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Conduct To Be Worthy of A Democratic Country

By Saneitha Nagani

President Thein Sein in his address on the first anniversary of his government said that the

people of Burma should have a conduct and thinking that are worthy of a democratic country. This

brings me back to something that I came across in an editorial in the Asiaweek1which said that,

As Asians become more prosperous and better educated, they naturally desire if not

always vigorously demand to participate more in the way their society is run. Democracy is

an evitable stage of development, coming from the first to the wealthy nations of Europe

and North America after a long authoritarian apprenticeship. Most Asian countries that

dont already have democracy are ready for it, and those that do are ready for more. But

first they must decide what it is. (emphasis mine)

That is exactly we have to decide what do we mean by democracy when we said that we wantdemocracy. The word democracy itself have been so corrupted that one has to be sure what it is

when one is talking about democracy. Didnt they say that even dictators love democracy.

Neither of us would recall U Ne Win ever referring to himself as a dictator. His Burma Socialist

Program Party was supposed to practice centralised democracy whatever that might mean. The

Kims in North Korea regarded the country they lead as democratic. I can go on ad nausea. Even the

pigs in George Orwells political satire The Animal Farm ruled Manor Farm, at first, with their form

ofdemocracy, dont they? For Thein Sein to be saying that people of Burma have to be worthy of a

democratic system of government (of which his government is certainly not) is more like putting

the cart before the horse. Didnt President Obama

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said that,

Elections arent democracy, as we understand it. They are one facet of a liberal order, as we

understand it. And so in a lot of countries, you know, the first question is, if you go back to

Roosevelts four freedoms, the first question is freedom from want and freedom from fear.

If people arent secure, if people are starving, then elections may or may not address those

issues, but they are not a perfect overlay.

The same editorial I have mentioned above said that to equate democracy with the elections is

The most glaring example of such intellectual chauvinism is the equation of democracy with

elections.According to the same article, The way public officials are chosen is a key part of

democracy in any society, but whereas it is the definition in Europe and North America, it is only part

of the answer in Asia.

President Thein Sein may have thought that by being in the Parliament and most of his selected

members of the military faction of the Parliamentarians have never felt so secure and well fed that

they did not have a thing to worry about they fell sound asleep even during the sitting of the

Parliament. The upcoming by-elections to be held on April the first (considered being an April fools

day universally) I hope Daw Suu is not campaigning her hearts out just to have a sound sleep. Nor

has someone been pulling her legs as a sinister joke. Since most of the things she did, she has done

out of her conviction and her choice I have nothing to say about her decision to run for a seat in

Thein Seins Parliament. But Cat Stevens song Wild, Wide World keeps ringing in my ears as, Oh

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Lady, Lady its a wild wide world. Its hard to get by just upon a smile, Hope you make a lots of nice

friends out there, But just remember that theres a lot ofbad out there and beware....

To call ourselves a democratic society first there need to be a good government (which we have not

one, not yet at least), a fair legal system (when people are put into jail for what they believed in then

there is not one yet) and a harmonious society (none when things like wanton killing and human

rights abuses has been going on unabated in the Kachin State or the Shan States, no way) and a

legislature which met international standards (not WHO standards in sleeping) and not the one set

up by a flawed Constitution or by the self-appointed arbiters of democracy. President Thein Sein

asking us to be worthy of a conduct of a democratic society was, to me, more like a monk telling his

mourning disciples at funerals that they should not be mourning so much since everything in life has

to pass - anicca. However, when he himself was crying out of control at the death of his mother and

when his disciples tried to comfort him with his own teachings he replied that To you, it was your

aniccaall right! This was my mother you are talking about.

Well, I can afford to be cynical about U Thein Seins speech since I am lucky to be living in an already

flourishing democracy. I can put up with the government I do not want, until the next elections. My

vote count and so as others do too. I am entitled to whatever an ordinary citizen is entitled, whether

I am from a minority background or not. I have to comply with the laws just like the Prime Minister,

her ministers in her government or the Governor-General has to do too. The fact is that when you

lived in a country where one is treated humanely (that includes your pets, wild life and even cattle

and sheep that are being raised to be slaughter for food) democracy becomes a way of life.

The majority of the people in Burma have been exposed to teachings like, Whatever living beings

there may be; feeble or strong, tall, stout or medium, short, small or large, seen or unseen, those

dwelling far or near, those who are born or those who are yet to be born. May all living beings be

happy and safe, may their hearts be joyful! Let none deceive another, nor deprive any person in any

place. Let him not wish any harm to another out of anger or ill-will. This sure predates the United

Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Not to mention the Awwadha Patimokka(Rules of

the Community) which is just a three paragraphs of the teachings of all Buddhas?

When nothing was mentioned about those who are wrongfully jailed in prisons all across Burma,

when nothing is said about those whose lives has been damaged, if not destroyed, then President

Thein Seins words are hollow and would not heal anyone whom he and his colleagues have harmed

when they were ruling the country as military regimes, one after another. First of all he himself has

to be clear what he is referring to when he mentions the word democracy. He has to show his

conviction of Burma becoming a democratic country by first removing the Parliament of hsan-kone

myei-lei members ofParliament so that those who have genuine interest for the country could take

their place. Please do not get me wrong, the Parliament should not be a place where the interests of

us and them are fought out but rather a place where the good of the country and the people are

to be crafted into legislation. END

Notes:

1. The Common Good , Asiaweek, February 9, 19942. Elections Arent Democracy an excert from President-elect Barack Obamas January 15,

Meeting The Post.