More than just a children's problem

source : The Nation-January 19,2001

Strip the God's Army twin boy leaders of machineguns and fatigue shirts and they look like any other village urchins. Except, of course, that they are a bit more emaciated and have a tendency to roll cigarettes. Now that they have given themselves up to Thai authorities, it is essential to put things into perspective about the existence of the much-publicised God's Army and the whole rationale behind it.

God's Army's primary aim was to fight against the military regime in Burma with the hope of ending political oppression. Like other fighters in other minority groups, the young guerrillas reflected the internal problems of Burma. Even though God's Army will cease to exist, its spirit of fighting a totalitarian regime will live on. In the future, there could other similar groups that share the same determination.

On a bilateral level, it reflects the urgent need for Thailand to manage its 2,401-kilometre border with Burma. The attacks by God's Army guerrillas at the end of 1999 and the hostage crisis last January showed an appalling lapse in security from the Thai side. It certainly proves that the military has not been as vigilant as it could be in patrolling the border.

For years, Thais living along the Thai-Burmese border have complained about minority groups committing crimes against them. With Burmese authorities claiming they have no control over these groups, it has been left to Thai officials to deal with the situation, which they have failed to do. So as long as the junta is unable to provide justice and recognition of the rights of these minorities, the situation will remain unchanged.

The God's Army situation also highlights the broader picture of child soldiers, who have been deprived of their basic rights to an education and a childhood. Many were forced to take up arms, while others were coerced into it by extraordinary circumstances, such as the belief that they could not be killed. The United Nations estimates there are 300,000 child soldiers around the world. Burma has about 50,000, including some forced to work as porters and those in minority groups.

In the case of the God's Army twins, Johnny and Luther Htoo, and their young comrades, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has said they will receive humanitarian assistance, except for those who have committed grave crimes. However Thailand chooses to respond to the God's Army situation, we have to be mindful of the several hundred thousand Burmese in various capacities currently living in different parts of the country. Special treatment meted out to the young guerrillas might attract a new influx of minorities into Thailand.

Since the seizure of the Burmese Embassy in October 1999 by Burmese students in exile and the subsequent hostage crisis in Ratchaburi last January, the Thai attitude towards minorities has become very negative. The Thai people view them as troublemakers who do not respect the country in which they reside. Burmese students in exile have suffered the most from this sense of alienation. They are being intimidated by security officials, who believe Thai-Burmese problems will be solved if they can drive out all students and minority refugees. Sadly, this is warped thinking. The various groups of Burmese living in Thailand are here for different reasons, some legitimate, some not, and therefore it is dangerous to throw a blanket of accusation over them.

In the final analysis, if the Burmese junta respected the rights of its citizens and allowed minorities to take part in building the nation without any discrimination, then there would be no need for children to be forced into military confrontations, nor would there be refugees.