Anti-Fascist Revolution Day - March 27

Saturday, 27 March 2010 15:03 Myint Maung

Po Than Jaung, spokesperson of Communist Party of Burma (Interview)

Q: The Burmese military regime will hold the Anti-Fascist Revolution Day as Armed Forces Day (March 27). How will CPB respond?

A: Everybody knows 27 March is Anti-Fascist Revolution Day but successive military regimes have robbed this day from the people and celebrated it as their Armed Forces Day since the time of Bo Ne Win. In fact, today’s Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) is quite different from the Tatmadaw founded by Bogyoke (General) Aung San, which fought against Japanese fascists. The current generation of soldiers is also quite different from the generation of that time. The current generation has totally abandoned the fine traditions of the past.

I’d like to say celebrating anti-fascist revolution day as their Armed Forces day by hijacking this sacred revolution of the entire people and honouring the present Armed Forces, which is killing and persecuting the people is, in fact, insulting the entire people. Similarly the BSPP regime and current SPDC regime has distorted many other histories. One day we must upturn all these lies and rectify the wrong facts and histories.

Q: What is their objective in celebrating this day as ‘Armed Forces Day’?

A: Their objective is to rob the revolution day, highly valued by the people, for honouring their undignified mercenary army, dacoit army.

Q: What are the differences of the earlier objectives in founding the Army and current objectives of the Army?

A: The former Army was to save the people from the yoke of fascist imperialist by driving them out of our country and to annihilate them if necessary. The current objective is opposite of that. The current army is not fighting against the fascist imperialist but they are fighting against their own people. They are persecuting their own people. In the past, the entire people stood firmly behind then Army. Now there are no people standing behind them. This Army is dividing the people, destroying the unity of the people.

Q: How did the seizure of State power by Army take place? Please tell us the political background?

A: When civil war broke out, the Socialists and the military clique led by Bo Ne Win in the Army expelled the communists from the ‘Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League’ (AFPFL) and cornered them into going underground by intensifying the civil war like the situation of the students of current generation who had to go underground and to go to the countryside for armed struggle. In the civil war, the battle field was among the people and this people became cannon-fodder. They started suppressing the people too. In this way, the socialist "gang" was getting stronger gradually in the AFPFL government. Other factions in this AFPFL government could not compete with this armed gang. Then this military clique became stronger and stronger day by day and finally they seized power by military coup in 1958 for the first time. Since then, they tasted the State power and realized the sweetness of it. But they handed over State Power to the then elected civilian government in 1960. Not long after that, within 1 to 2 years, they seized State power again in 1962 and had held it until today. Since then, they have adopted the policy of enjoying the best financial resources and all natural resources of State by themselves and dividing among themselves.

Q: In the international arena, the armed forces are only for the defence and security of the State. In this outlook, is the situation in Burma consistent with this policy?

A: The Armed Forces which are holding arms should stay away from the political institution and political infrastructure. Every country will be in trouble when these two institutions are mixed up and especially the people will suffer. We can see such a situation in some countries but they did not last too long. It was short lived. Only in Burma, holding of State power by Army lasted nearly half a century. Next year, our country will have been in the hands of Army for half a century. It should not be like that. It will endanger our country, our people and even our neighbours.

Q: Many say that the 2008 State Constitution and electoral laws are specifically designed to prolong and perpetuate regime power? How do you view it?

A: Yes, it’s true. The election will give legitimacy to the Army’s seizure of power and holding it. They do it to perpetuate their power to the ages of their descendents and even forever if possible. They have been doing it in a well planned manner since the times of Bo Khin Nyunt with their roadmap for a long time, nearly 20 years. They took this step with full self-confidence. They are not weakened and they are not stepping backward. They are taking the final step after full preparation. They are trying to castrate the political lives of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD) party. They did this well planned work by hoping that after castrating these two, all the movements and struggles of people will be castrated too.

Q: What would you like to say to the generals in the Army on the strength and weaknesses of the Armed Forces?

A: I’d like to say to the generals in the Army, especially to those who are sincere and love the people that our country has severely deteriorated as they can see and as they know. Moreover our country is not only in abject poverty but also losing her virtue and dignity. The culprit is totally the Armed Forces (Tatmadaw). I’d like to request them to try their best to change the current situation.

Q: What would CPB like to say to the people in Burma?

A: Now we have reached a crucial point. The SPDC regime has started launching political offensives against the people. To counter this, we cannot do only by one organization and by one individual. All the political forces and entire people must resist it by unity and solidarity among us. If we are submissive to their offensive this time, we will be defeated and it will take a long time to resurrect. For this reason, I think, we need a unified, broad and consolidated ‘united front’ for bringing all political forces together to counter their offensive.