Spoilt regime can damage whole country: Burmese monk living outside Burma

We Burmese celebrated January 4 as the 60th anniversary of country’s independence from United Kingdom. However, the question is haunting our minds that are we really free citizens? The military rule has brought the country to violence, poverty and huge displacement of its own people. The military rule is still holding the control governance since last 46 years.

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In Burma, military controls the economy, political process, social mobility or life of common people as well. Military is a state within the state. More than one million Burmese have had no other option but to leave their own country to save their lives from poverty and persecution. Several small Burmese town located near the border areas have no water and electricity. They cross the Moei River almost daily to get foods from other side of the river.

However, Burmese, who are living in other countries, are still uncertain about their future. They live under the constant threat to be sent back to Burma at any point of time. The area falling in western border of Burma and Thailand are home to more than 140,000 Burmese refugees and several of them are living here since past 20 years. We monks are scared that if they returned to their own country they would be sent to the prison and disrobed.

I was taking care of Rangoon monastery and one day I decided to join the pro-democracy protests going on against the military rule in the country. When the military junta started the crackdown, I had no option but to flee from my own country to a neighboring country. Our pro-democratic movements were short-lived. The military ruler sent the troops to restrict the demonstration at any cost and the troops killed more than 100 people in traumatic repression.

“We monks are pillar of the beliefs in Burmese society but the rulers spread the trauma and shock among us. It will take a long time to heal.”

In earlier days, Burma was said to be the rice basket of Asia. The country has great natural resources but the military rulers exploited the resources and did nothing for the development of the country. Democracy was always in danger even just after independence and the military finally took control over the country in 1962.

Military junta unofficially declared world media as their enemy No. one. The rulers are trying to restrict even the use of Internet. The government has drafted draconian rules and regulations and switched off Internet and cable connections in several parts of the country. It also hiked the license fees of satellite dishes to stop people watching international news channels.

The 400,000-strong army is terrorizing its own citizens and thoughtlessly spoiling and damaging its own natural resources. As a Burmese citizen living outside of the country, I want to say one thing that the spoilt child may break toys and dolls and hurt family members for a certain time period but a spoilt regime may damage the whole country and its future generations.