A variety of Burmese offer their views on Burma’s 60th Anniversary of Independence:

January 4, 2008

“I believe the legacy of our independence has been a failure because the powerful have oppressed the powerless. It is unacceptable. Those who sacrificed their lives for independence must be respected.”
—Sayadaw U Pannvansa, the chairman of the National Burmese Monks Organization), in Malaysia

“I was excited by the first independence day as I had never experienced such an occasion. I was too happy to sleep that night because we had gained our precious independence. We hoped we could live under our own rulers. We had a hard struggle to reach that time.

“I can’t forget that scene of the people welcoming their independence. They were so happy. Today, however, the people don’t feel anything on Independence or Martyr days because there are no ceremonies to remind the people of their history,”
—Kyi Oo, a writer in Rangoon

“For Burma’s happiness, all Burmese people must be liberated. The way to liberation is a meaningful dialogue between the junta and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as ethnic leaders.”
—Tun Myint Aung, a leader of the 88 Generation Students group who is in hiding in Burma

“I have no interest in Independence Day. I only feel like killing people. But I can not kill so I just stay quite. Everything I hear and see makes me upset. The injustice is everywhere. We can not work properly to survive. So I don’t care about the 60th anniversary of Independence Day,”
—Htun Oo, a small business owner in Rangoon

“I see independence as a situation in which people can live peacefully and happily under their own sovereignty and with the administrative system they choose. All the citizens of Burma must work for true independence,”
—Ei Yupar Win, the 2005 Miss Asean award winner, in Rangoon

“Politically, it can be called independence if the people, political parties and the persons elected by the people can freely discuss and decide the legislative, judiciary and administrative powers of the state.
—Pyinnya Zawta of the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks, who is in hiding in Burma

“The struggle for independence in 1948 is the first independence struggle. The enemy at that time was the British colonialists. Today, after 60 years, we are encountering the second struggle for independence. This time, our common enemy is militarism and a group of military leaders.
—Aung Way, a poet in exile

“When we analyze the situation after having gained independence 60 years ago, the people haven’t enjoyed the essence of independence. Soon after independence, civil wars broke out due to the loss of ethnic people’s independence. Therefore, it was not true independence,”
—Nai Ong Ma-Nge, head of foreign affairs in the New Mon State Party, a cease-fire group

“Independence means freedom from a life of slavery. Ruling the country by doing whatever they [people in power] like makes us feel like slaves, although we don’t call it that,”
—Ya Tha, a Burmese rap singer in Rangoon

“For me, independence means a holiday and raising a flag on a pole. Apart from that, there is no special excitement. And there are few things that we can expect. Though our independence anniversary is now 60 years, nothing is more important than the amount of food that will keep me alive,”
—A civil servant in Rangoon

“As far as the essence of independence is concerned, it can only be found in songs, papers and books. Never have I had the right to speak freely as an ethnic person living in Burma. I haven’t even had the right to travel freely. I am being watched all the time in front of my house,”
—Aye Thar Aung, a Rangoon-based leader of the Arakan League for Democracy Party

“Most young people in Burma have forgotten about Independence Day, because even if there was independence, people haven’t enjoyed the values of freedom. And no one writes about freedom and independence as well,”
—A journal editor in Rangoon

“The State Peace and Development Council does not plan to talk with Aung San Suu Kyi. They do not seem to have a plan for national reconciliation. Therefore, citizens will have to continue their civic movements and struggles. I believe we can only taste the value of freedom if we carry on with our fight,”
—Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society (in exile)

“People were very poor during the colonial era. However, people didn’t really complain like today. They seemed to have enjoyed more mental freedom. But now people are absolutely oppressed in so many ways. So people can only think a little about freedom. Now I am 76 years old. In my life, we fought against the British colony, we fought against Japanese rule, and now we fight against each other. I have found it very difficult to achieve freedom,”
—Aunt Maung, a poet and fiction translator in Rangoon

“Because we do not have freedom to speak and freedom to write, people think we are talking about politics when we talk about the shortage of electricity. Everyone is feeling scared and afraid. Now I live in Singapore. People in Singapore have enough food to eat. There is freedom to speak. I was born after the 88 uprising so I do not know anything about that uprising, but I saw the September uprising. I think something like that shouldn’t happen in a free Buddhist country,”
—Ze Yar, a student in Singapore

“After loosing independence, people hunger for freedom more than they thirst for water. So, they are trying to gain independence. Now after 60 years, people feel that it is worse than the British colonial government. Even after gaining independence, we were not liberated. So, it is obvious we must continue to fight for independence,”
—Mahn Sha, general-secretary of the Karen National Union

“Independence is something we gained from the British. However, in reality we still have to struggle if we want to enjoy freedom. I want to remind our people to remember the value of freedom,”
—Maung Wun Tha, a writer in Rangoon

“Independence belongs to all people who live in Burma. But, independence is not in our hands now. We do not enjoy the benefits of independence because of the ruling dictators,”
—Sai Lao Hseng, spokesperson for Shan State Army-South

“Sixty years later, people of all ethnic nationalities continue to suffer from all forms of systematic abuses under the military regime. Let's be inspired to continue to fight this injustice and oppression, to realize the vision of Panglong agreement,”
—Charm Tong of the Shan Women's Action Network based in exile

“To restore independence, the Burmese people must be unified. So, I want to urge the government to meet with pro-democracy groups and rebuild the national union,”
—Thakin Chan Htun, a Rangoon-based veteran politician and former Burmese ambassador to China

“When Burma was ruled by foreigners, people fully gained human rights and the rule of law. The country is now in a worse situation and it is ruled not by foreigners but by our own people. The country is ruled lawlessly by rulers who took over power for themselves and it is oppressing the people,”
—Cin Sian Thang, chairman of the Zomi National Congress in Rangoon