Writer Antonio Graceffo has become the target of a
disinformation campaign by the ruling junta in Burma for opposing the
oppressive regime.
Nov. 14, 2008 (World News Trust) -- Antonio
Graceffo is a wanted man. His crime? Supporting the Shan people in
their rebellion against the ruling military junta in Burma, known
euphemistically as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
A former successful Wall Street investment
banker from Brooklyn turned travel and adventure writer, Antonio has
authored numerous books, including about his adventures bicycling
around Taiwan, bicycling across the Taklamakan Desert in China, and his
time studying with the monks at the famous Shaolin Temple. More
recently, he has been involved trying to bring the world's attention to
the plight of the Burmese people suffering under the brutal reign of
the SPDC.
Since outside journalists are banned from
entering the country, Antonio crossed the border under the protection
of the Shan State Army (SSA) and began reporting on conditions in the
country, interviewing victims of the SPDC's war against the people,
writing about what he learned, and producing a series of videos
featured on YouTube to bring awareness about the plight of the Shan.
Perhaps more well known than the SSA are
another resistance group known as the Karen National Union (KNU), and
its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), who were
featured in the 2008 movie "Rambo," starring Sylvester Stallone in the
fourth installment in the film series.
But while Stallone played a fictional
character, Antonio Graceffo, one could fairly say, is the real Rambo.
An experienced martial artist featured on the Discovery Channel and in
a number of martial arts films, Antonio was embedded with the Shan
State Army and helped train Shan soldiers in the art of close-contact
self-defense. Among Antonio's videos on YouTube are several featuring
him demonstrating martial arts techniques and sparring with SSA
soldiers.
It is on a purported KNU website
that an image of Antonio appears under a heading reading "wanted",
reminiscent of an old Western poster -- except, of course, that Antonio
is wearing the cap and uniform of the Shan State Army instead of a
cowboy hat and leather vest, and holding a Kalashnikov rifle instead of
a Winchester.
The website, MyanmarNargis.org, has a few
telltale signs of being a false front operation -- what is
euphemistically known in the field as "counterintelligence" -- headed up
in fact by the SPDC. Perhaps not least among these signs is the name,
"Myanmar," which is the ruling regime's name-change for the country
that is otherwise known -- particularly among opposition groups who do not recognize the regime -- as Burma.
And the fact that a "wanted" poster for a
man who has helped the rebels on a website of a rebel organization is
also more than slightly counter-intuitive. Anti-junta groups Antonio
remains in contact with confirmed to him that it is a disinformation
site designed by the SPDC to create disunity and infighting among and
within opposition groups.
"Fortunately," says Antonio, "most people
working on the Burma issue don’t trust anything written in Burmese.
Each of the tribes has its own language and alphabet. Most of them are
smart enough to use English on their websites to garner international
support. The junta, it appears, is not that smart. But, since General
Ne Win forcibly closed all of Burma’s universities, to prevent smart
people from meeting and exchanging political ideas, it is no wonder
that they are slipping intellectually."
The text of the website page featuring the
"wanted" poster, which requires the proper character encoding to be
installed on one's computer in order to read it, was translated for
Antonio by a person he described as "an exiled Burmese intellectual,
who had to flee Burma and seek asylum in another country. He hates the
junta with a passion and supports the resistance groups."
The exile noted along with his translation
to Antonio, "the KNU has cleared your name and so we cannot sell you by
the kilo to them." (How very disappointing for those of us who know his
whereabouts).
The page heading, under the "wanted"
poster, reads "The Former Marine Who Would Combine Military Forces with
Terrorists." It describes the KNU, SSA and other resistance groups, as
"armed terrorists" (perhaps -- just maybe -- another sign that the
website is a counterintelligence front of the SPDC). It describes
Antonio as "a former US Marine Italian race, American citizen", and as
being the head of a small group travelling within the country. It says
Antonio's group "is surely going to have to run and escape for their
lives as they go through the Armed Forces' Offensives" but that "it is
more certain they will die violent deaths."
Not very polite. Fortunately, Antonio is
not actually in Burma currently -- nor was he during the period of time
last month the website alleges he was moving through the country with
his "group" -- a merry band, no doubt.
As much as the page seems designed to put
people on the lookout for Antonio, it also seems intended to sow
resentment among opposition leaders. Take, for instance, the insertion
of this tidbit: "5th Brigade Commander Baw Kyaw Hair, on his part, was
dissatisfied with how the present congress has appointed a central
group in which General Tamlabaw's sons and daughters have important
posts in the KNU."
Baw Kyaw Hair's group "favors having a
ceasefire with the present military government and exchange arms for
peace", the website says. (The exiled translator noted to Antonio that
"this is an SPDC phrase for complete surrendering of one's forces and
one's weapons to SPDC -- very indicative of an SPDC author".)
That author adds, "It is heard that 6th
Brigade Commander Hsarmi is [also] dissatisfied with Tamlabaw's circle
of family and friends."
The intent thus seems to try to poison
relations among rebel groups as much as to threaten Mr. Graceffo -- not
that such a warning from the violent SPDC should be taken lightly.
While Antonio always manages to keep his
sense of humor, despite the danger and despite the ugliness he has
witnessed firsthand, the oppression in Burma under the military junta
of the SPDC is no laughing matter. It's high time the world took notice
and took action. Antonio's courageous work in defiance of the ruling
regime has been intended to further that goal.
To close, in the words of Antonio, "please say a prayer for the people of Shan State."
Adventure and martial arts author, Antonio Graceffo
has lived in Asia for many years, publishing four books and several
hundred articles in magazines and websites around the world. He has
worked as a consultant and writer for shows on the History and
Discovery channels and appears on camera in "Digging for the Truth" and
"Human Weapon." Antonio is host of the web TV show, "Martial Arts
Odyssey." Antonio was embedded with the Shan State rebel army in Burma,
documenting human rights abuses, and doing a film and print project to
raise awareness of the Shan people. To see all of his videos about
martial arts, Burma and other countries, click here. Check out his books here. Check out his website, Speaking Adventure. To send him an email, click here.
Jeremy R. Hammond is the editor of Foreign Policy Journal,
a website dedicated to providing news, critical analysis, and opinion
commentary on U.S. foreign policy from outside of the standard
framework offered by government officials and the mainstream corporate
media, particularly with regard to the "war on terrorism" and events in
the Middle East. He has also written for numerous other online
publications. You can contact him by clicking here.
Last update : 28-12-2008 18:35
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