What do you mean Genuine Federation
Khin Maung
7/7/2001
(My collections and analysis in 1990, revised and amended in 1996.)
The term "Genuine Federation" was and has been very use-to and familiar word to the component nations of today Burman Empire since last 40 years ago. Some are fighting for it. Some are beyond it. And some are much afraid of or worry about for it. Anyhow, the genuine revolutionary or the genuine democrat must have courage enough to be genuine with revolutionary vigilance. To have self-criticism, to enable to do it correctly and to apply its analytical result in practice, this article may be, I hope, helpful to those who are really wish to be genuine.
Colonialism is a word of abuse and nearby always coupled with Imperialism that is Extension of political power by one state over another. Colonialism in other view regards poverty, disease, ignorance, brutality and treachery, and also the bondsman''s chain and the hangman''s rope.
The colonial and subjected peoples have followed much the same line in their consecutive dealings within the colonialists, rejection, liberation, appropriation, and condemnation. But, perhaps, even more startling than the loss of governing power has been the outburst of anti-colonialism, which accompanied it. This negative anti-colonialism is to some extent the reverse side of a positive force, the desire of freedom.
The common position of the colonialist, geographical contiguity, common political and military aspiration, mutual economic interest and culturo-religious cohesion are factors of collectivism like alliance, joint, front, bloc or vanguard during the period of the national liberation struggle in colonial life and also like con-federal, federal or union, unitary or some are individual after independence. It is possible only through the determination of the peoples of the component states to serve some or all of these purposes.
Anyway, the power of politics for national self-determination; the power of defense for national security and territorial integrity; the power of building up economy for national development and prosperity; and the power of governance for national self-identification are vital organs for the existence of an independent nation. Among them, the political power is the key right.
The worldwide anti-colonist, anti-racist and anti-imperialist war against the alien rules, therefore, grimly spread during and after the Second World War. Many colonial empires were collapsed and many independent multi-national states were emerged consequently in the form of con-federal, federal or union, or unitary though some are still under the colonial yoke.
Again in some newly independent multi-national federal states, also, the problem of inequality in sharing power in politics, defense, economy and governance among the composed nations still exist. Here, Leninist concept on the right of nation to self-determination should be considered that.."The right of nation to self-determination implies exclusively the right to independence in the political sense, the right to free political separation from the oppressor nation. Specifically, this demand for political democracy implies complete freedom to agitate for secession and a referendum on secession by the seceding nation. We favour secession, but only because we stand for free, voluntary association. We want a voluntary union of nations -a union founded on complete confidence, on a clear recognition of brotherly unity, on absolutely voluntary consent."
The right to self-determination is the fundamental right of a nation. Without it no nation has guarantee for its national existence. Federation is a voluntary union founded on the self-determination of the component nations who have the right of freedom to secede as well as freedom to integrate in federation. No one can force any nation to integrate in it without its own will.
If any nation is compelled to integrate, that federal will run into an alternative sense ''Empire'' -i.e. ''Pseudo-Federal'' in which, self-determination of the component nations and equality among them are totally lost and one nation captures domination by which it profits from the land and labour of dominated nations.the essence of colonialism.
In genuine federation, the political problems, coming out, are and will be solved by broad democratic ways and means but in a pseudo-federal, a kind of modernizing empire like Burman Empire today, the armed suppression is the only way of solution and there a new style of colonialism."Hidden colonialism vs. Hidden colony" (i.e. the case of Arakan, Mon and Karenni); and the new style of imperialism."Intra-state imperialism vs. Internal colony" (i.e. Shan, Chin, Kachin and Karen).are emerging.
Under the hidden colonialism and the intra-state imperialism, the peoples in such pseudo-federal states are still discriminated against because of their race, sex, language, religion and other attributes. They are still suffering from direct aggression of hidden colonialism and indirect aggression of intra-state imperialism. The subjection of hidden colonies and internal colonies to the subjugation of hidden colonialists and intra-state imperialists respectively are political domination, economic exploitation, racial discrimination, persistent denial of human rights and military oppression.
Besides, the "Official Nationalism" of the oppressing nation (i.e. Burman), the "Shifting of Economic centres" to their homeland (Burmaland), and its "Colonial Assimilation Policy" (i.e. Burmanization) over the hidden colonies and internal colonies are extra-ordinary characteristics that make hidden colonialism and intra-state imperialism more complicated to be solved. And this "national cleansing policy" has been pushing the oppressed nations towards the terminal of "National Extinction and loss of homeland" ahead.
Here, the official nationalism is the pivot instrument of newly emerging intra-state imperialism and hidden colonialism and reflects only the aspiration of majority in sham-union and drags its minority subjects to sub-nation status or hidden colonies or internal colonies. Hegemonic majority swallows up the national identity of the minorities and this action drives the hidden colonies and internal colonies into the hell of national extinction at last.
The De-colonization and Human Rights Programme being carried out by the United Nations should, therefore, be not enough taking appropriate actions with the old type of colonialism but also should take more appropriate and serious actions on the newly complicated hidden colonialism and intra-state imperial-ism, in which some more specific extra-ordinary characteristics, mentioned above, are added up.
Such type of pseudo-federal cannot exist and maintain peace and unity on the basis of questionable loyalties of its nationals. To eliminate such type of pseudo-federalism and to replace with genuine one, the right of component nations to self-determination and equality among them shall be guaranteed first to have complete confidence and brotherly unity. Regarding self-determination, it should be obvious that there are two phenomena.External and Internal. The external self-determination refers to the ability of a people to choose freely in the field of international relation, opting for independence or union with other states; and the internal
self-determination means that a people in an independent state can elect and keep the government of its choice and has the right not to be opposed and discriminated against by any other group or by the government.
The complete separation of a group from existing state may perhaps be unavoidable in situations involving unilateral imposition of unrepresentative regimes and persistent denial of internal self-determination.
There will still be room for the creation of new state in this de-colonized era by exercising secessionist self-determination under certain circumstances like in so-called Union of Burma, undecolonized Burma Empire. On the other hand, adherence to the territorial integrity of a state will be a fair solution with alteration.
The aforesaid explanation will be, we hope, nourishing points to ponder for genuine federation, every body talks about it everywhere as the only way of political solution for freedom of oppressed nations from the bondage of intra-state imperialism in the state of complex situation today. However, it is not yet final goal for hidden colony. Here, an outlook should be considered to aware and respect that.
- Nation without independence has no dignity!
- Nation without independence has no equality!
- Nation without independence has no guarantee for national security and territorial integrity!
The genuine federal system, most of the component nations in multi-national pseudo-federal states are longing for, should be equipped with the concrete characteristics, mentioned below, for assurance of complete confidence and brotherly unity among the component nations. It is, therefore, the Genuine Federation, we trust in, should be equipped with the strong characteristics of.
- Integrity of Free Nations possessing complete right of self-determination and self-identification;
- Strict recognition and mutual respect to each other''s existence of a free nation status and also to each other''s territorial integrity;
- Integration should be voluntary to have complete confidence and brotherly unity;
- Equal footing in all respects among the components shall be a must;
- The right of secession shall be firmly implemented to strengthen confidence for existence of ever-lasting
federation.
We have been seeing that some are worried about and afraid of to implement this right of secession in the federal constitution. Actually it should not be because this implementation can create free from confusion and concrete more confidence on the federation, and augment more to its stability.
In alternative, some propose to implement the provision of no right of secession in the constitution. It is totally wrong. It proves lack of confidence among the components. This ideology has terribly violated the right of self-determination of the component nations and inclined collapse of federal system.
In neutral, we shall find way of solution by removing any implementation of both right and no right of secession from the federal constitution. It can be acceptable, and it can be more appropriate in recognition and respect to right of self-determination of the components and their voluntary consent. But all the federal components shall respect the referendum of the people of each and every component state, who has deserved complete freedom and full right of self-determination including both external and internal ones. Let them decide what they think best for their future political destination. We must respect it.
The Federation being voluntarily associated by Free Nations is, we have accepted, the "Genuine"!
In Arakan case: -Restoration of national independence and state sovereignty of Arakan that we have lost since by the end of 1784 has been our historical debt that must be repaid first of all. It is an inevitable historical duty the Arakanese generations must shoulder on till it shall be fulfilled. Then, the people of Arakan, who will have full right of both external and internal self-determination, shall decide their own future destination.
- Genuine equality truly exists only between or amongst the free nations. It is out of question to exist between the nations of the ruling and the ruled, or between the dominant and the dominated.
- The Burman is a nation. And Arakanese is a nation too. The conflict in between is international issue.
- The Burman fought the alien rulers, British and Japanese, for their independence was "just". Same to
this, Arakanese fight for independence against the alien ruler, Burman today, is also "just". - The Federation, we hope for, shall have a strong constitution that can definitely guarantee the equality and full right of self-determination to the component nations.
- The national security, territorial integrity, and "freedom, democracy, human rights and prosperity" of all the component peoples shall be definitely and equally granted in this federal constitution.
Under such analytical approach we, the NUPA, have laid out the following political trend for Arakan issue.
Our political concept: -The Concept of NUPA:
"Nation without independence has no dignity, no equality, and no guarantee for national security and territorial integrity."
Our political strategy: -The Strategy of NUPA:
It is, therefore, "Independence, the First!
Independence, the Second! Independence, the Third!" is
our today political strategy.
Our future political aim: -The future aim of NUPA:
In future politics, "Voluntary association of Free
Nations" is our motto.
Collected and analyzed by.
Khin Maung
Foreign Affairs In-charge
National United Party of Arakan
Arakan.
Date: -The 4th May
1996
Title: What do you mean Genuine Federation
Author: Khin Maung
About Author:
Date: 7/7/2001
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