Burma is a country of eight ethnic states: Burma Proper, Shan, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Kachin, Chin and Arakan States, named according to the most numerous ethnic national inhabitants in each area (however, in Kachin State, the Kachins are not the majority). The country’s history was made by a succession of different groups of people who migrated from Tibet and China, all of whom played a part in the country’s development. 

Early History tells us that there had been fierce struggles for power between the Mon, Shan and Burman (or all three had been at the height of dominance at one time or the other). In the earliest part of history the Mon were the most dominant, followed by the Shan who ruled the northern parts of Burma and the Shan State for over two hundred and fifty years and the Burman about the same number of years, from Bayintnaung’s reign until the British colonisation of Burma.

The British originally ruled Burma as an appendage of India, but parts of the mountainous ‘frontier areas’ which had never been under lowland kingdom’s direct rule, were mapped into Burma and many hill populations ended up split between Burma and neighbouring countries. In the frontier areas there might have been an initial resistance to colonial rules but soon they accepted the British as their Government. In fact the period of British rule was one of the most peaceful periods, especially in the Shan State. It was free from the Sao Hpas, also known as Sawbwas (prince) quarrelling amongst themselves, and the interference of the Burman Kings, and their armies marching to war against the Chinese or the Siamese (Thailand). The British also introduced law and order in different areas of Burma.

Most Burman nationalists bitterly resented colonial domination and they were angered and humiliated by what they considered the British divide and rule method between Burma Proper and the Frontier Areas. Up until today, they harbour this feeling of humiliation and grudge against the British, and so vent their bitterness on people of the frontier regions. They try to erase the humiliation of colonialism and to prove their own legitimacy and superiority by linking their own political and religious activities to the accomplishments of the great Burmese Kings.

Burma has never before been so divided ethnically, politically and religiously than in the last fifty years. Under the two military regimes the people of Burma, especially the non-Burman ethnic nationals, live in fear and terror. Few people in the world and even those living in Central Burma can really understand and imagine the extent to which the Burmese army has caused tensions and suffering in the rural regions of the Shan, Karen and Karenni States. Along with the expansion of the military’s presence throughout the country the regime also engaged in its policy of Burmanization of other ethnic nationals.

The Burmese dictatorial regimes blamed the British for their divide and rule policy, which they say “resulted in suspicion and discord among national races. This subsequently led to armed insurgency that spread to various parts of the country for decades”.

It is true, that the British Government had divided Burma Proper from the Hill States during their administration, perhaps with the intention of protecting the peoples of the Hill States from the Chauvinistic and bullying nature of the more worldly wise and cunning Myanmar politicians. Members of the army seem to feel very strongly that the British had practised a divide and rule policy during the time they were in government, yet the Burmese military practiced a divide and rule policy between different ethnic groups, and within the same group, a policy which is much worse than that of the British. 

One of the most popular statements of the Military regime is “Myanmar has existed as an independent kingdom for thousands of years. It has always been proud of its culture, tradition and values. Therefore colonisation by Great Britain was a great shock to the psyche of the Myanmar people.”

When going back thousands of years as shown above, the Shan or Tai had their own dynasty, “The Nam Mao Long Dynasty, expanded from Yunnan, Shan State, Assam and large areas of Central and Northern Burma. Like the Burmans, the Shans are also proud of their history, culture and literature. The Shan State was a separate country from Burma, and had always been autonomous during the British and Japanese regimes, and even in the days of the Burmese Kings. Therefore, when the Burmese Military occupied the Shan State and subjected the Shan people to its rule and all forms of human rights violations it was not only a complete shock to the psyche of the Shan peoples, but it was the worst thing that had ever happened to them in many thousands of years of history. The Shan people had everything that they valued, such as their farmlands, homes and means of survival, taken away from them by the two military regimes. 

The Military Regimes have insisted that they are working to unify the country; what they cannot see is that they are doing totally the opposite. Previous to the Burmese Military regimes the Shans and the Burmans had mingled socially without prejudice against each other and the Shan culture was to some extent influenced by that of the Burmese. But when the military regimes tried to destroy their way of life and forced the Shans to abandon their language, literature and traditional buildings, the Shans became aware of what the regime was doing. They became more nationalistic and were determined more than ever to ensure the survival of their tradition and everything that was Shan. Besides the physical disintegration and suffering of society and individuals, the Burmese Military had also caused distrust, bitterness and hatred. 

The military regime claimed that it has been sacrificing much of its blood and sweat to prevent the disintegration of the nation. According to them the military coup was necessary because the Sawbwas were trying to destroy unity by planning to secede from the Union.

By 1961 the Sawbwas realised that the Union was totally in the control of the Burmans; therefore, the question of “to secede or not to secede” came to be an issue amongst Shan Leaders including U Htoon Myint who was anti-Sawbwas. This was not a crime as it was a right provided by the Constitution. The secession issue did not arise out of conspiracies by the Sawbwas; it originated from real grievances. 

Even then the majority and more prominent Shan Leaders were committed to working out a solution with the elected U Nu Government. In March 1962, during a high level seminar on federal issues attended by Prime Minster U Nu and senior Shan representatives, General Ne Win seized power. The present long and never ending conflict could have been avoided if the debate in parliament was allowed to continue democratically, and with compromise. Ne Win and his generals were so obsessed with the idea of having full control over the frontier areas, and to further their ego and superiority complex that they put the Sawbwas and other members of the government in prison. 

The Regimes’ Propaganda is that they have saved the Union from disintegrating and that they are serving the interest of the national people.

The regime is definitely not serving the interest of the people other than themselves. They are a self-elected government and their main aim is to hold on to power by hook or by crook ; by killing or punishing all oppositions by any means no matter who they are, even those from their own group who once held the same polices as themselves. If the present Generals feel that their policies are so right why are they so afraid to be transparent? Why can’t they face the opposition and have a debate with them like any civilized people instead of using guns and ammunitions to force people to accept unreasonable terms? 

The Military regimes blame the British and the Shan Sawbwas for the disintegration of the Ex-Union of Burma. If the truth be told it was because of the Shan Sawbwas and other Ethnic Leaders that the Union of Burma came into existence, and it was the military regimes that destroyed the Union when they dishonoured the “Panglong Agreement” and abrogated the 1948 Union Constitution. Yet the SPDC refuses to accept the Union of Burma as being defunct. The Generals, one after the other, continue to hold the states together by brutal force. 

The fifty years of their attempt to do so have failed dismally. And the root of Burma’s decline and subsequent economic and educational decay can be traced directly to colonial arrangements and misrule practised by the Generals. By looking at these facts there is little reason to pronounce that the present day Burma is viable as a Nation state. A great nation is built by the diverse citizens of a nation; not by a handful of generals who are making Burma into an empty shell and filling it with soldiers indoctrinated with their own policy, and provided with guns and ammunition to exterminate non- Burman ethnic nationals and punish all oppositions.

In the 1950 -1960 I had the experience of knowing and making friends with many Bamars. At that time all the ethnic nationals, each with its own culture and religion studied and worked together. We were not free from competition but the competition was fair and just and we accepted success humbly and failure sportingly. The difference in culture and religion did not come into question because there was no prejudice, bigotry, or distrust amongst us. 

The Military regimes insist that they are safeguarding the Barmar society and tradition. But from my observation the culture which my friends used to be proud of and those of us who were not Barmar respected and admired has been tainted with the regimes’ policies to promote its own ends- a culture which has no regard and respect for human life; a culture that values chauvinism and superiority complex and a desire to have control over other ethnic nationals. It seems the goodness in Barmar tradition has been swallowed up and twisted by the regimes. 

The British and the Shan Sawbwas have been gone for fifty years and the SPDC is still blaming them for the dire political situation in Burma. It was the extreme Burmese nationalists who assassinated General Aung San and his colleagues; it was Ne Win who staged a coup and put U Nu and his government in prison; it is the present SPDC who put Ne Win’s family, Khin Nyunt and his followers in prison and violate human rights against their opposition. It wasn’t the Shan Sawbwas, the British or other ethnic groups that created disunity. It is obvious that the SPDC are out to punish their people to safeguard their own power. It is almost predictable what is likely to happen next. The Military regimes and the extreme Barmar nationalists cannot even keep their own group in order.

It is time for the Generals to admit that they have misruled the peoples of Burma for fifty years. 

It is time for them to regain their reason and conscience. 

It is time for the generals to give up power and let democratic elected members govern the country.

The two key political issues today in Burma are (i) the restoration of democracy, and (ii) the resolution of the political rights of all ethnic nationalities. Nobody knows how Burma is going to develop; be it a genuine federation or complete independence for some of the states depends on the attitude and will of all concerned. To build a genuine federation the Barmar politicians must prove to the other ethnic nationals that they are honourable, trustworthy and genuine in their dealings, and must not let their chauvinism and false pride mar any success. All must move forward and past mistakes must never be repeated. 

It is time too for all the ethnic peoples, including the Barmar to work together for the commongood of all nationals and for the progress of mankind. It is time that we try to understand each other’s feelings and treat each other as equals. After all, we are all human beings. Each ethnic group has its own traditions, language and literature but with tolerance and respect we can still live peacefully side by side and Burma is big enough for all. We have a long way to go because fifty years of pain, suffering misunderstanding, anger and bitterness are not easy to forget and forgive. But if there is a will there is a way. Please take this unique chance and play a part in a vision of a new society in which all of us may dwell in peace and harmony. Please be an agent of change for the betterment of the human condition; a chance to stand up effectively for human rights which are the key to human happiness, to justice and to the welfare of the human race.