Kawthoolei state flag flying over Kser Nay Lay, highest Peak commanding whole Metawaw Areas. President Gen. Bo Mya (front) with DAB Central Committee Members. KNU BULLETIN No. 18 DECEMBER 1988 2 DECEMBER 1988 KNU BULLETIN No. 18 EDITORIAL STEP UP THE STRUGGLE WITH UNITY Due to the general strike of millions led 1. the conjunction of armed resistance by students in September, the BSPP (NUP) and mass movement, government became powerless to maintain 2. the coalition of national liberation law and order. With the hope of reversing movement and the movement for democracy the situation and re-establishing their react­ and ionary rule, however, the BSPP (NUP) lead­ 3. the understanding by foreign powers ers led by U Ne Win himself, secretly formed of the true situation and importance of armed 'Anti-Demonstration Committee' and spent liberation movements of the oppressed peo­ much effort in carrying-out, step by step and ple and nationalities. systematically, their wicked plan. The successive governments prior to Firstly, the BSPP (NUP) hardcore Saw Maung military regime also were in fear thugs inflitrated the demonstrations sowing of these three developments. Accordingly dissension andd engaging in wanton violence they made their utmost effort, employing so as to paint the dis-ciplined and orderly various wicked and brutal means to suppress movement for democracy as an activity of them. Similarly, in the two months period unruly mob without any political objective. since it came to power, Saw Maung military Secondly, Ne win and Sein Lwin ordered government has directed its energy mainly Saw Maung to take over power on Septem­ towards the prevention of these three things ber 18 and impose martial law. Saw Maung from occuring. troops attacked strike bases in ruthless sup­ Because of the coming over of thousands pression of demonstrators, spilling the blood of students and people from all walks of life of thounsands of the innocents. to the reevolutionary areas to take up arms, Thirdly, Saw Maung military govern­ the wicked plan of Saw Maung military gov­ ment issued order banning the participation ernment to create discord between the revolu­ of civil servants in demonstrations and politi­ tionary students and the armed revolutionary cal activities. Then, starting from the last forces, through its wily unscrupulous slanders, week of September up to the present, Saw has been wrecked to a certain extent. How­ Maung troops have combed every area in ever, it is vital for the revolutionary students, towns and cities, arresting, torturing and kill­ people and national liberation organizations ing student and strike leaders in order to break to go on maintaining the revolutionary spirit the back of the movement for democracy. and conciousness high, and to be always alert Fourthly, the military regime resorted to the nefarious tricks employed by the enemy to the deception of dangling the possibility to break up their unity. of democratic election, without seriously During the 40 years rule of successive making democratic changes. Another decep­ anti-democratic government, the students, tion was the declaration of amnesty for student people and revolutionary forces in Burma and civilians who, by the thousands, had gone have been subjected to tests in the areas of underground after September 18. military, politics and unity. They are under­ Then it made fervent efforts to sow dissension going the tests at the present as well. It is of and mistrust between the students and the prime importance for all the revolutionary revolutionary organization. forces in Burma to bear these tests with At this stage, there are three things Saw equanimity, build up internal unity and step Maung military regime and its mentors, Ne up their struggle in order to clinch the final Win and Sein Lwin, fear most. They are .- victory in due time. KNU BULLETIN No. 18 DECEMBER 1988 3 AUTOPSY ON WHAT IS LEFT OF THE BSPP (NUP) REGIME. Burma has ample space with fertile and the above factors, the economic progress will arable lands for agriculture. There also exist not only be smooth but also will tend to be generous quantities of minerals and precious quick and rapid. gems deposited in the hills and over the plains The second essential point is the ability of the country. During the feudal and the to fully utilize the country's local investments. colonial days the country stood shoulder to The full utilization of the country's capital shoulder in stutus with other eastern countries investments', in accordance with the meaning in aspects of prosperous economic and social of this economic term and phrasing indicates standards. In view of the above factors, a different meaning from private enterprise analyses were conducted and considerations or unrestricted LAISSEZ FARE (Free enter­ and studies are being made over the rapid prise). This system forms only a part and economic progress and its possibilities that not the whole of (full utilization of the coun­ are involved. A general study basically indi­ try's investment) cates that this country possesses a viability The third essential factor is full utiliza­ and a very easy access toward economic tion of foreign investments. Economically growth and general prosperity. It is obvious speaking, foreign investments, foreign mone­ that Burma stands in a good position to tary loans and foreign assistance could not become a country with an affluent society. necessarily be taken as adequacy or sucess. It is apparently therefore quite ambiguous The fates of Latin American countries who and most interesting to find out the true could not repay their loans and rendered in­ reasons why such a promising state, after its solent should be the evidence one should forty years of independence had deteriorated keep in mind. and had economically fallen into the shameful The fourth necessity is stability of level or status of the world's poorest countries. monetary exchange values and the promotion It is fitting and proper now, for researchers of loans and savings within efficient banking who have the welfare of the world's commu­ systems. In the absence of the above, and nities at heart, to make careful analyses with with the instability of the local currency values, powerful microscopes, so to speak, on the the country's economic progress will not be whole situation of Burma under the BSPP an easy matter. The incessant demonetizing (NUP) Regime, in order to obtain all the pre­ of the local currency by the BSPP (NUP) cise and minute details of the true (Cause government in particular, is grossly detri­ and Effect). mental to monetary stability in value, the ef­ The economic progress and its feasibility fectiveness of national investment causing for a country cannot be rightfully determined the general economic functioning to suffer a by only a single cause or factor. There exists notable set back and degradation. involvement of multifarious factors for such The fifth necessary factor lies in the full verdict. The following number of factors use of the country's workforce or labour should be included as yardsticks to calculate power. In advanced and modern states, or measure accurately:- departments of labour utilization and control The first factor necessitates, adequacy are set up. These establishments undertake of arable lands and a fair quantity of mineral to study and obtain datas pertaining to the deposits. There must be enough land to pro­ strength and allocations of labour force. duce food supplies and raw materials for in­ Research works are carried not to fulfill this dustries. For the heavy industries, a fair objective. This undertaking is one of the quantity of mineral oil and other mineral most important endeavours to promote na­ deposits are essential. With the presence of tional economic progress. 4 DECEMBER 1988 KNU BULLETIN No. 18 The sixth point calls for stable .and The BSPP (NUP) Regime had for 26 lucrative foreign and local markets in proxi­ whole years prolonged and accelerated the mity with a substantial demand for local pro­ civil war. They were seeking gains through duction or goods and produce. If such con­ military exploitation. Their top brass grow ditions do not exist, again, the national econo­ rich at the expense of civil war. Instead of mic progress will be far from expectations. stabilizing the political situation they them­ Point seven is to adopt and practise the selves resort to instigations for the political principle of free trade and to legalize and instability in the country. The loansand aids promote cross-border trading activities. The from foreign lands are being misappropriated black market trade in fact do not help pro­ and squandered away privately by them. The mote the national economy. It is, on the labour force of the country received bad contrary diametrically, the epposite of what managements rendering the efficiency and ought to be and it is but fair and proper for incentive of the workers to diminish and to us to be aware of this fact. be decreased. They are holding a limitless The final essential factor is peace and power monopoly. They are power addicts tranquillity in the land. There stands nothing hopelessly drunken with unqualified authority. as evidence to prove that in a land where Taking an overall view on the problems, there is political unrest, national economy one fact will surely be revealed. To describe still gain growth and progress. This primarily in brief, it is not the lack of expertise in trade is the most basic factor. and economics that causes problematic issues. The extent of progress for national To find a solution in this aspect will be of no economy for any country can be comparatively benefit. The economic disaster must be viewed measured with the seven points mentioned together with the political instability in the above.