On the first day of his presidency, President Thein Sein of Burma promised to carry out a clean government and build national unity under the ‘union (pyidaungsuu) spirit’. His speech was not only welcomed by some international governments but also by opposition groups in Burma.
Building unity among the ethnic nationalities is a very important issue due to the protracted civil war for the last six decades in Burma. Many ethnic opposition groups and political parties also expected that the new government would
call for peace dialogue. But, in reality, the political development that ensued was quite opposite once the newly instated Burmese government launched a new war against the ethnic armed opposition groups, those that entered into ceasefire agreements with the former Burmese government and those that never did.
First, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) government and the Burmese Army made a military offensive against the Shan State Army (North), after this group refused to transfer themselves to be part of the ‘Border Guard Force’. After the offensive, SSA (North) merged their armed forces with SSA (South), which did not agree to a ceasefire with the former regime. Fighting has been gradually spreading out in many parts of Shan State.
Again, since the beginning of this month, the Burmese Army operated military offensives against the Kachin armed political group, Kachin Independent Organization (KIO) and its armed faction, the KIA. Currently, the fighting has been broken out in some parts of Kachin State.
The Burmese Army is still operating its military campaign in Karen State against Karen armed forces belonging to the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Organization (DKBO). Although the government run by the United Solidarity and Development party (USDP) has not yet begun an offensive down in Mon State, there are some signs that the government will do so soon.
Analyzing the current situation, it seems that the civil war between the new central government and ethnic armed oppositions will break out in various parts of the ethnic region, like it did in 1974 and 1988-89.
One can also conclude that the new government is completely implementing the former military government’s policies, and ethnic cleansing plans. This signifies that the current President Thein Sein will not carry on and implement his word of building up ‘union spirit’.
People throughout the entire country of Burma have demanded peace and building national reconciliation. Many ethnic opposition groups elected in the 2010 elections, have demanded for peace negotiations between the government and ethnic armed opposition groups. Pro-democracy groups are demanding for political dialogue to solve the problems peacefully. Yet, the new government is not sincere and has carried on its military campaign against the ethnic groups.
As a result, how are the ethnic people to trust this new government led by the USDP. The new government does not attempt to find a way for peace in the country. The government has shown no sincerity towards the ethnic people, and never intending to build up ‘union spirit’.
