All Burma Students' Democratic Front
Encyclopedia
The All Burma Students' Democratic Front is a resistance group against the military regime in Myanmar
, the former Burma. It was created after unrest in the year 1988, in November 1988 in Yangon
. It is a group of Burmese students living in the exile. The ABSDF operated an armed force, which fought with ethnic minority armies, particularly the Kachin Independent Army and the Karen national against the Burmese military regime SPDC in the past.
The All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) is the largest student and youth organisation on Burma’s borders. It was founded on November 1, 1988. The ABSDF is fighting for democracy and human rights in Burma alongside other democratic and ethnic nationality forces.
2. To achieve democracy and human rights
3. To attain internal peace
4. To bring about the emergence of a federal union in Burma
The Burmese military staged a coup d’etat in September 1988, following its brutal crack down on peaceful demonstrations crying for democracy and human rights. Soon after seizing state power, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the then military regime, surprised the country and the world with the announcement that it would hold a free and fair election. It encouraged the public to register political parties. But, at the same time, regime officials were suppressing political expression and opposition throughout the country.
It was in this atmosphere that serious discussions and debates took place within the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), at the vanguard of the student movements, in order to find ways to continue the struggle. Finally, leaders of the ABFSU reached a decision: the struggle would consist of three practical strategies. Those strategies were 1. To maintain semi-underground networks, 2. To form a political party, and 3. To take up arms.
To pursue this decision, thousands of people, mostly students, youth and intellectuals, left for the border areas near Thailand, India, China and Bangladesh and founded the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) on November 1, 1988 on the Burma-Thailand border. Thus, the formation of the ABSDF and its Student Army followed closely on ABFSU’s decision. In other words, its formation was a strategic decision of the student movement inside Burma.
Membership and Camp Information
The ABSDF currently holds seven camps on the Burma-Thailand border, one camp spread over three separate locations on the Burma-India border, and one camp spread over three separate locations on the Burma-China border. It also has foreign branches such as in the United States and Australia.
The ABSDF is a member organisation of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), anumbrella organisation of the border-based opposition.
The ABSDF is also a member organisation of the Asian Students’ Association (ASA), the International Union of Students (IUS) and the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
1. Than Khe - Chairperson
2. Myo Win - Vice-Chairperson
3. Sonny Mahinder - General Secretary
4. Myint Hein - Joint-General Secretary (1)
5. Khin Kyaw - Joint-General Secretary (2)
6. Salai Yaw Aung -Central Leading Committee
7. Wai Lynn Zin - Central Leading Committee
8. Soe Htut - Central Committee Member
9. Moe Kyaw Oo - Central Committee Member
10. Kyaw Ko - Central Committee Member
11. Maung Oo
- Central Committee Member
12. Aye Lwin - Central Committee Member
13. Thant Chain Myint - Central Committee Member
14. Kyaw Kyaw Lin - Central Committee Member
15. Dee Yu - Central Committee Member
16. Mya Win - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
17. Aung Win Tin - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
17. Thein Lwin - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
From 2001 to 20 December 2010 was ABSDF on US terror list.
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, the former Burma. It was created after unrest in the year 1988, in November 1988 in Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
. It is a group of Burmese students living in the exile. The ABSDF operated an armed force, which fought with ethnic minority armies, particularly the Kachin Independent Army and the Karen national against the Burmese military regime SPDC in the past.
The All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) is the largest student and youth organisation on Burma’s borders. It was founded on November 1, 1988. The ABSDF is fighting for democracy and human rights in Burma alongside other democratic and ethnic nationality forces.
Aims and Objectives
1. To liberate the peoples of Burma from the oppression of military dictatorship2. To achieve democracy and human rights
3. To attain internal peace
4. To bring about the emergence of a federal union in Burma
Born of Struggle: ABSDF’s History
The political movement and the struggle for national liberation have a unique character in Burma. Students were a mobilising force at the forefront of the struggle for freedom against British colonial rule. This role has continued over the past four decades of military rule in the country. Thus, the student movement is inseparable from the historic struggle for Burma’s independence from both colonial power and dictatorship.The Burmese military staged a coup d’etat in September 1988, following its brutal crack down on peaceful demonstrations crying for democracy and human rights. Soon after seizing state power, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the then military regime, surprised the country and the world with the announcement that it would hold a free and fair election. It encouraged the public to register political parties. But, at the same time, regime officials were suppressing political expression and opposition throughout the country.
It was in this atmosphere that serious discussions and debates took place within the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), at the vanguard of the student movements, in order to find ways to continue the struggle. Finally, leaders of the ABFSU reached a decision: the struggle would consist of three practical strategies. Those strategies were 1. To maintain semi-underground networks, 2. To form a political party, and 3. To take up arms.
To pursue this decision, thousands of people, mostly students, youth and intellectuals, left for the border areas near Thailand, India, China and Bangladesh and founded the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) on November 1, 1988 on the Burma-Thailand border. Thus, the formation of the ABSDF and its Student Army followed closely on ABFSU’s decision. In other words, its formation was a strategic decision of the student movement inside Burma.
Origins of the Name
The ABSDF is an organisation representing all students and social classes throughout Burma in their struggle to achieve democracy and human rights. The students of Burma are recognised as the leading force fighting against the dictatorial military regime, and the Front indiscriminately counts all Burmese ethnic nationalities and classes among their membership. The ABSDF is at the forefront of the popular struggle for democracy and human fights in Burma; hence the rightful name “All Burma Students’ Democratic Front”. The Front’s motto is born out of collective experiences: “Our Heads are Bloody But Unbowed”.National Politics
The ABSDF considers the primary conflict in Burma as that which exists between the military regime on one side, and the various ethnic nationality groups comprising the citizens of Burma on the other. People who are struggling against the military dictatorship in order to overthrow its oppressive nature constitute not a single stratum but a cross-session of all people regardless of social class, gender, ethnic origin, religion, education, political ideology -in short, this fight is for each and every citizen of the country. Based on that ideology, the ABSDF believes in national politics and applies it as political strategy.Strategy
In order to fulfill its aims and objectives, the ABSDF upholds the strategy, “Armed struggle in combination with political activities.”Membership and Camp Information
The ABSDF currently holds seven camps on the Burma-Thailand border, one camp spread over three separate locations on the Burma-India border, and one camp spread over three separate locations on the Burma-China border. It also has foreign branches such as in the United States and Australia.
The ABSDF is a member organisation of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), anumbrella organisation of the border-based opposition.
The ABSDF is also a member organisation of the Asian Students’ Association (ASA), the International Union of Students (IUS) and the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
Leadership
The ABSDF elects its leadership democratically. Leaders of the organisation serve for a certain period of time (Three years) in accordance with the ABSDF constitution. The following is the list of the organisation’s current leaders who were elected in ABSDF’s Eight Conference convened in December 2006, to serve for a three-year executive term.1. Than Khe - Chairperson
2. Myo Win - Vice-Chairperson
3. Sonny Mahinder - General Secretary
4. Myint Hein - Joint-General Secretary (1)
5. Khin Kyaw - Joint-General Secretary (2)
6. Salai Yaw Aung -Central Leading Committee
7. Wai Lynn Zin - Central Leading Committee
8. Soe Htut - Central Committee Member
9. Moe Kyaw Oo - Central Committee Member
10. Kyaw Ko - Central Committee Member
11. Maung Oo
- Central Committee Member
12. Aye Lwin - Central Committee Member
13. Thant Chain Myint - Central Committee Member
14. Kyaw Kyaw Lin - Central Committee Member
15. Dee Yu - Central Committee Member
16. Mya Win - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
17. Aung Win Tin - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
17. Thein Lwin - Central Committee Member (Reserve)
From 2001 to 20 December 2010 was ABSDF on US terror list.
See also
- Htein LinHtein Lin- Early life :Htein Lin was born in Mezaligon, Sagaing Division in northern Burma. From 1985, he studied for a Bachelor of Law degree at Yangon University...
, Burmese artist and activist - Win Naing Nyein
- Moe Thee Zun (US)
- Naing Aung
- Dr. Thaung Htun (the exiled governmentNational Coalition Government of the Union of BurmaThe National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma is an administration claimed to be the government in exile of Burma. It has its headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, United States...
). - Gen Bo Mya
- Win Min
- Myint TheinMyint TheinMyint Thein was a Burmese pro-democracy activist and spokesman for the National League for Democracy , the political party of Aung San Suu Kyi...
†2008 - Mahn Htun (Australia)
- Soe Khaing (US)
- Moe Kyaw Naing †1988
- Aung Than Lay †1989
- Chit Hlaing †1992
- Ko Ko Naing †1993
- Valentino Day Pho †1993
- Maung Si †1993
- Ayng Soe Lwin †1994
- Edward Bo Byan †1995
- Gabriel Bo Byan †1995
- Pascal Khoo ThwePascal Khoo ThwePascal Khoo Thwe is a Burmese author from the minority Padaung people, known for his autobiographic writings about growing up in Burma under military rule. His book, From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey, was awarded the Kiriyama Prize-Life:Thwe was born in Pekon , Shan State, Burma...
(London)