SPDC: Cowardice and duty

[Tanpyan@xxxxxxx]

Timidity relieves one of responsibility

by  Criticus

  The Burmese language has only one word for both timidity and
cowardice. The meaning is usually inferred from the context or
situation, or from both. Generally speaking, however, both words mean
lack of courage. Burmese, like other people, maintain that to fear is
human. But they also traditionally believe that sometimes timidity has
its own advantages. It keeps the timid out of trouble. Most of the
Burmese who have settled abroad since the 1960s and 1970s seem to have
believed that their timidness have relieved them of their responsibility
to take on the callous military government of Burma. So they have taken
refuge in a Burmese proverb "Kyauk tat yin wun kinn de".

   While pretending to be non-political or neutral they have kowtowed to
the junta under the guise of paying social visits to the country they
left decades ago. In fact, they were declared persona non grata during
the BSPP socialist regime that ruled the country for 26 years. However,
consumed with greed they are now ready to touch the ground with their
heads as a sign of obsequiousness and servility. And they are now
enjoying the fruit of the 1988 uprising which toppled BSPP government.
But none of them have even lifted a finger to help the Burmese
democratic movement brought about by the 1988 uprising. If an overseas
Burmese stand up to SPCD which is seen as one of the most feared regimes
from he may lose his opportunity to visit his friends and relatives in
Burma. But he does not risk his life and limb to take on the regime and
help the oppressed.  

   It is the people inside the country who risk everything to stand up
to pressure, threat, intimidation of authoritarian regimes.  It would be
a brave act in any part of the world. It take a lot of courage for an
ordinary man to take on a powerful authoritarian regime. But the courage
required by Ivan Novkovic to stand in lone defiance against Milosevic's
Serbian regime was awesome. When he recorded his video message calling
the Milosevic to resign and for the people to demonstrate in a small town
of Leskovac, a Milosevic stronghold, he knew he would be arrested. He
also knew that he risked being beaten up by the brutal Serbian police,
as a precursor to a jail sentence of many years.  He has a wife and
six-year-old daughter to worry about. 

   But he managed to broadcast his brief video message to the people
during the TV interval of a primetime basketball match on 1st July. The
day after his boradcast he was sentenced to 30 days in jail as the
punishment for his defiance. Three days later, answering his call, about
25,000 people came to gather for one of the biggest and most spontaneous
protest to have take place in Leskovac.

  When Ivan was interviewed by the Times reporter (19-8-99) after his
release he said he was particularly inspired by a passage in a book
which says that freedom is possible for anyone who wants it badly. He
said there was no particular moment or event which prompted his action. 
Having seen the wave of misery that has swept the whole country he said
he had felt a growing need to make a stand against the regime. Once Ivan
had decided to act he said fear disappeared. 

   It is high time that overseas Burmese in their forties and fifties
did some soul-searching.  They are having an easy ride for so long.
There is a way to see yourself as others see you. A man who has the
courage of conviction though frightened seldom capitulate. He always has
enough courage to do what he believes is right. A Burmese proverb says
"A really capable man can annihilate ten thousand officers and
soldiers" ( Ta yauk kaung thaw, ta thaung bo chey nyet nyet kyay). 

[end]