Dear comrades, associates and political forces,

We, All Burma Federation of Student Unions, have proclaimed some of our views and thoughts regarding the CDM policy recently issued by the NUCC:

1. We solemnly salute CDM activists and hold them to the highest regard for the sacrifices they made and their moral stand, for always standing righteously with the people and for fighting together with them.

2. On the other hand, we to a certain extent must understand and empathize with the real life struggles of non-CDM people trying to survive under coercion and repression.

3. What we should and can appeal to all non-CDM public servants is to not politically co-operate with the SAC and to not actively participate in their mechanisms of repression, as well as to not willingly serve the military dictatorship. Moreover, revolutionary forces should continuously impart the non- CDM public servants with knowledge and guidance on how they can confidentially support the revolution and be a part of it.

4. The backbone of the CDM policy should include planning and implementing programs that provide the essential needs for the CDM people for their survival and wellbeing. The CDM policy must include sections that provide full guarantees for the future of CDM activists.

5. The CDM is one of the political movements. We should consider a variety of ways for CDM activists so that they can actively participate in this political process. Every revolutionary force has a major responsibility to organize CDM activists and help them transform from being a vital mass protest force to become part of a united powerful revolutionary coalition. We must organize, build up and transform our revolutionary associates to become our allies, and our allies to become our comrades.

6. Most critically, we should find ways to help CDM activists to learn political thought and ideology, and at the same time help them with details on methods to strengthen their emancipatory struggle and coping mechanisms for their everyday survival. This should include accessing UN mechanisms and programs as well as getting assistance through NGOS, INGOs, and negotiating with Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROS) for CDM activists to seek safe shelter, essential aid, evacuating and relocating CDM activists to liberated areas, and deliberating and discussing political thought and ideology with CDM activists.

7. By all means, we should try to help CDM activists to establish unions such as workers union or Public Servants Union, and help these unions to become active members of the political struggle.

8. We took a position that non-CDM people are not a fundamental alliance force for our struggle. At the same time, they are not the main target we should allocate our resources to stage an attack.

9. We should always let those who want to join the CDM movement know that they are welcome anytime, that it is better late than never. The door should be left wide open for them. Although the CDM and non-CDM people may subscribe to different political values and take different paths when passing through the tumultuous history of our time, we should not forget that each and every one is living under multiple forms of oppression perpetrated by the same military dictatorship.

10. Since oppression by the SAC has become more intense, those who initially refused to join the CDM movement are now joining, such as in Myaing region. In other cases, after the liberated areas gradually expanded, more and more non- CDM people are joining the movement, such as in Sagaing region. We should take notes of such phenomena.

11. In terms of formulating CDM policy, instead of a blanket approach, we should consider a stratified approach, that involves making different policies for different areas considering complex contexts and nuances, such as liberated areas, ERO territories, contested areas where both SAC and revolutionary forces are vying for control, and areas dominated by SAC.

12. We must consult and coordinate with EROS when formulating a CDM policy that concerns their constituencies and those who took shelter in their territory. We believe action speaks louder than words. It is not enough to superficially espouse “equality for all nationalities, and rights of ethnic people for self determination” but rather we must prove our determination with actual actions as suggested above.

13. It is vital to develop and implement an education policy in which rights to education and learning, and provision of essential education services are guaranteed. Absolutely, there is no moral ground for any political faction to interfere or take away these rights.

14. We should not allow our individual emotions and grievances get in the way of making a political policy for everyone. Likewise, we do not make a broad national policy just because “we had made political sacrifices” or “we endure hardships daily as a result of our belief”. If we project our own bitter suffering too much over the policies we are making, we may knock the policy items away from the intended results we want to achieve, and the subsequent implementing strategies may go wrong. In fact, what matter most is that we hold together between different political allies, care for each other and pave our own way to the future.

15. It is crystal clear that the journey ahead is a long struggle. We believe that to unify, persuade and organize as much as possible is the most suitable and practical tactics for the revolution to triumph.

16. Judgements and punishments should only be considered when inevitable. Some conundrums might not be suitable to be solved at present. It is wise to postpone or sequence some issues, until the time and space is ripe.

17. Striving in every possible way for the triumph of the people’s revolution should be our priority. We believe some questions will become easier to answer after the revolution is victorious. Some issues may shrink or fade away while some may find their own solution instantly. Therefore, we solemnly urge you to focus your precious efforts to the single most important task at our hand that is uprooting the military dictatorship through the means of politics, diplomatic and armed revolution.

“May the people’s democratic revolution be victorious!”

With faith in revolution,

All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU)

Download PDF

View the original