Burmese Language
Burma flag ‘erases ethnic armies’
The new Burmese flag to be hoisted following elections this year is evidence of the ruling regime’s attempt to wipe out ethnic armies, Burma observers say.
An image of the new flag obtained by DVB shows a complete revamp of both colour, design and symbols: in place of a largely red flag with a blue square in the corner hosting a paddy ear, cog wheel and 14 stars comes a flag dominated by one single star in the middle, with three yellow, green and red stripes behind.
Analysts believe that the removal of the 14 stars, which signify the 14 divisions and states in Burma, or indeed their assimilation into one larger star, is further proof that citizens of a post-election Burma will live under the dominant control of the military government.
“It’s a sign of the original agenda [the junta] had after the British left; the Burmanisation of the country,” said Saw Taw Wa from the Karen National Union (KNU) Peace Council. He added that it was a “step-by-step process” which has already taken root in the formation of ethnic Border Guard Forces aimed at “causing division within the ethnic states”.
The Burmese government has been attempting, sometimes aggressively, to transform the country’s 18 ceasefire groups into border militias, which will bring them under direct control of the ruling generals. Saw Taw Wa said that the junta has been supporting pro-government ethnic groups, such as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), with money and arms “to eliminate ethnic armies”.
Many have however resisted and decades-old ceasefires are now on tenterhooks, leading to fears in Burma’s ethnic border regions that fighting will erupt.
Khin Ohmar, chairperson of the Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), said that the new flag was a sign that the junta was “solidifying their power into one star – the unity of the union; that every ethnic group is together as one”.
Further evidence is found in Article 338 of the 2008 constitution which will come into force following the elections this year. It states that “all the armed forces in the Union shall be under the command of the Defense Services”. Khin Ohmar said that it proves the junta is “consolidating…everything by force and by assimilation”.
“When I look at this attempted assimilation – all ethnic groups have to follow the traditional Burmese dances, for example – it’s unbelievable; really disgusting to me. That is a very clear sign that the one big star really is their power.”
The official name of Burma is also due to change, from the current Union of Myanmar to the Union Republic of Myanmar.
“With the name, they are being very clear that Burma is no longer a federal state, but will be a republic – they are totally denying indigenous rights,” said Saw Taw Wa.
Ethnic conflict in Burma has gradually eaten away at the roots of society, with millions now displaced and areas of the country littered with landmines. The 60-year long conflict between the Karen National Union and the ruling junta is thought to be one of the world’s longest running.
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It was always apparent the criminal Thitsaphout Than Shwe would try and wipe out all resistance to his illegal regime, but changing the flag won’t do it and neither will murder torture slavery and rape. Than Shwe has violated the 1947 constitution of the Union of Burma were all ethnic groups within Burma are recognized and protected by law. Any alteration to this constitution is clearly illegal. Thitsaphout Than Shwe may take the flag but he can’t change the people, his day of reckoning is coming. I wonder what dance Than Shwe will do at the end of the rope, will it be Burmese or maybe a traitor’s dance as he prepares to go to his eternal punishment.
I am sad that the flag is very ugly. I line the flag with the 14 stars and with rice penicle. It looks very much represent to our country with its agriculture base. Anew flag looks the Police logo, hence, Burma will become a police state officially (it has been police state since 1962, but never been recognized officially as the police state.
it does not matter if they change the flag or name of the country.now it is time for all burmese to revolt this army of than shwe, people have to be brave, if not will suffer for 100 years in the hand of nasty army of burma, most people are real coward, only few brave people are in jail wait to die there. long live struggle of burma.
Please note that this “new” flag is identical to the one introduced by the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)back in 1991. The white star is supposed to symbolize ALL the Ethnic peoples.
That shows their TRUE COLOURS: How narrow-minded & power-crazy they are!!!
@Kyaw: Totally agree, that’s a lot like a police symbol. Also, the color choices look bad together, regardless of symbolism therein.
@Molly. O: Isn’t that a generalization of ethnic peoples anyway? Stripping away their identity in favor of a united one Burmese ethnic group?
How tragic to know some of our people do not know our history. If only they google search ‘Burmese Flags’they will understand better.The flag is known as WaSeinNi (Yellow Green Red)Yellow for Buddhism,Green for farmers and red for soldiers and people (bravery in defending the country).The original flag has the Royal Peacock instead of the white star.It was used for the KoMin KoChin(our own king from our own country or our own king from amongst us)movement. The Peacock symbolises monarchy and people of Burma.By removing the Peacock the junta has preempted the possibility of Shwebomin in exile becoming king.That is the reason.At the same time, it symbolises unitary nature of the state of Burma. The three colours do not represent Bamars only but all people of Burma within the national boundary.
@Burmese People: I’m actually an American, no relation whatsoever to any Burmese person or people, so excuse my past ignorance and thank you for the new knowledge. That’s half the point I keep up to date with the site
Your name is kind of ironic, I must admit. xD
To Clotifoth, You are a decent person.We are not too concerned about the removal of the Royal Peacock because our people will put it back on.Besides, it is a great blessing in disguise for King Shwebomin II, who chose to live in exile when the late ShuMaung wanted him to join BSPP after the King got his MSc in Thermodynamics from a British university, one of the top in mechanical engineering; it is now of the Russell Group, rather like the Ivy League of the UK.
Kyaw is sadly very ignorant; probably he is young and never had received proper education in Burmese history. There is a Burmese man called Kyaw Kyaw Win (or someone using the name of Colonel KyawKyawWin of pro-ShuMaung faction)abusing King Shwebomin II.
By the way does Shwebo mean anything to you? Google search.
Shwebomin is direct line of Pagunmin and granson of Taungoomin.Why not contact us:justice4burma@googlemail.com
Do you know that J.Edgar Hoover was a mining engineer in the Namtu mines in Burma. Remember he was the notorious chief of FBI. You will be flabbergasted to know that Cyntandra Hoover was sharing a mini-bus with King Shwebomin II on the way to the airport of Budapest.
Contact us to really understand Burma.
Regards
Who is this Shwebomin?
There is only one King in Burma, he is Ba Gyi Than.
It just proves how unprincipled Ko is to suggest that Sen.Gen ThanShwe is king whilst at the same time thinking that he is a very worried man. Indeed Sen.Gen ThanShwe is a very worried man;who can blame him. Ignorance of the people like Ko is the greatest enemy of Burma. He simply does not understand how difficult it is to govern a country like Burma or other socially, economically and politically underdeveloped countries. Ko can google search Shwebomin if he really wants to know. You do not call anyone you despise ‘king ThanShwe’.The way things are he could end up under house arrest like ShuMaung. That may please some ignoramuses but it is a tacit failure of the political system to evolve peacefully. Shwebomin II is Burma’s most educated person with three masters degrees from top British universities. He delivered a short speech at Arlington War cemetry in 2004 or 2005 to mark the 60th anniversary of Orde Wingate, who was buried in Arlington. Shwebomin II stayed at Fort Myer, overlooking the Lincoln memorial.
Is Ko expressing his slave mentality in according Sen.Gen ThanShwe king status, whilst not recognising Shwebomin II for what he is. Shameful
GENERAL THAN SHWE IS KING WITHOUT THE KINGDOM IN MYANMA, NO PERSON IN MYANMA ARMY CAN GO AGAINST KING THAN SHWE,SOME BRAVE PEOPLE ARE IN JAIL WAIT TO DIE.ONLY REVOLT CAN CHANGE KING THAN SHWE.IN BURMESE HISTORY, ONE HAVE TO KILL THE KING TO BECOME NEW KING, IT IS TIME FOR SOME ARMY GENERAL TO KILL KING THAN SHWE N BECOME NEW KING OF MYANMA
@Burmese People: I might just take you up on that offer, thanks!
Does Ko Lay serve Sen.Gen ThanShwe?No person in Burma could go against so-called Gen Newin(real name ShuMaung)?How come he ended us under house arrest and died there? One have to kill the king to become king? In which century does Ko Lay live in? In any case Sen.Gen ThanShwe is Regent of Shwebomin II, who lives a great live in Europe.
Ko Lay needs to study ‘Constituitonal Monarchy’. It seems Ko Lay lives a very humble (lowly)live outside Burma, without real education.
Dear Ko Lay, please please try to get real education, go back to Burma and help develop the once great Myanmar Kingdom (Myanmar Naungnan Taw);Myanmar=Burmese, Naingngan= state, Taw (pronounced Daw)= royal. Put together, Royal Burmese State =Burmese/Myanmar Kingdom.
“IT IS TIME FOR SOME ARMY GENERAL TO KILL KING THAN SHWE N BECOME NEW KING OF MYANMA” Ko Lay, so you wnat to replace one general with another? Why? What is going on in your mind? Please be careful, the world is learning more and more about Burma and beginnign to realise that only the military and Shwebomin II can save Burma in the long run.
Think about it.
Dear Clotifoth, Thank you being so open-minded. We wish our so-called Burmese political activists are like you. TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION.
We have so much to explain to the world but the Western media will not give us a chance even to look in. Unless the message is anti-Burmese junta and pro-that woman, wife of an Englishman, it will not be published.
You may be interested to know how different Shwebomin II is from all the rest from Burma.
Why not check out http://www.pgmt.org/patrons.
Actually, there are lots of websites about Schwebomin. Some are downright evil but most are correct. Do you know you never discuss the birthday of a Burmese king? A Burmese numerologist has been trying to get hold of the actual date of birth of the king, to no avail.Only the king and his late parents, not even the king’s siblings (one settled in PyinMaNa about 30 years ago) know.
We hope you like the pictures of our Burmese King. We think the king is going to Istanbul, Turkey.
Best wishes.
Burmese People:
For the prosperity and development of our Country (if you are still Burmese), shall we go back to the feudal age, with a little modification this time with a constitutional monarchy?
Day dreaming that Than Shwe and his group of cronies are Shwebomin II’s regent is the most absurd suggestion one can relay. If the regent is the reflection of who the crown prince is, I would say, then the crown prince must either be as bad as or worse than the regent.
Fantasizing Tat-ma-daw (excel in killing innocents) as your Patron in order for you to co-ordinate with to get your crown back, is a way-ward one way street that will lead our Country to no-where but to chaos and disarray.
2008 Constitution was written by those that had no choice but to follow every dictate of the Tatmadaw government. Constitution written and formulated outside of free conscience is not free nor fair. As a result, the flag that was introduced by the 2008 Constitution which was ratified by people being forced to ratify by force by soldiers, village and township heads/chiefs are not democratic at all.
Tatmadaw, your regent, only knows how to move in a one-way street. Thus, you have chosen the wrong regent from the wrong side of the road unless you like day dreaming that whoever is in power is your regent. If that is the case, then keep on day-dreaming in your “Never-land Kingdom”.
“2008 Constitution was written by those that had no choice but to follow every dictate of the Tatmadaw government.” We are fully aware of it. How do you catch a whale?
Tatmataw (not tatmadaw)although pronounced ‘Tatmadaw’ is the only institution of the state. It has been like that since the 1962 coup.
So-called NeWin, real name ShuMaung, died in ignominy.
2008 constitution is far from perfect but a good start. Your name is not Shwebo Naing.That is a stupid name to suggest that You win over Shwebo.There is no such name as Shwebo Naing.Show some respect for your history and heritage.You do not understand the subtleties and contradictions of Burmese politics. Tatmataw(Royal Army)does not move in a one-way street. It is a great deal smarter than you think.They are moving towards oligarchy.
You have a cognition problem regarding monarchy. You should be loyally following Shwebomin. Why? When the state has a figurehead, not military chief, then the military has to be loyal to the elected representatives, who are their ‘political masters’;the military can return to the barracks. Any military coup, without justification, against the elected government would be treason on the part of the officer who instigates the coup. (In the UK Harold Wilson,PM was suspected of being under undue influence of Kremlin and there were suggestions of military coup;the Queen would not have it!)Do you get it? If only we had a king in 1962, ShuMaung would never get away with his lunatic socialism and murder of thousands of people;he would have been put in jail and good generals could work with U Nu, reporting the King via the Privy Council.
So let’s take one step at a time. Hold the elections;form a coalition government (elected representatives simply cannot rule on their own as they are so uneducated and inexperineced; they and the military can do well with Shwebomin’s guidance.)
Once the door is open,albeit not completely, there will be fresh air and new ideas can be discussed.Why are you so afraid of the idea of constitutional monarchy? General SawMaung did suggest that after 150 copies of Royal Myanmar Dispatches were distributed in December 1988 – IN BURMA;they were smuggled by an OE (Old Etonian), a friend of Shwebomin II.
There are many problems and there will always be power struggle within the military. it does not matter.A family business has power struggle;a board of directors has power struggle; a cabinet had power struggle. That is the nature of ‘organisatio’.The King is above this.The monarch is for all and does not get involved in internal power struggle of any group.So long as you are all patriotic and honest and intelligent things will work out right.
Sen.Gen ThanShwe has a vision, but also inspired by the North Korean leader. We accept his vision of democracy because we know that his words are verbatim of you know who.Discipline democracy, genuine democracy, who do you think coined these terms?
Sen.Gen ThanShwe will not realise his inspiration like the North Korean leader. He has real problems and he is very worried.You need to watch those around him and the second tier officers. They are the people who can turn Burma into a democratic monarchy. Whatever the future,we don’t think shwebomin II has nothing to worry about,enjoying a good life globally.
LET’S WAIT AND SEE.
We would like to see Shwebomin II openly declaring himself as King of Burma, not just enjoying life as Crown Prince outside Burma.
The SPDC may think that by changing the color of the flag will assimilate ethnic nationalities into majority Bamar. Over the past 60yrs, the majority burmese government systematically erase the identity of all ethnic groups by means of burmese education or burmaniztion. But still, we all ethnic groups remains strong as ever. Our history , culture and identity were being robbed and eradicate, but wonder how can they change our heart and eradicate our belief. In the end , we will remain strong as ever.
Ethnic cultures are not much different from the majority culture;they are only variations.No ethnic culture or identity is being destroyed.To view fighting rebellion as destroying ethic culture is only in the figment of imagination of rabid disintegrationists, who are so few and can be counted on the fingers of one hand.In any case,fabricating so-called ethnic history is not going to get the disintegrationist anywhere. Only unity can make us strong, in the face of two giant neighbours. Harping on and promoting disintegration and creating separateness is tantamount to treason. There are many commonalities between so-called Bamars and Shans and other ethnic brethren.Burma does not belong to Bamars only, but to every indigenous person of Burma;our land started as Brahma 3000 years ago at Tagaung with a prince of the Buddha line,from Kapilavastu;new comers from Yunan, not China,called their new home Myranma.From Brahma is derived Burmah, and then Burma;from Myranma is derived Myanmar.So whatever anyone calls ourland, Burma or Myanmar, it is the same.Gramatically, Myanmar means ‘Burmese’;it is an adjective.It is a noun when applied to a person or the written language.The junta, not having been educated in classical Burmese, got confused and changed the name.It does not matter. Germany is Deutschland for the Germans, but Germany in the English language.Burma is the name of our country in the English and in our own Myanmar language, it is ‘Myanmar Naingngantaw -note taw is pronouced ‘daw’.
As for teaching Burmese to all, there is nothing wrong with that.The Burmese language is actually Tibeto-Burman, sharing many words of the Tibetan language.Our ethnic brethrens being able to speak and read Burmese means they will not be disadvantaged and thus able to enjoy equal right, whilst having the advantage of having their own dialects.
The forg needs to junp out of the well to see the big rivers, seas and oceans.Jump,frog!Jump.
You can see Hoover’s ( President of the United States ) information at http://myanma.com/index.php?cat=89