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The SLORC/SPDC Version of National



Subject: The SLORC/SPDC Version of National Identity

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The SLORC/SPDC Version of National Identity

By: Sai Wansai

The views of successive Burmese governments, including the present =
regime, SLORC/SPDC, concerning national identity have never been clear. =
They have been at a loss even as to what sort of name they should adopt; =
that is the reason why they  are  still using  "Bamar"  and  "Myanmar" =
interchangeably for what they would like to be termed a common =
collective identity, in other words, national identity. The reality is =
that when one mentions "Myanmar", "Bamar", "Burmese" or "Burman", such =
words are usually identified with the lowland majority "Bamar"and have =
never been accepted or understood by the non-Bamar ethnic nationals as a =
common collective identity to which they also belong.

Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime has changed the name of Burma to =
Myanmar. Its aim is to create a national identity for every ethnic group =
residing within the boundary of the so-called Union of Myanmar. But =
since the name Myanmar has always been identified with the lowland =
"Bamar", the SLORC/SPDC effort is only doomed to fail in trying to =
establish a common national identity among the non=AD-Bamar ethnic =
nationals. On top of that, this national identity was not chosen with =
the consent of the non-Bamar ethnic groups, but cocercively thrusted =
down their throats by the hated Burmese military
dictatorship.

This writer has never heard anyone mentioning that he or she is a Bamar =
Myanmar, Shan Myanmar, Kachin Myanmar, Karen Myanmar and so on. In the =
United States, by contrast, it is normal that one considers or accepts =
oneself as an American, Chinese America, Japanese American, =
Afro-Americin and so on. The point this writer is trying to make here is =
that the successive Burmese governments' nation-building process has =
totally shattered which failed to take root after all these years. The =
armed resistance of almost all the non-Bamar ethnic groups is a stark =
reminder and living evidence of this failure. The ceasefire deals which =
have been arranged with some of the resistance armies are also not a =
solution. They have, as noted by Bertil Lintner, simply frozen the =
ethnic conflict for the time being. They have failed to solve the =
underlying political problems and grievances.

The hard reality is that the denial of the right to self-determination =
is the crux of all the problems encompassing Burma today. All along the =
Burmese military has been implementing its own version of =
"nation-building" without tolerence to the notion of "Unity in =
Diversity". Its "win - lose" oriented conflict resolution has not =
produce positive result during the last five decades and it won't =
possibily do for the future. It is astonishing that the ruling military =
clique has not given a thought to embrace the approach of "win -win" =
outcome to manage the conflict.

The rebuilding of the shattered Union will need a political dialogue =
where comprehensive issues will be addressed and discussed in a sincere =
and open manner by all ethnic groups on an equal footing. Only then will =
we fighting chance of ever establishing a "national identity" in a true =
sense, embraced by all ethnic groups, Bamar included.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D4><STRONG><U>The SLORC/SPDC Version of National=20
Identity</U></STRONG></FONT>
<DIV align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><STRONG>By: Sai Wansai</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The views of successive Burmese governments, =
including the=20
present regime, SLORC/SPDC,&nbsp;concerning national identity have never =
been=20
clear. They have been at a loss even as to what sort of name they should =
adopt;=20
that is the reason why they&nbsp; are&nbsp; still using&nbsp; =
"Bamar"&nbsp;=20
and&nbsp; "Myanmar" interchangeably for what they would like to be =
termed a=20
common collective identity, in other words, national identity. The =
reality is=20
that when one mentions "Myanmar", "Bamar", "Burmese" or "Burman", such =
words are=20
usually identified with the lowland majority "Bamar"and have never been =
accepted=20
or understood by the non-Bamar ethnic nationals as a common collective =
identity=20
to which they also belong.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Meanwhile, the&nbsp;Burmese military regime has =
changed the=20
name of Burma to Myanmar. Its aim is to create a national identity for =
every=20
ethnic group residing within the boundary of the so-called Union of =
Myanmar. But=20
since the name Myanmar has always been identified with the lowland =
"Bamar", the=20
SLORC/SPDC effort is only doomed to fail in trying to establish a common =

national identity among the non&shy;-Bamar ethnic nationals. On top of =
that,=20
this national identity was not chosen with the consent of the non-Bamar =
ethnic=20
groups, but cocercively thrusted down their throats by the hated Burmese =

military<BR>dictatorship.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>This writer has never heard anyone mentioning =
that he or=20
she is a Bamar Myanmar, Shan Myanmar, Kachin Myanmar, Karen Myanmar and =
so on.=20
In the United States, by contrast, it is normal that one considers or =
accepts=20
oneself as an American, Chinese America, Japanese American, =
Afro-Americin and so=20
on. The point this writer is trying to make here is that the successive =
Burmese=20
governments' nation-building process has totally shattered which failed =
to take=20
root after all these years. The armed resistance of almost all the =
non-Bamar=20
ethnic groups is a stark reminder and living evidence of this failure. =
The=20
ceasefire deals which have been arranged with some of the resistance =
armies are=20
also not a solution. They have, as noted by Bertil Lintner, simply =
frozen the=20
ethnic conflict for the time being. They have failed to solve the =
underlying=20
political problems and grievances.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The hard reality is that the denial of the right to =

self-determination is the crux of all the problems encompassing Burma =
today. All=20
along the Burmese military has been implementing its own version of=20
"nation-building" without tolerence to the notion of "Unity in =
Diversity". Its=20
"win - lose" oriented conflict resolution has not produce positive =
result during=20
the last five decades and it won't possibily do for the future. It is=20
astonishing that the ruling military clique has not given a thought to =
embrace=20
the approach of "win -win" outcome to manage the conflict.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><BR>The rebuilding of the shattered Union will need =
a=20
political dialogue where comprehensive issues will be addressed and =
discussed in=20
a sincere and open manner by all ethnic groups on an equal footing. Only =
then=20
will we fighting chance of ever establishing a "national identity" in a =
true=20
sense, embraced by all ethnic groups, Bamar included.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</DIV>
<HR>
</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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