No Room for Change

I figure I better get these thoughts out now before I enter Burma...so sorry in advance for the cynicism.

I am currently reading an excellent book on the Burmese situation entitled Living Silence it's by Christina Fink, if anyone should want to pick up a copy.

In the book, she discusses why after everything that has happened in Burma, there is no change. Basically, she says it's because the regime has done such a good job at intimidating people that they feel like it's better to go along with it rather than fight it. For instance, if someone is to stand up against the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) they are not the only ones to get in trouble. The SPDC will go after their family, friends and even acquaintances regardless of their political activism. They have their fingers in almost every aspect of the economy so if one is looking for a nice secure job, they are practically forced into agreeing with all of the SPDC's agenda. Needless to say, parents who long to see their children financially successful (or at least secure) encourage them to align with the regime.

With the development of the United Solidarity and Development Agency (USDA) a supposedly social (not political) arm of the SPDC, many people have been forced to become a member in order to retain their jobs. Even students have been enticed to join by their teachers who threaten to lower their grades or even have them expelled for failure to join the USDA.

The education of Burmese history is horrendous in the school system, where rebellions and ideals of former leaders are left out of the curriculum (reminds me of Tienanmen Square and how China denied it). At home, the children are not taught the truth either for fear or simply because their parents think it's futile to talk about the past when nothing will change.

A case in point of all of this is one of my students. She has told me a few times that she never understood the oppression of the Burmese people until she came to Thailand. She was not too fond of the SPDC in Burma, because they were to blame for the high inflation and low standard of living, but she was completely unaware as to what kind of atrocities the government enacts in order to keep their position in power.

Another way at which the SPDC excels is in fracturing their competitors. Instead of having the opposition fight them, they have turned different opposition groups upon each other and in some cases they have caused groups to splinter and fight. Most of the minority groups have always considered the Burmans (the ethnic Burmese) untrustworthy, but now there is a lack of trust and unity among the different ethnic groups.

To emphasize this, let me tell you about a talk I had with my students. They are all a part of the same ethnic group. Most of this group comes from Shan State, which is largely comprised of the Shan ethnic group. My students assignment was to create a political party and so we were discussing their choices. At first both groups insisted that their party be only for their ethnic group. They claimed that if they let in another ethnic group (such as the Shan) then their group would not receive the same rights. They continued by adding that currently in Shan State their ethnic group is treated worse than the Shan and so they need a voice in order to gain equality.

Now, from my perspective it seems like the inequality between Shan and Pa-O could not even compare with the inequality between the Pa-O or Shan and Burmans. And that the Shan and Pa-O have much more in common, while trying to gain equality with the Burmans than they have differences. I asked how could their party possibly get anything done when they only have a few people voting for their cause. To an outsider, it makes more sense for the minorities to band together until their fight against the SPDC is over than to turn toward inter-ethnic issues. But, to them, they must first fight to keep their ethnicity intact, which can involve fighting other ethnic groups.

Almost all ethnic groups, I have been informed, are fighting for self-determination. That is, they all want to separately have control over their own government. While this is not a bad thing, it also increases the tensions between ethnic groups that intermingle because each group wants to run things their own way.

Sadly, the more I read and the more I learn about the situation in Burma, the more I think that there is no hope in store for the country. The culture of submission is exploited by the regime. The citizens are taught that only the regime can help them and that military men are heroes. Also, many people are too concerned with how to make a living and thus have little time or care to devote to making change. From all of my research and talks with Burmese, I haven't found any solutions to the current situation and this is very upsetting.