or other information, as I have no intention to mention them personally. I saw that they deliberately kept a low profile about U Nu's role who was the champion of democracy, and the PDP's role which is fighting against the military regime since 1970 until now. In fact, it looks like they are trying to hide an elephant behind a sesame seed. Those who did this might want to write their own made history to serve their own ambition. Through that kind of experience, I am very much worried for the future of Burma. If those types of people become future leaders, how much they will distort Burmese history for their own benefit? The PDP is fighting to liberate our Motherland from illegal military rule and oppression and the introduction of a multiparty democratic order followed by a competitive general election of one person one vote with the participation of all communities. We are adamantly opposed for the illegal military junta to retain any political role. We want to return the army to its proper function - that of a Defence Force. Unlike the NLD the PDP is uncompromising on this head.

Another example too is, until now, while the world leaders and the UN are talking about the multiparty dialogue, some are still asking for tripartite dialogue only. It might be ideal for your wishes. But you should know that the world is watching the Burmese event with magnifying eyes. They are very wise, very intelligent, and very capable. The world wants to see a broader multiparty approach inviting all opposition parties in Burma. They know that that is the only right way to solve the solution.

Another example is, if we evaluate the way SPDC regime is dictating the number of delegates to attend the National Convention, we could see that they put their own men in a much larger portion with the intention of monopolising power or position. They even do not want to invite the NLD or other parties. Those events remind me of the story I read about 'Two Friends - Fox & Crane' while I was young. One day, a fox invited his friend crane which had long beak, to his den. He sprinkled small beans on a flat plate and served the guest. The crane could not pick up the beans as his long beak was not suitable to pick up the small beams from the flat plate. The crane never forgot that experience. A few days after that event, the crane invited the fox. He offered fox pieces of meet putting in a long jar with a small neck. When the fox tried to bite the meet, his mouth stuck at the neck of the jar, and could not bite the meat. Similarly, if so called clever politicians are showing their wizardries, we will never reach the end. I am comparing you only two party problems. There are many other parties including ethnics which are going to be involved in solving the political problem of Burma. So, please think fairly. You should not attempt to hide the PDP or the ethnic groups from the political reality of Motherland.

I also would like to mention something about U Nu for your information. U Nu was 'The Father of Democracy' in Burma. This is a historical fact and no denials will change this fact. Under his government, Burma was free, and one of the richest countries in the South East Asia. He did form the PDP as a government opposition party in the jungle in 1970.

During 8-8-88 uprising, U Nu offered Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in forming an interim government, to which the later rejected. He then asked Gen.Ne Win to return the power to him, as he was the legitimate prime minister, so that he can help solve the situation peacefully: He demanded his right until he died. But, during the 8-8-88 uprising, demonstrators were so occupied with their own agendas that, they did not listen to his words. During the election, he participated in the election although he knew that NLD will win at that particular occasion: He did it as he cherished 'democracy'. In this case, you should praise his laudable mettle. If people supported him at that time, and if Gen.Ne Win had to return power to U Nu, Burma would already have democracy by now. There would be no more bloodshed, and you and I will not be suffering like this any more.

While talking about U Nu, it appears one more thing in my mind to share with you. That is 'sense of acknowledgment to the activities of elder ones'. If you visit Europe and other developed countries, in many corners of the respective towns, you will see many commemorated-marble-statues of those who had achieved or sacrificed for their countries. Now, U Nu was a prominent leader in Burma. Under him, the country was rich and democracy prevailed. You never heard any corruption in him. He was also a devoted religious man. He never killed anyone. When you are talking against him, and comparing him with Gen.Ne Win, I do believe that you have not studied the history of Burma yet. When U Nu died, his body was properly entombed. When Gen.Ne Win died, he was burned and his ash was thrown away. So, we wish you to see things and events in their true perspective.

At the same time, I would like to explain to you the role of the PDP. Its members started to come to the jungle from Rangoon, Pegu, Prome, Mandalay, Maulemain, Ye, Tavoy, Mergui etc., since about 1965 with the intention of 'Restoring Democracy'. Until now, many of them are continuing their commitment along the liberated areas. Many of them died or shed their blood. During the long course of political struggle, the PDP also supported the NLD in the early 1990s: Only re-organised its strength, as it realised that the NLD would not be able to match the SPDC and remove it from power. At the present moment, the PDP is supporting its cause from its own pocket and has reorganised itself with the intention of challenging the military regime purposively. Instead of praising the PDP's noble spirit, you are condemning it. If one of those PDPs who had lost their blood is one of your close relatives, he will be very upset.

If you are working for democracy, and searching for a solution, there is only one way "work with all the democratic forces". Please remember that, the PDP party doors are always open to those who share its political objectives. Your criticisms (expecting wise ones) are always welcome. We believe in multiparty dialogue and a new general election to solve the Burmese political situation. Note: The PDP very much abhors the way the SPDC is monolithically leading the Road Map at the present moment. Unless major changes are made, we see many of its points are unacceptable. Without multiparty approach, if you want only one party to fight for 'democracy', when that party wins, Burma will become a dictatorship again, as that party can monopolise power alone, which would lead to injustice, corruption, and mis-governance. The PDP wants democratic governance and political accountability answerable to an elected House of Assembly in which the diverse political views including those of the ethnic communities constitute an effect constraining balance.
With all best wishes,

Bo Aung Din
Chairman
Parliamentary Democracy Party
E-mail Address: emlmpdp@aol.com
Web Page Address: www.pdp-burma.net