[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

DSIF GEARS UP FOR THE GA



--=====================_95638596==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

DSIF GEARS UP FOR THE GA

It's silly season again down on Signal Pagoda road, as the DSIF* stalwarts rack
their brains and read up their manuals to find new actions that will do the
greatest amount of damage to the regime. October is always a busy time for
DSIF, since this is when the New York diplomats are gathering material for the
Burma resolution at the General Assembly. DSIF usually tries to arrange an
atrocity or two for this occasion, but this year it seems to be aiming at a
double -- to be heavily condemned at the GA and piss off the Thais as well.
This seems to be the logic behind the reported massing of troops along the
Burmese/Thai border in the wake of the Embassy occupation. The Department may
even be going for a bonus -- a resolution at the Security Council**   if the
anticipated attack on the camps in Thailand is seen as enough of a threat to
international peace and security for the Thais to call in the prefects.  

* For the uninitiated, DSIF is SPDC's Department of Shooting Iteslf in the
Foot, whose exploits I have followed for several years. I enclose a couple of
earlier reports.

** An accomplishment it has not even approached since Bangladesh PM Khalada Zia
came to New York in early 1992 with a  5-point SC draft resolution on the
Burmese troop buildup and the influx of Rohingya victims of ethnic cleansing ,
only to be deflected by Boutros-Ghali's offer of good offices. This in turn led
to Jan Eliasson's visit to Dhakar and Rangoon and the 3 bilateral deals between
HCR, Bangladesh and Burma that facilitated the forced repatriation of up to
220,000 Rohingyas.

**************************

IN PRAISE OF DSIF

For several years I have observed two efficient departments in
the SLORC Administration: Gen. Khin Nyunt's Department of the
Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI) - Military Intelligence -
and SLORC's Department of Shooting-Itself-in-the-Foot (DSIF). 

With its latest coup, the attack on Aung San Suu Kyi's convoy
of 9 November, including a knife attack on Suu Kyi herself,
DSIF once again demonstrates its genius for timing. The
attack, carried out by 2,000 USDA thugs trucked in from the
townships, the military conspicuously taking no preventive
action, but rather allowing the mob to assemble in the
forbidden area behind the road-blocks, was carefully
synchronised with ASEAN Secretary-General Ajit Singh's visit
to Rangoon. The purpose was clearly to cause ASEAN maximum
embarrassment, and thus help reduce Burma's chances of entry.
The attack was also designed to trigger the US sanctions on
Burma, which are conditional on an attack against Aung San Suu
Kyi and/or the Burmese Democracy Movement. The brilliance of
the timing can also be seen in light of the forthcoming APEC
meeting in Manila on 25 November, followed by a top-level
ASEAN meeting. By this and other actions, DSIF has ensured
that Burma will be high on the agenda.

DSIF has been very active this year, with the superbly
orchestrated arrest of 250 NLD supporters in May, as they were
on their way to a meeting at Aung San Suu Kyi's house, and the
September arrest of another 800, including NLD Deputy Chairman
U Kyi Maung. It was these events, together with certain
economic factors for which DSIF may justly claim some
responsibility, which provoked the split in ASEAN regarding
Burma's readiness for membership. Previous coups include the
attack on Karen positions in Saw Hta in 1992, one day after
Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw had announced to the UN General
Assembly that SLORC had declared a unilateral cease-fire with
the Karen National Union. Another had the same Ohn Gyaw, who
is frequently involved in DSIF operations, saying that Burma
has no human rights problems, precisely one day after the
SLORC attack on Halockhani on 21 July 1994. SLORC's failure to
pay its oil bill to Mitsui, a company considering massive
investments in Burma, is another achievement which may be
credited to DSIF.

Would anyone be interested in producing a little book
recounting the exploits of DSIF - or perhaps a regular column
on reg.burma and soc.cult.burma - or why not both?  Readers
are invited to post their favourite examples. Another exercise
would be to guess what the next one will be -- perhaps a major
attack on the KNU (to encourage the peace process) with
massive refugee flows carefully timed to coincide with the UN
General Assembly resolution on Burma. 

David Arnott, Geneva, 9 November 1996

*************************

DSIF TRIUMPHS IN GENEVA

(analysis by Burma Peace Foundation)


DSIF STRATEGY

Since Burma joined ASEAN last year, the junta's most effective institution, its
Department of Shooting Itself in the Foot (DSIF) has stepped up its vigorous
and successful campaign to alienate the neighbours, increase Burma's status as
a pariah State and thus its international isolation (I leave it to the
professionals to undertake the psycho-political analysis of these events, but I
would not be surprised if they were to find a high degree of institutional
sado-masochism at play(1)).   

Means employed include the renewed cross-border attacks into Thailand by the
DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, a militia aligned with the ruling State
Peace and Development Council - SPDC - as the Burmese junta now calls itself).
These attacks are specifically designed to embarrass Thailand's military and
political leaders. Another DSIF ploy has been to unilaterally block
cross-border trade, causing economic damage to China and Thailand. Other
successes have been the continuation of massive exports of heroin and AIDS and
the continued flow of refugees into neighbouring countries. In an effort to
further irritate the international community, the DSIF has continued to refuse
access by the UN's Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, and continues its harassment
of the NLD (National League for Democracy the party that won a landslide
victory in the 1990 elections and is still waiting for the junta to transfer
power), including the recent sentencing of elected NLD representative Daw San
San to 25 years imprisonment for being interviewed by the international media.
Other tactics have been atrocities against the ethnic minorities, including the
massive forced relocations in Shan State and a degree of forced labour which
has caused the ILO (International Labour Organisation) to activate its most
severe measure, a quasi-judicial Commission of Inquiry on Forced Labour in
Myanmar (only the tenth since the ILO was founded in 1919). The Commission of
Inquiry is expected to report in July or August.  

26 Apri;l 1998
_____________________

(1) On the other hand, as a short footnote, I should add that it is possible to
see DSIF's achievements as rational. For instance, the reluctance of the junta
to abandon its grip on the rickety State Economic Enterprises and the priority
it gives to military control over virtually everything, including rice farming,
education and the sending of faxes, are factors in destabilising the economy
and discouraging international aid or investment which far outweigh any
economic sanctions imposed or contemplated. To those sceptics who would stress
the irrationality of such a policy, I would point out that keeping the country
poor, isolated and fragmented makes perfect sense once one accepts the premise
that this is the only situation in which the junta can continue to stay in
power, and that staying in power is the point. DSIF, far from being an
aberration, is thus pursuing the central policy goals of the Burmese
leadership. Some people might even see this approach as a heroic resistance to
globalisation and the grip of transnational corporations. Let us not forget
that shooting oneself in the foot has the personally rational goal of avoiding
worse injuries or death in battle. 



Internet ProLink PC User

--=====================_95638596==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html>
DSIF GEARS UP FOR THE GA<br>
<br>
It's silly season again down on Signal Pagoda road, as the DSIF*
stalwarts rack their brains and read up their manuals to find new actions
that will do the greatest amount of damage to the regime. October is
always a busy time for DSIF, since this is when the New York diplomats
are gathering material for the Burma resolution at the General Assembly.
DSIF usually tries to arrange an atrocity or two for this occasion, but
this year it seems to be aiming at a double -- to be heavily condemned at
the GA and piss off the Thais as well. This seems to be the logic behind
the reported massing of troops along the Burmese/Thai border in the wake
of the Embassy occupation. The Department may even be going for a bonus
-- a resolution at the Security Council**&nbsp;&nbsp; if the anticipated
attack on the camps in Thailand is seen as enough of a threat to
international peace and security for the Thais to call in the
prefects.&nbsp; <br>
<br>
* For the uninitiated, DSIF is SPDC's Department of Shooting Iteslf in
the Foot, whose exploits I have followed for several years. I enclose a
couple of earlier reports.<br>
<br>
** An accomplishment it has not even approached since Bangladesh PM
Khalada Zia came to New York in early 1992 with a&nbsp; 5-point SC draft
resolution on the Burmese troop buildup and the influx of Rohingya
victims of ethnic cleansing , only to be deflected by Boutros-Ghali's
offer of good offices. This in turn led to Jan Eliasson's visit to Dhakar
and Rangoon and the 3 bilateral deals between HCR, Bangladesh and Burma
that facilitated the forced repatriation of up to 220,000=20
Rohingyas.<br>
<br>
**************************<br>
<br>
IN PRAISE OF DSIF<br>
<br>
For several years I have observed two efficient departments in<br>
the SLORC Administration: Gen. Khin Nyunt's Department of the<br>
Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI) - Military Intelligence -<br>
and SLORC's Department of Shooting-Itself-in-the-Foot (DSIF). <br>
<br>
With its latest coup, the attack on Aung San Suu Kyi's convoy<br>
of 9 November, including a knife attack on Suu Kyi herself,<br>
DSIF once again demonstrates its genius for timing. The<br>
attack, carried out by 2,000 USDA thugs trucked in from the<br>
townships, the military conspicuously taking no preventive<br>
action, but rather allowing the mob to assemble in the<br>
forbidden area behind the road-blocks, was carefully<br>
synchronised with ASEAN Secretary-General Ajit Singh's visit<br>
to Rangoon. The purpose was clearly to cause ASEAN maximum<br>
embarrassment, and thus help reduce Burma's chances of entry.<br>
The attack was also designed to trigger the US sanctions on<br>
Burma, which are conditional on an attack against Aung San Suu<br>
Kyi and/or the Burmese Democracy Movement. The brilliance of<br>
the timing can also be seen in light of the forthcoming APEC<br>
meeting in Manila on 25 November, followed by a top-level<br>
ASEAN meeting. By this and other actions, DSIF has ensured<br>
that Burma will be high on the agenda.<br>
<br>
DSIF has been very active this year, with the superbly<br>
orchestrated arrest of 250 NLD supporters in May, as they were<br>
on their way to a meeting at Aung San Suu Kyi's house, and the<br>
September arrest of another 800, including NLD Deputy Chairman<br>
U Kyi Maung. It was these events, together with certain<br>
economic factors for which DSIF may justly claim some<br>
responsibility, which provoked the split in ASEAN regarding<br>
Burma's readiness for membership. Previous coups include the<br>
attack on Karen positions in Saw Hta in 1992, one day after<br>
Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw had announced to the UN General<br>
Assembly that SLORC had declared a unilateral cease-fire with<br>
the Karen National Union. Another had the same Ohn Gyaw, who<br>
is frequently involved in DSIF operations, saying that Burma<br>
has no human rights problems, precisely one day after the<br>
SLORC attack on Halockhani on 21 July 1994. SLORC's failure to<br>
pay its oil bill to Mitsui, a company considering massive<br>
investments in Burma, is another achievement which may be<br>
credited to DSIF.<br>
<br>
Would anyone be interested in producing a little book<br>
recounting the exploits of DSIF - or perhaps a regular column<br>
on reg.burma and soc.cult.burma - or why not both?&nbsp; Readers<br>
are invited to post their favourite examples. Another exercise<br>
would be to guess what the next one will be -- perhaps a major<br>
attack on the KNU (to encourage the peace process) with<br>
massive refugee flows carefully timed to coincide with the UN<br>
General Assembly resolution on Burma. <br>
<br>
David Arnott, Geneva, 9 November 1996<br>
<br>
*************************<br>
<br>
DSIF TRIUMPHS IN GENEVA<br>
<br>
(analysis by Burma Peace Foundation)<br>
<br>
<br>
DSIF STRATEGY<br>
<br>
Since Burma joined ASEAN last year, the junta's most effective
institution, its Department of Shooting Itself in the Foot (DSIF) has
stepped up its vigorous and successful campaign to alienate the
neighbours, increase Burma's status as a pariah State and thus its
international isolation (I leave it to the professionals to undertake the
psycho-political analysis of these events, but I would not be surprised
if they were to find a high degree of institutional sado-masochism at
play(1)).&nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
<br>
Means employed include the renewed cross-border attacks into Thailand by
the DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, a militia aligned with the
ruling State Peace and Development Council - SPDC - as the Burmese junta
now calls itself). These attacks are specifically designed to embarrass
Thailand's military and political leaders. Another DSIF ploy has been to
unilaterally block cross-border trade, causing economic damage to China
and Thailand. Other successes have been the continuation of massive
exports of heroin and AIDS and the continued flow of refugees into
neighbouring countries. In an effort to further irritate the
international community, the DSIF has continued to refuse access by the
UN's Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, and continues its harassment of the
NLD (National League for Democracy the party that won a landslide victory
in the 1990 elections and is still waiting for the junta to transfer
power), including the recent sentencing of elected NLD representative Daw
San San to 25 years imprisonment for being interviewed by the
international media. Other tactics have been atrocities against the
ethnic minorities, including the massive forced relocations in Shan State
and a degree of forced labour which has caused the ILO (International
Labour Organisation) to activate its most severe measure, a
quasi-judicial Commission of Inquiry on Forced Labour in Myanmar (only
the tenth since the ILO was founded in 1919). The Commission of Inquiry
is expected to report in July or August.&nbsp; <br>
<br>
26 Apri;l 1998<br>
_____________________<br>
<br>
(1) On the other hand, as a short footnote, I should add that it is
possible to see DSIF's achievements as rational. For instance, the
reluctance of the junta to abandon its grip on the rickety State Economic
Enterprises and the priority it gives to military control over virtually
everything, including rice farming, education and the sending of faxes,
are factors in destabilising the economy and discouraging international
aid or investment which far outweigh any economic sanctions imposed or
contemplated. To those sceptics who would stress the irrationality of
such a policy, I would point out that keeping the country poor, isolated
and fragmented makes perfect sense once one accepts the premise that this
is the only situation in which the junta can continue to stay in power,
and that staying in power is the point. DSIF, far from being an
aberration, is thus pursuing the central policy goals of the Burmese
leadership. Some people might even see this approach as a heroic
resistance to globalisation and the grip of transnational corporations.
Let us not forget that shooting oneself in the foot has the personally
rational goal of avoiding worse injuries or death in battle. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>Internet ProLink PC User</div>
</html>

--=====================_95638596==_.ALT--