Call it KMT aggression. Or call it War on Drugs, if you like. Or both. But the 40 year war between successive Burmese governments and their people from 1949 to 1989 when the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) was overthrown by its Kokang, Wa and Mongla forces, wars also part of the Cold War that was fought between the world’s superpowers.

The country and its people had paid an enormous price for allowing itself to become a battle field:

• From the richest country in Southeast Asia, it became the poorest, from which it is still struggling to be free
• From a burgeoning democracy on its way to a vibrant federalism, it became a unitary state under one of the world’s most vicious military dictatorships

Just to name a few.
The country, under President Thein Sein’s leadership, is now at least seemingly back on the road to becoming a nation governed by the will of the people, one that is peaceful and fraternal among each other, and, if possible, prosperous too.

War is still being fought, yes. But, compared to our immediate eastern neighbor, we are at least talking to each other too, bowing to the wish of our people who are demanding peace.
Here, we should realize, from our 1949-1989 bitter experience, that peace in our country does not depend only on the mutual goodwill among ourselves but also the “live and let live” benevolence by our neighbors, especially the superpowers.

Today China is expanding on every front, with India and Japan watching and preparing in concern. America is back with its Asia pivot program under President Obama.

Under these circumstances, miscalculations can send us back to the 1949-89 situation, or worse.

Showing undue favor to either the US or China, even outwardly or privately, by our leaders can be disastrous.

SHAN therefore hopes Burma’s leaders today, both government and non-government, will exercise their wisdom, prudence and resourcefulness to the utmost to give peace a chance both during our lifetime and for our sons and daughters.