သန္းေရႊသို ့အိပ္ဖြင့္ေပးစာ ( ဦးရာဇတ္၏ သား) ထံမွ

OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR GENERAL THAN SHWE
Commander-in-Chief, Defence Services, Myanmar
July 13, 2009
Dear General Than Shwe,
After the resignation of General Ne Win as head of his government as well as of the Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP), and the take-over of the military dictatorship by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in early 1989, not only has the country been ruled with a ruthlessness unknown in Burmese history, but Burma has been made into a racist State.

Among the first demonstrations of this fact was the wholesale removal of my father, Mr. M. A. U Razak's, photographs and name from all the history books and other publications that have been made available to the Burmese people. As a close personal friend and colleague of General Aung San in the fight for Burma=s independence, with an unblemished record of service and devotion to the country, he had even earned the respect of General Ne Win.

Over the past several years this racism has been manifested by the excessive persecution of all the religious minorities; and the destruction of mosques and churches, and the desecration of their religious books and cemeteries.

You and your people have recently seen the wonderful display in the country of my adoption, of the election of a person of mixed ethnic descent to the most honored position of President of the United States of America. This is the clearest demonstration of the strength of a free society, which provides the climate where historical prejudices and injustices can be overcome; and where respect for the rule of law, and human freedoms are valued; and where equal rights and freedom of opportunity provides the environment in which anyone can achieve his ultimate dream, provided he works hard and with integrity to achieve it. This, sadly, is not the situation in Burma today, even though just over four decades back, Burma was such a place; and it was a country from which no one wanted to emigrate even to the United States, or anywhere else!

Now another calumny is being perpetrated by your people by the patently absurd charges brought against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of the father of the nation, because someone almost literally broke into her home, while the security detail placed around her home by your government was asleep. But instead of the guards around her home being punished for their incompetence, she is being charged and tried, for reasons which are known to you, namely, to keep her locked up so that she does not pose a threat to the sham elections you are planning for 2010. Please take note that the world knows what the truth is; and eventually you will be accountable for any harm that may come to her.

The peoples= uprising of 1988, led at great personal cost by thousands of students, and participated in with great conviction by the masses of ordinary citizens, instead of demonstrating to the military leadership the genuine desire of the Burmese people for the individual freedoms inherent in a democratic society, was seen as a threat to their existence. The brutality with which the uprising was put down is known to the world and to your junta. The word Ademocracy@ has become a dirty word in your vocabulary; and it is considered by you as being antithetical to the Burmese people, when in fact it is very much a part of the Buddhist teachings; and imbued in its practices.

I have wondered for some time now, whether, even though you are the most powerful man in Burma today, you are aware of what really goes on inside the country, as you have no contact with the people, and the sycophants around you dare not tell you the truth. I have also wondered whether you realize that instead of creating a Socialist paradise, you have really built a great big prison, from which all who can are escaping. The greatest shame is that you have converted the loyal armed forces of Burma, created and given pride of place by General Aung San, into a band of thugs, butchers and prison guards. An army that was once loved and cherished, is now despised and hated. Burma is perhaps the only country in the world where there is not one iota of affection for the members of the armed forces!

But the most important thing that you must think and ponder over is that, soon your life on this earth will end. Like others before you, and each according to his own belief, you will pass on to another existence. As a Buddhist, have you ever wondered whether you have accumulated enough merit not to return as a dog? All the individuals, all the families, all the children and students, all the old people who have been in so many, many ways harmed by your actions and policies, will be your moral responsibility. Are you also confident that history will be kind to you? You know what happened to General Ne Win after his death. He was buried in the dead of night, and with no military honors. Is that how you wish to go? Of course you will certainly leave a name behind; but of what kind? Would you like to be remembered like Hitler, or perhaps Idi Amin, or Stalin, or even Tojo? Would it not be nice if future generations of Burmese could think of you as a Gandhi, or Nehru, or even a Moses B a man who delivered his people from bondage? Would it not be good to be remembered as a man who led his army to free his people, as in the 1940s, rather than to enslave them, as in the 1960s?

And what of the sufferings of our ethnic brethren and other minorities? Is this also not their native land? Should they not be permitted to live with honor and respect, cherishing their own culture and religious heritage? People have come to the United States of America from all over the world. They come to live in freedom, with absolute equality under the laws; and with respect for each others varied traditions and beliefs. The United States has shown that the human individual can achieve his full potential only in a free environment, which provides equal opportunity for all its citizens. The proof of this can be seen in the success and achievement of the young Burmese immigrant community in the U.S. There is absolutely no reason why Burma cannot be a similarly successful country, where its people can develop fully to their God given potential, if given this opportunity. A fact already shown in the first two decades after independence.

The recent happenings in Burma, where even the honored and respected Buddhist monks were brutalized by your armed forces, should make you think seriously of the present situation; and what lies ahead if you do nothing. The people are unhappy and in deep distress. They are dissatisfied and frustrated with the prevailing conditions, and lack of personal freedoms; and the state of constant fear in which they live. This is a generation who were born after the military coup of 1962, who do not know what democratic freedoms are, and what democracy really means. Yet there is a yearning in their hearts for a society free from fear, with freedom to choose their own destinies; and to again bring back honor to their country. No amount of suppression, no matter how ruthless, can stop this yearning. In the long run they will win!

So, there is still time, dear General. Please give this serious thought. Will you have the courage and strength of character to change this despicable state? Or are you going to prove that in the end you were really a coward and a bully, who was too weak to lead his nation to prosperity; and in the end became the Chief Jailor of a nation of beggars?

Sincerely,
Bilal M. Razak
Son of U Razak of Burma
7401 Westlake Terrace, Apt. 1601
Bethesda, MD 20817-6533
tinraschid@igc.org

Note: This is a personal letter.
However, the author is President of the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB); as well as the Burma Muslim Association.