{"id":334,"date":"2011-02-27T05:15:21","date_gmt":"2011-02-27T05:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moemaka.org\/wp\/?p=334"},"modified":"2011-02-27T05:15:21","modified_gmt":"2011-02-27T05:15:21","slug":"union-day-of-burma-in-different-perspectives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moemaka.net\/eng\/2011\/02\/union-day-of-burma-in-different-perspectives\/","title":{"rendered":"Union Day of Burma in Different Perspectives"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThey are preparing for security at tomorrow\u2019s Union Day ceremony. They fear that bombs might be planted there. I think nobody would be interested in the event\u201d, said a passenger sitting next to me. Meanwhile, a blue police double-cab passed ours and we saw two police holding their guns and sitting in the back seats of van.<\/span><\/p>\n

That travelling companion gave a smile to those police on the car while he kept talking to me that \u201cThe people don\u2019t hate them [soldiers and the police] but they hate the system. The junta treats its own people as enemy. We realize that the security forces are, to some extent, needed for safeguarding us.\u201d Then, he added that he wants to know the police men\u2019s response. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before tomorrow\u2019s ceremony, the government positioned soldiers and the police to secure the whole surrounding area of people\u2019s square planned site for the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Union Day of the Union of Burma is deeply concerned with every ethnic nationalities which we generally called Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Myanmar and Shan. It, however, is greatly regretful for all nationalities of Burma that their own country has the longest civil war in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Union Day of NLD<\/span><\/p>\n

It was seen that the banner reading \u201cthe 64<\/span>th<\/span> anniversary of Union Day of National League for Democracy\u201d had been hung in front of NLD\u2019s headquarter. On the other side of the road, hanging a bag over his shoulder, a plain-clothed man from SB (Bureau of Special Investigation), with a good camera, was taking photos of those came to the headquarter one after another.<\/span><\/p>\n

Except for him, other SB staffers stood their motorcycles nearby and were leisurely sitting in the tea shop. Also, some people were already gathering about in groups outside the office. At the moment, a group of youths wearing Karen costumes were coming out from the head office. Their appearances look free and lively. There were also some people who might not be members of NLD including a group of youths among the onlookers.<\/span><\/p>\n

At that time, in Myanmar longyis and white short sleeved shirts and with popular haircuts called \u201cImo\u201d, several young men wearing brooches with a portrait of Daw Suu as ear studs and two spike bracelets in their hands just arrived there. The view of different types of youths attending the ceremony brought Union Day more alive.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his speech, U Tin Oo, the Vice-chairman of NLD, said that national unity and union spirit have been achieved by the visionary efforts of Burma independence father Bogyoke Aung San and the great leaders of ethnic nationalities. <\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s event, U Tin Oo delivered a speech about the essence of Union spirit. After U Tin Oo and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had made their speeches on Union Day, a representative of ethnic groups talked about union spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is seen that dozens of journalists and reporters from new agencies at home and abroad attended and covered the ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here I drew a distinction between the event where number of reporters to attend was restricted by the junta and the NLD\u2019s ceremony, in which place the correspondents were able to gather news freely. At that instant it crossed my mind that freedom of media can be changed according to the circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Union Day in the Calendar and in Real Life<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides the activities presented above, eleven political parties which ran in the junta\u2019s election joined together and hosted the Union Day\u2019s celebration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although different occasions of Union Day were celebrated in various places, only the ethnic nationalities will be able to understand which one would really reflect the meaningfulness of Union Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is also learnt that there were armed conflicts between government border guards and KNU\u2019s troops, during these days near KotKayeit town in Karen state, and a bomb exploded at Myawaddy friendly bridge, as well. Therefore, it becomes a matter to ask the present military government why ethnic nationalities had to flee from their home by fear of armed fights while the Union Day\u2019s ceremonies were being held in big cities like Yangon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, women from Chin and Karen States have been still oppressed and exploited as weapons by the military. Children in their school age are reported to be forced to join the military service. According to these situations, I think that it is still a long journey for all nationals of Burma to enjoy the fruitfulness of Union.<\/span><\/p>\n

A youth who came to NLD\u2019s headquarter expressed his view: Union Day would be meaningless for us if the junta does not stop buying weapons, if \u00a0women are being oppressed and if children are being seen in the battlefields. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Khin Hnin Lwin (Yangon)<\/span><\/p>\n

February 13, 2011<\/span><\/p>\n

The Armed Union Day<\/span><\/p>\n

It was on the afternoon of February 11. Being riding in a city bus, I saw a scene from its window: armed men in military uniforms were standing here and there while some uniformed police were searching for something by digging the grass using iron sticks at the both sides of Pyi road, in front of the people\u2019s square and former parliament building. The faces of those in search of something seemed to show that they were doing this work only dutifully, and they had to carry out this task because of the order from superiors even though they did not expect to find anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

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