People's Democracy

CPB Spokesman On Talks

A spokesman of Central Organising Committee of the Communist Party of Burma issued the following statement on December 5, 2003, concerning General Ne Win’s demise.

GENERAL Ne Win, a rogue when young and a tyrant when old, left a legacy of military dictatorship for our nation when he died.

Whether we should hold the “talks” or a “national convention” is not a question concerning the NLD and the junta only. It is a question concerning the whole nation. The question will determine whether Burma will march through the 21st century under a democratic government or under a military government. The nation will be able to meet the severe tests and challenges of this century only when it is led by a democratic government. Nobody believed when the junta said they are going to open a new page in history. What the nation needs to do is to open the gate to talks.

We hope that the patriotic people in the army will offer their hands when the time comes for the people to open that gate themselves. We also hope that not only the retired patriotic army officers who took active part during the 1988 upheaval but also the army officers who are in office, will join the ranks of the people when the time comes.

The international situation in the 21st century is quite different from that in 1988. If the military intelligence-like thinking and imaginations are extended to international matters (the junta has already started trying it), not only will it prove useless, it will even produce adverse effects. Playing the game of opening and closing the Thai border in order to distract the people’s attention from the talks is too shortsighted. Resuming the talks is the only proper step that should be taken now.