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“Everything you do, everything you say, every choice you make, sooner or later comes back around.” Anonymous.

This is exactly what is happening with the racist Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s so called elected “democratic leader”.

Let me recall the early days of my childhood, specifically in the year of 1988 (8888 uprising)[i] when thousands of students and young people representing all ethnic and racial backgrounds including minority communities in the country held a mass demonstration rejecting the tyrannical military rule in Burma. The demonstration also demanded and showed support for civilian democratic government voice, led by – at that time, the iconic heroine, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (the daughter of the country’s first leader after independence) and her party National League for Democracy (NLD).

Like everyone else, the Rohingya students and youths also participated remarkably in the struggle with the rest of the student movements in support of the voice for democracy by this iconic face of the time.

In that incident, many innocent lives were lost and thousands of bright blooming minds faced with lifetime jail while many others were fled to self-exile.

I recall in my memories how even young kids – those of primary school children, took part in this national cause to join with all concerned members of the society, who feared that the country has been turned into hell and prison by the military junta and their barbaric gangsterism.

Daw Suu Kyi’s and her party’s call and demands of the time can be summarized as follows:[ii]

1-To establish a firmly united “Union” with equal rights for all ethnic nationalities who cherish democracy, to be liberated from the bitter experience of the past.

2- Equal rights must be enjoyed by all ethnic nationalities, ends all forms of discrimination and human rights violations based on ethnicity and religious backgrounds, and restore and revoke all amendments imposed in the constitution.

3-All ethnic nationalities have the right to maintain and develop their languages, literature, culture, and traditions.

4- Restoring political and economic stability, rules of justice that protect the rights of all members of society.

5- To adopt independent foreign policy in international relations. They must have policies of non-aggression, non-intervention, equality, mutual benefits and peaceful co-existence, which are the Five Points Principle of the Peaceful Co-existence of States laid down at the Bandung Conference.

6- Exercise the sharing of power with fairness and transparency on basis of democratic sprit.

7- To build a successful Union of Burma in the midst of the family of nations, having sovereignty and territorial integrity and equality among nations.  The people must be prosperous and free from danger and fear, in accordance with their aspirations.

8- The constitution shall distinctly guarantee basic human rights.  Laws shall be adopted allowing one to sue any person for violating human rights under the constitution or specified act.

Through these harmonious calls and demands which inclined towards ideas and policies of the western power in the region, Aung San Suu Kyi was able to gain the attention of the world and regional powers, has won the support of marginalized sectors internally, and has become the beacon of hope of the “hopeless” members of the community within the country.

On her journey in search for power and realization of the dreamed call and demands, she had to go through hardship, afflictions, and trials, which led to her imprisonment and then to the imposition of house arrest to not only her, but also to her supporters from all categories. They all went through severe oppression and punishments by the bloody-minded military Junta. During that time, the nation lost numerous precious figures such as intellectuals and highly regarded personalities as they were all killed in prison.

Political tension and unrest continued among the military tyranny and the human rights and democratic activist rule under the leadership of Suu Kyi from 1990 to 2011.

During these periods, she was able to present herself as an icon of hope, the saviour and relief to extricate the country from the spiral of underdevelopment, chaos, economy crisis, disconnection from the outside world, caused by the military government of the time.[iii]

On the other hand, while the western sanctions and boycotts were imposed on government-linked personalities and companies, the Junta realized that there was no escape for them without finding a way out that guarantees an easy exit, wipe their dirty hands and ensure there is no trial for the crimes committed against humanity by their leaders and forces.  They managed to lure this lady under the new banner of partnership or power sharing strategies, and for the first time she gave new life to an almost dying brutal bloody chapter in the history of Burma.[iv]

Soon she fell into the greed-pit of power and influenced by her new surroundings, overlooked the struggle she used to stand for and tarnished the promises she made to her sincere supporters.
She shocked even the international and regional world whom had supported her journey to her power.

Her true face of bigotry and hateful racist towards the country’s other ethnic background appeared, instantly dismissed all 30 years of struggle and efforts made for the betterment of the country and the people.

The military tyrant found what they want in her, she began singing their songs, defending their crimes in the world stage, rebranded her speeches and statements  and super excelled in finding new terminology that serve her interests and partnership with criminals, doing all that pleased her newly-wedded criminal gangs, until some outside worlds were forced to withdraw their support at the official and public level, revoked prizes that they honoured her,[v] even some officials extended apology to the minority member of the Myanmar community because her irresponsible actions toward human rights violations during her presence in office.

Actually, she not only exposed her hypocritical behavior, she also exposed her stupidity in national and international  politics, short-sighted at the consequences of end game.

Let us summarize some of the most prominent things this woman did during her period in power and let us proof her false democratic dream.

1- For the first time in the country’s history since independence, citizens of other ethnic and minority groups were banned from participating in the elections which is unprecedented even under Neon rules.[vi]

2- For the first time since the independence, the country witnessed most cases of bloodshed, rapes, sectarian unrest and political oppression on the basis of race, ethnicity and mass killings and displacement.[vii]

3- For the first time since the independence, the free voices were systematically turned off, even among those close to her, such as the murder of a prominent Muslim lawyer from her own party.[viii]

4- For the first time since the country’s independence, extremist religious Buddhist terrorists were allowed and supported to lead organized attacks against other ethnic groups by using state facilities.[ix]

5- For the first time, the country’s highest and executive leader refused to mention and call a minority group with their ancient historic name.[x]

If the civilized world today can agree and accept these inhuman attitudes and violations against human rights and humanity, then definitely the divine laws of the Creator does not change.

Let her taste the bitterness of a drink she prepared with her own hands.

Suu Kyi from democratic icon to state counselor to state prisoner,

“All those who has inflicted harm in one way or another, The Divine will arrange for them a similar position in harm and feeling.”

Abu Ahmed farid

Rohingya Activist

* This represents the writer’s own opinion only it doesn’t necessarily reflect organizational stance.*

[i] https://time.com/5360637/myanmar-8888-uprising-30-anniversary-democracy

[ii] www.burmalibrary.org, NLD Manifesto 1989

[iii] The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991

[iv] www.jstor.org, National Reconciliation In Myanmar

[v] Amnesty International is stripping Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour

[vi] www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31421179

[vii] Human right watch

[viii] Murder of Koni in 2017

[ix] Sate sponsored unrest 2017-2018 by Buddhist monks

[x] www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/13/icj-speech-suu-kyi-fails-to-use-rohingya-to-describe-minority

In,

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